Im leaving for Iceland in two weeks and I still havent bought my wide angle lens for the R5 and its driving me crazy. My logic was just buy the RF 15-35mm f2.8L because its the flagship but then I see reviews saying the RF 14-35mm f4L is actually sharper in the corners? I have about $2400 to spend and I can technically afford either but I dont want to carry extra weight if the f4 is actually the landscape king like some people say.
I usually shoot on a tripod during golden hour so f2.8 isnt a huge deal for me but I just want the absolute crispest detail because I have a gallery show in November and I want to print these big. Like really big. I also looked at the EF 16-35mm III with an adapter because its cheaper but then I gotta deal with the extra length of the adapter and it feels like a step backward for a 45mp sensor. Should I just stick with the 15-35 or is the 14-35 actually the smarter move for pure sharpness? Im running out of time to order this thing...
Go for the Canon RF 14-35mm f4L IS USM! Its fantastic for travel.
- f/8 is tack sharp
- way lighter The Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM is also a great budget pick!
Like someone mentioned, f4 is really the sweet spot. I remember my first trip to the Lofoten Islands... I saved so much by skipping the f2.8 and it was the best decision ever!
- use the extra $1000 for a Benro Mach3 9X Carbon Fiber Tripod
- grab some high-end glass filters
- stay an extra few nights in Iceland! My Canon RF 14-35mm f4L IS USM prints look flawless even at 40x60!
I would suggest the Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM instead. Be careful with the 14-35 wide end, the digital stretching might ruin those big prints, honestly.
Late to the party but honestly ive seen this debate a million times over the years. I've tried many different setups and people get way too caught up in the specs. In my experience you really need to see the actual raw files to make a call for prints that big... Tbh i saw a really good deep dive on youtube recently that compared those two lenses side by side specifically on an r5. Cant remember the guys name but if you just search for canon rf wide angle landscape comparison its like the first result. That video shows exactly how the corners look after the distortion correction kicks in. Check reddit too because theres a huge thread on the canon sub about this exact dilemma. Honestly just googling for raw sample galleries is gonna save you a lot of headache before you drop two grand on glass.
