Ive been shooting with my R8 for about six months now and honestly the full frame sensor is incredible, but lugging around my heavy primes on trips is killing my back. Im heading to Japan in October for a street photography trip and need something versatile. I was thinking about the RF 24-105mm F4 L but the price tag is a bit steep for my budget right now. Then I looked at the 24-240mm but Im worried about the distortion at the wide end since I really value sharpness. Is the extra range worth the trade off in glass quality for a travel body like the R8? Anyone have thoughts on this...
Just catching up on this thread. I have been shooting travel photography for a couple of decades now, and I have learned the hard way that chasing range often leads to regret. Distortion correction in software is fine, but it destroys micro-contrast and image integrity. If you want to keep your back happy without losing too much quality, I would suggest looking into the Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM. It is significantly cheaper than the L series glass and much lighter. You lose the constant aperture, but it is plenty sharp for street work. Be careful with wide shots in low light since you will need a higher ISO, but for Japan, the daylight street work will look great. Just make sure to pack a small prime like the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM for those evening shots.
Honestly, I feel your pain. I took the Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM on a trip last year thinking the range would be a total game changer, but I was pretty bummed out by the results. The distortion at 24mm is definitely noticeable, and frankly, the corners are just mushy compared to what that R8 sensor is actually capable of capturing. It just felt like I was handicapping my gear, which is such a shame when you're in a place as visually stunning as Japan. If you're really trying to stay light without sacrificing all that sharpness, here is what I would suggest:
- Skip the superzoom. It's just not as good as expected for street photography where detail really matters.
- Try picking up a used Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM. It is way cheaper than the L version and honestly, it punches way above its weight class. It is light enough that your back will thank you, and it is way sharper than that 24-240mm monster.
- If you have a few bucks left over, grab the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM. It fits in a jacket pocket and it is a total beast for low light when the sun goes down in Tokyo. Sorry you're dealing with the budget crunch, but you really dont need that expensive L glass to get great shots. Hope this helps you save your back!
Quick reply while I have a sec, I get the budget struggle for sure. If the L series is too much cash, have you looked at the Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM? It is way more affordable than the F4 L version and it weighs basically nothing, which is a lifesaver for all-day street shooting in Japan. Yeah, it is a variable aperture, but the image stabilization is actually decent and you can get some really sharp shots if you stop it down a bit. Another solid path is checking out the used market for a Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM instead of buying new. Plenty of pros upgrade to the newer glass and dump their old ones in mint condition for way cheaper. You get the weather sealing and that constant F4, which makes a massive difference if you end up shooting in some of those narrow, dimly lit alleyways. Honestly, avoiding the super-zoom range of the 24-240mm is the right move, that thing is just too much of a compromise on image quality for a nice sensor like the R8. Grab a decent prime like the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM as a backup if you need something tiny and fast, it costs next to nothing and is super sharp for the price.