Just picked up an R50 and Im honestly so stoked to start shooting but the kit lens is already feeling kinda limiting for what I wanna do. I looked at the RF 50mm 1.8 because everyone online says its the holy grail of cheap lenses, but Im worried it might be too tight for indoor stuff since I mainly want to take pics of my cat and some street shots around Chicago. Also looked at the 16mm prime but people say the corners get soft?
- Budget is like 250 bucks tops
- Need something small for travel
- Mostly street photography and my cat
Is there anything else I should be checking out?
Congrats on the R50! That RF 50mm 1.8 is definitely sharp, but you are right about it being tight for indoor cat shots. Honestly, the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is probably your best bet despite the corner softness. It is super compact for street stuff. If you want a bit more reach, maybe look for a used Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM if you dont have one yet, but the prime is way better.
> the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM is probably your best bet despite the corner softness Honestly, I tried the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM and was kinda disappointed. The distortion correction software does a lot of heavy lifting and the corners really are mushy. If you want something sharper, maybe look for a used Canon RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM. It isnt as fast, but honestly, it feels more reliable for daily shots than messing with those soft corners.
Been thinking about your search. Honestly, I had issues with the native RF primes being way too soft for my liking on the R50 sensor. Unfortunately, the quality just wasnt there. I ended up grabbing a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary instead. It is a bit over your budget, but worth saving for. The sharpness is miles ahead of those cheap Canon options and the focal length is perfect for cats and street shots.
@Reply #1 - good point! Honestly, reading through this reminded me of when my buddy Dave went on this huge photography trip through the Midwest a few years back. He was so dead set on capturing these specific urban landscapes that he ended up packing three different camera bags, only to realize halfway through that he forgot his spare battery in the hotel fridge. We spent half the afternoon driving around looking for a shop that sold anything compatible while he just stared out the window feeling totally defeated. It turned into this whole ordeal involving a local diner, a broken radiator, and a very confused waitress who ended up giving us directions to a place that closed back in 2012. We never did get those street shots he wanted, but we did find some incredible pie. It's funny how these things go, right? Hope you end up having better luck than Dave did with his gear situation!
