Ive been shooting with DSLRs for years and finally upgraded to the EOS R50 a couple weeks ago for a trip to Japan coming up in October. The kit lens is fine for daytime walks in Tokyo and stuff, but Im really struggling to find a good low light or portrait option that wont break the bank since I already spent way too much on the body and extra batts. My logic was to just grab a cheap adapter and some older EF glass, but then Ive been reading mixed things about autofocus speed when adapting on the RF mount. Is it better to just bite the bullet and buy a native RF-S prime, or are there third party options floating around now that actually have decent eye AF? Im trying to keep the lens budget under like 300 bucks if possible cause my hotel bookings got crazy expensive. What is the best budget lens for Canon EOS R50 for someone who mostly shoots street photography and casual portraits at night...
Congrats on the R50 upgrade! Japan in October is gonna be amazing. Honestly, I would be super careful with adapting old EF glass right now. AF speeds can get a bit sluggish in neon-lit Tokyo alleys when you really need it. Here is what I suggest sticking to for under 300 bucks:
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is basically a no-brainer. It is cheap, tiny, and handles low light way better than the kit lens.
- Grab a cheap filter to protect the front element since street shooting can get hectic in crowds.
- Keep an eye on third party options like Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary for Canon RF, though it might stretch your budget slightly over 300 depending on sales. Stick to native glass if you can. It just saves so much headache with eye AF tracking when people are walking past you fast.
Been thinking about your question regarding the R50 since I went through a similar dilemma last year. You definitely want to be careful with adapting older EF-S glass on crop sensor mirrorless bodies because the physical adapter adds extra distance, and some third-party lenses can stutter during continuous eye tracking in dark Tokyo streets. If you want to stay strictly under that 300 dollar mark with reliable autofocus, your absolute best bet is the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It retails right around 200 bucks new, sometimes even cheaper on sale. The sharpness is surprisingly solid for portraits, and the wider aperture handles evening walks way better than the kit zoom. Another alternative worth looking into if you prefer a wider field of view for street scenes is the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary for Canon RF, though it might stretch your budget slightly past 300 unless you find a clean used copy. Before you buy anything, I would strongly recommend checking out optical test charts and real-world AF speed comparisons on sites like Dustin Abbott or Christopher Frost on YouTube. They do rigorous testing on Canon mirrorless bodies, especially regarding third-party lens compatibility. Have an amazing time in Japan!