I finally made the jump from my old 90D to the EOS R8 and honestly the eye-tracking is blowing my mind but I’m hitting a wall with lens choices. I’ve always been an EF guy and used my old 50mm f1.4 for everything but on this new body with the adapter it just feels... off. The balance is weird and it’s way noisier than I expected on the mirrorless mount. I have a big family session coming up in a few weeks at a local botanical garden and I really want to nail those headshots with some proper compression.
I’ve been eyeing the RF 85mm f2 because the price is right but I’ve heard mixed things about the focus speed being a bit sluggish compared to the L series stuff which I definitely cant afford right now. My budget is strictly under 800 dollars for this. Is the RF 50mm 1.8 actually a step up from the old EF version or should I be looking at something else entirely? I really want that native mount feel without the bulk of the adapter setup. What are you guys using on the R8 that doesnt make it feel top-heavy but still gives that professional look for clients...
To add to the point above: I was in the same boat when I swapped my 90D for the R8. Using the adapter with my old glass just felt so unbalanced... kinda like the camera was always diving forward. Eventually, I picked up the Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM and have been totally satisfied with it for family portraits. Heres my experience with the options:
- The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM gives that beautiful background blur you need for professional headshots. People say it is slow, but for folks standing still or just walking around, it works well.
- The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is so light it makes the R8 feel like a point-and-shoot. It is definitely an upgrade over the EF version in terms of focus accuracy. The 85mm is probably your best bet for the garden shoot because the compression is just way better for isolating subjects from all those distracting flowers.
Just saw this. Headshots or groups? Im satisfied with the Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM for the optical stabilization, tho the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM is a reliable alternative.
