Choosing a Telephoto Lens: RF lens recos for sports and portraits

[berhutba2]

Hello, I am currently looking for a Canon RF mount lens that is suitable for things like sports photography and portraits (I'm looking to explore different photography styles). I am also looking to get a lens with good zoom, but also a good aperture. I was aiming to get a 16mm-300mm Sigma lens, but I'm not sure if it is the best option. My budget is a maximum of 1000 dollars.

[SignifDigits]

That's an interesting lens with an incredible range and lots of reviews on plusses and minuses.  The Tamron 18-300 is another one for a bit less money and not quite as wide and apparently of similar quality to the Sigma. 

Based upon the lens I'm assuming you are shooting an RF APS-C camera.  If you got one of those I'd really recommend considering a Canon RF 50mm f1.8 for portraiture.  80mm is generally used for portraits and your zoom lenses are going to be at about f5.6 at 80mm.  This means you won't be able to get the shallow depth of field with the out of focus background and bokeh that you generally want for great portraits.  With an APS-C sensor camera the 50mm full-frame lens is right at 80mm, and f1.8 will ensure you can get that shallow depth of field.

At $239 the "Nifty Fifty" is, I think, a bargain and I think you'd love the results on portraits.

[SignifDigits]

Perhaps I should have said on your camera the full-frame 50mm lens will effectively shoot as an 80mm field of view on your camera using the 1.6 crop factor.  Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[shadowsports]

Greetings, 

Definitely  a wide latitude between portraits and sports.  The sigma could address both at the expense of variable aperture.  Getting two lenses as signifdigits suggests is another option.  A third single lens option, that would require a slight bump in budget might be a used/refurbished RF 70-200 f4.  Its biggest drawback would be in portrait photography where its f4 aperture wouldn't provide as shallow a depth of field or bokeh as say the 50 f1.8.  However, if the background isn't right behind the subject, f4 can still provide a degree of blur often pleasing enough for a variety of shooting scenarios.  What you chose my also be influenced by the lenses and FL's you own now.