Honestly, putting a budget lens on a pro body like that is kinda disappointing. Most all-in-one glass just isnt as sharp as youd expect. I had issues with the Canon RF 24-240mm f4-6.3 IS USM being pretty soft at the edges, even if it fits your budget. Unfortunately, it's not as good as the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM for quality, but the 105mm wont reach far enough for soccer. Real bummer.

Ive learned the hard way that soccer fields are way bigger than they look... are your kids playing on a full-size pitch or just a small local park? Over the years Ive tried many zooms, but the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is my go-to. Its sharp, has a constant f4 aperture, and isnt a total brick. Should fit your budget if you find a sale.

TL;DR: Get a lens with more reach than you think you need, otherwise those soccer photos will just be blurry specks in the distance. I remember when I first got into high-end gear and thought I could save money by getting one lens that did it all. I took it to a local match and it was a total disaster... the focus motor couldn't keep up with the kids running and I spent most of the time zoomed in all the way only to realize the players still looked like ants. I missed the best goal of the season because the lens was hunting for focus. Then I took that same setup on a family trip and while it was okay for snapshots, the photos just didnt have that pop I expected from such an expensive camera. Over the years Ive tried many different combos and realized that trying to avoid dust by never changing lenses is kind of a losing battle. These cameras are built to handle it. I eventually just leaned into getting something with a longer reach for the sports stuff. It made a world of difference. Trust me, you dont want to spend $4k on a camera and end up with photos that look like they came from an old phone because the lens couldnt keep up.

Same setup here, love it

> the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is my go-to. I actually disagree with relying on that range for sports. I once tried a similar lens at a game and ended up with tiny blurry blobs because I was way too far away... nightmare. You should be careful with shorter glass tho. To add to the point above: I would suggest just getting any of the white telephoto zooms from Canon. They are built like tanks and stay sealed better.

The best lens for that situation is... well, it is a bit of a rabbit hole. @Reply #3 - good point! about those big lenses being built like tanks. Honestly, brand loyalty is a funny thing and over the years I have seen it go south so fast when people compare systems. I remember my cousin Vinny went through this exact same thing last summer:

• He bought a top-tier body just like yours for a trip to Italy because he heard it was better than his old Nikon
• He spent the whole first day arguing with his wife about which brand had better colors while they were at the Colosseum
• They actually missed their train to Florence because he was frantically googling why his old lenses wouldnt fit the new mount
• He got so frustrated that he just left the camera in the hotel safe for the rest of the week and took everything on his phone Basically, its a whole ordeal when you realize how much there is to learn once you jump into a pro system. Ngl, it really makes you rethink the gear chase when you're just trying to take family snaps.