topic Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best? in EF & RF Lenses

Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

taradeone — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:56:09 GMT

I got my dream camera, the Canon EOS R5! I am beyond thrilled! I'm a huge fan of wildlife and landscape photography, and I also enjoy capturing people.

As you can imagine, after investing so much in the camera, I need to be mindful of my budget for the lens. I'm looking for something that will not compromise on quality but won't break the bank either. And, as I take a lot of trips to the PNW in the US, I'd love a water-resistant/waterproof lens that can withstand the elements.

I'm exploring options in the range of 24-800mm and am open to getting multiple lenses. Does anyone have any recommendations?

I would love to have a good lens to where I can shoot photos from a short distance for landscape, but also a lens that can allow me to zoom in a far distance to shoot wildlife.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Danfaz — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 14:28:58 GMT

My suggestion, since you require weather resistance, would be the RF 24-105 f/4 for landscapes, people, etc. and the RF 100-500 for the wildlife (of course, the RF 200-800, but it's not in stock anywhere right now).

The 24-105 is often on sale for $900-1000. The 100-500 is definitely more expensive, but it's a fantastic weather resistant lens. If you can do without weather resistance, the RF 100-400 is a very budget friendly alternative.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Addisonjones — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:30:30 GMT

I personally love the 70-200mm. I use it all the time for both landscape and wildlife. You cant get TOO close to wildlife but it definitely does the job. It is amazing but it is a little more expensive.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

rs-eos — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:36:11 GMT

Please provide a budget for your lenses. Also, do you have any existing lenses from a prior camera? If so, have you considered a Canon EF to RF adapter to work with those lenses? Could be a good shorter-term solution until you can save up more for RF lenses.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

taradeone — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 15:58:50 GMT

Thank you so much for the reply. I will take it into consideration!

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

ebiggs1 — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:08:28 GMT

"I personally love the 70-200mm."

I would also recommend starting out with the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens especially if you got one of the normal range zooms with your R5, If not then I would recommend the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens as the starter lens.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

taradeone — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:08:49 GMT

Thank you so much for the reply!

I have very much considered getting the 24-105 but also the 24-70mm lens. Although, it is more expensive. I have also considered using the RF 100-500 lens but am curious if I could use a Canon RF 1.4x Teleconverter to increase the focal length. Would you know if using a teleconverter would decrease the quality?

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Tronhard — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:24:55 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum Tara:
The R5 is an excellent camera, and you will have much to learn to get the most out of the focus system in particular.

If you are considering wildlife there are some clarifications that would help.
1. What is your budget - an actual figure will help us to suggest optics that suit your needs and pocket
2. What kinds of wildlife are you considering? Birds, large mammals (bears, bison, deer etc.)
3. What kinds of weight are you prepared to carry?

I have spent most of my life shooting wildlife, IMHO a 70-200 is not going to be anywhere near a long enough lens (I have one and it sits in a box), you need something much longer, but that implies more cost and weight. Yet, for general purpose photography you want something more compact and light. So, you are looking at two kinds of lenses: a relatively light and compact walk-around lens, and a wildlife-specific lens with a lot of reach and fast focus.

In that context I would suggest the following:
* For general walk-around activity
- The RF 24-105L f/4 - good optics, reasonably light and a good balance for general work.
- If you don't need weather sealing (how often will you use that kind of unit in nasty conditions?), the RF 24-240 STM is an amazing unit that will give you a huge choice of focal lengths. Its fast focus, great optics, and incredible focal range will let you shoot everything from travel, social events to some outdoor sports with one unit. I have also used it for portraits - while it does not the open aperture for shallow depth of field of a dedicated lens, you can back off, use a longer focal length, and reduce DoF that way.

* For wildlife, the Rf 100-500L IS USM is a brilliant lens: weather sealed, lightning fast focus and it works extremely well with the Canon R5 tracking system. Wildlife needs you to be able to stand off a bit - birds will fly away, and it's potentially dangerous to get too close to macro mammals like bears, moose, bison etc. I have a 70-200 lens, and honestly, for wildlife, that lens stays at home. As my colleague Dan has said, if you cannot afford the 100-500 then you could consider the RF100-400 which is cheaper and lighter, but it is not weather sealed and not as fast to focus.

As examples, the following were all taken with the RF 100-500, hand-held, available light:
Green Iguana: 289mm, f/8, 1/400sec, ISO-400 Lemur 485mm, f/8, 1/320sec, ISO-250 Australasian Gannet - R5, RF100-500@500mm, f/9, 1/500sec, ISO-200 Canon EOS R6, RF 100-500@500mm, f/8, 1/500sec, ISO-1250

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Addisonjones — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:24:34 GMT

I agree with it really does depend on what animals you are going to shoot and how far away you will be….. I don’t have anything 100-400 or to 500. But my 70-200mm does do the job for the animals I shoot.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Tronhard — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:50:52 GMT

I hope you don't mind if I respond to this. I am not really a fan of extenders, a RF1.4x is not cheap, will cost you a stop of light, and you have to have the 100-500 at a focal length of more than 300mm to use it. If you then want go to a shorter FL, you have to take the darned thing off.
If you want even more focal length, then I would suggest considering the new RF 200-800 lens. Note that it is not an L unit but cheaper than the 100-500L and is a great optic - again, the question is how hostile an environment will you shoot in...
These taken with the R6MkII and the RF 200-800 hand-held, available light.
Red Panda@10m: R5, RF 200-800@ 600mm, f/9, 1/500sec, ISO-6400 Stick Insect: 200mm, f/7.1, 1/40sec, ISO-6400 Serval: RF 200-800@800mm, f/9, 1/500sec, ISO-6400 Gouldian Finch: 570mm, f/8, 1/250sec, ISO-6400Emu: 481mm, f/8, 1/500sec, ISO-2500 R5, RF 200-800@1280mm FoV, f/9, 1/1250sec, ISO-1600
Finally, if you are prepared to use the EF-RF converter, the Sigma 60-600sports (weather sealed) is a great lens that works perfectly with the R5.
NZ Kaka EOS R6, Sigma 60-600@ 475mm, f/6.3, 1/400sec, ISO-1600 EOS R6II, Sigma 60-600s@600mm, f/9, 1/645sec, ISO-1250 EOS R6II, Sigma 60-600s@600mm, f/6.3, 1/475sec, ISO-1600

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

taradeone — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 05:32:19 GMT

Before I had the Canon Powershot SX530 HS so I did not have any lenses. My budget is preferred to be $1,500 or under. Although, I am willing to spend more on multiple lenses.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

taradeone — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 06:03:06 GMT

Thank you so much for the reply. I am definitely going to look into the Sigma! It's definitely a little more budget-friendly than the 100-500.

Re: Just got a Canon EOS R5. Which lenses will be best?

Tronhard — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 06:28:04 GMT

In that case, I would recommend the Sigma 60-600 for wildlife , alternatively there is a cheaper lens also available that also works well with the R5, and that is the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary lens. It too has excellent optics and it is also lighter because it does not have to cover the extreme focal range. You will need a Canon EF-RF adapter to make either Sigma lens work with the RF mount.
Testing the Sigma 150-600 with the Canon EOS R5. - Page 2 - Canon Community

For the lower end of the focal range, than the RF 24-105 or the RF 24-240 lens would be good choices. The second one would give you more flexibility over a wider range of subjects, so that you don't have to take the large and heavier Sigma.
Trying out the RF 24-240 on Wildlife with the R5 - Page 2 - Canon Community

As I don't live in the USA, I shall leave the pricing for your own research. I hope this helps.