so i finally pulled the trigger on the r5 mark ii and im honestly so stoked to use the new autofocus but man i am literally losing my mind trying to find one lens that actually does this body justice. my logic was that i could just adapt my old ef 24-70 but the autofocus is hunting like crazy and the balance feels totally off with the adapter and its just driving me nuts. i want to just grab one lens for my trip to costa rica in three weeks because i hate swapping glass in the humidity but i cant decide. i was thinking about the rf 24-105 f4 since its the classic choice but is f4 gonna be too dark for the canopy? then i looked at the 28-70 f2 and its gorgeous but my god the weight... i dont want to carry a literal brick around for 10 miles a day. my budget is like $2500-ish maybe more if i sell my car lol. i need something that can handle landscapes but also get close-ish to birds or monkeys if i have to. is the 24-105 f2.8 z actually worth the insane price tag or is there some secret third option im missing? just really frustrated because i have this amazing 45mp sensor and my current setup is just letting me down big time...
Building on the earlier suggestion, I actually disagree about the Canon RF 24-105mm f2.8 L IS USM Z. Over the years I've tried many heavy setups and carrying a massive lens for ten miles in jungle humidity is just miserable. Honestly, the Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is plenty. Use the R5 II's incredible sensor to push your ISO or toggle crop mode for the monkeys. You wont regret the lighter pack.
> i want to just grab one lens for my trip to costa rica in three weeks because i hate swapping glass in the humidity Be careful with that f/4 choice because the jungle canopy is basically a cave. I would suggest biting the bullet on the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z. Youll regret missing wildlife shots because of slow glass. Just make sure to grab a rain cover because CR storms are no joke...
Can vouch for this
^ This. Also, honestly im right there with you... literally stuck in the same loop trying to gear up for a trip to the cloud forests. Unfortunately i had some major issues with my last r-series lens where the seal just didnt hold up as good as expected and it basically ruined my first two days of shooting because of internal condensation. It was such a mess. My brother actually went through a similar ordeal when he took his kit to bali... he thought he was all set with one lens but the thing ended up having some weird electronic glitch halfway through and he spent the rest of the week just staring at gorgeous sunsets with a paperweight in his hands. Its so frustrating because you spend all this money on the r5 ii thinking its gonna solve everything but then you realize the lens choice is a total nightmare. I still havent figured out what im doing either tbh... just sitting here looking at my empty bag and feeling disappointed that there isnt a perfect solution yet.
For the demanding 45-megapixel sensor of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, the question of the "best" all-around zoom lens comes down to two excellent but distinct philosophies. You can choose the traditional professional standard of the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L, or the unmatched versatility of the newer RF 24-105mm f/2.8L Z.
