so i just got the canon r7 and honestly i have no idea what im doing yet. i want to take better pictures of my kids playing in the garden and maybe for my sisters wedding in june but the lens that came with the camera isnt giving me that blurry background i want. i keep reading about prime lenses but it is all so confusing. sorry if this is a dumb question but what should i buy?
- my budget is around $450 max
- i want something that works well when the light isnt great
- i heard the r7 crops things so do i need a specific number?
really just want my photos to look professional and not like a phone...
In my experience, you cant go wrong with a nifty fifty for portraits. Since your R7 has a 1.6x crop factor, a 50mm lens acts like an 80mm lens on a full frame camera. That is basically the gold standard for flattering portraits because it doesnt distort faces and keeps you at a nice distance from the kids. Here is why you should look at these:
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is your best bet. Its super cheap, way under your budget, and the f/1.8 aperture is what creates that blurry background (bokeh) you are after.
- If you want something a bit wider for the garden or groups at the wedding, the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM is awesome tho it might be right at the edge of your $450 limit. Over the years, Ive found that wider apertures (the lower f-numbers like f/1.8) are the secret to that pro look. The kit lens that came with your camera probably has a small aperture that kills the blur. Grab the 50mm and youll see a massive difference immediately... its honestly a game changer. Let me know if you need help with the settings once you get it.
