Ive been shooting with my R6 for about two years now and honestly love the autofocus, but my kit lens just isnt cutting it for the low-light street photography I do downtown at night. Im heading to Japan in three weeks and need something sharp that wont break the bank, maybe under 600 bucks or so? Ive been debating between the RF 35mm f/1.8 and the 50mm f/1.8 because the macro feature on the 35 sounds cool but Im worried about distortion when I'm shooting buildings. Should I just save up for the L series or is there a hidden gem I'm missing here? My head is spinning from reading all these spec sheets...
Honestly, skip the L glass for now. Your R6 is a beast, but you dont need to drop a mortgage payment to get those night shots. If you are doing street stuff in Japan, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM is definitely the way to go. That extra width compared to a 50mm makes a massive difference in tight alleys, and the IS is a total lifesaver when you are handholding at slower shutter speeds in the dark. Distortion isnt really a dealbreaker since the camera profiles handle most of it automatically anyway. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is super cheap and sharp, but it can feel a bit cramped for street work. Grab the 35mm and maybe a small SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-I card so you dont have to worry about space while youre out there.
^ This. Also, dont stress about the L series glass right now. If you want a killer street setup that wont drain your bank account before the flight, have you looked at the Sigma 35mm F2 DG DN Contemporary? You would need a mount adapter, but honestly, it is built like a tank and feels way more premium than the standard STM lenses. Since you are doing night shots, just remember to keep your shutter speed up and rely on that R6 sensor. It handles high ISO like a champ so you wont even miss the extra stop of an L lens. Grab a solid SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SDXC UHS-I card so you arent worried about write speeds while snapping photos in Japan. Just keep it simple and focus on the composition.
Been thinking about your question for a bit. If you are doing street work in Japan, that focal length choice is everything. Have you actually spent a day just locking your kit lens to 35mm vs 50mm to see which one you naturally gravitate toward? If you want a sharp prime that isnt an L lens but still feels incredible, look into these:
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM
- Honestly a no-brainer for the price. Its tiny and great for low light.
- Samyang AF 35mm f/1.4 FE
- If you can find a solid used deal, this lens is seriously sharp and punches way above its weight class. Distortion on the 35mm really isnt as bad as the forums make it sound, especially with the R6 lens corrections. Do you mainly shoot wide street scenes or are you trying to get tighter portraits of people?