I’m no expert by any means, but I do enjoy documenting my photography journey and sharing my thoughts. Lately, as I’ve been busy with shoots, I’ve been thinking about expanding my lens collection. Right now, my “baby” (or dream lens) is the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2—it’s my go-to portrait lens and I absolutely love it. Alongside that, I also use a Tamron 70–200mm and my trusty old EF 50mm f/1.4, which I often call my everyday lens. My 50mm is not glass, so it really is never used during my shoots. I like to use it when I travel. It is lightweight, and can be used in darker areas.
What I’ve been missing, though, is something more versatile—something that lets me get close to my clients in tight spaces or capture details like rings, flowers, and small group shots without constantly feeling limited. I also liked the idea that I did not have to switch lenses. Prime Lenses have been my go-to lenses for more than 15 years. But honestly, all that walking on the beach, while the temps are at 103 or 106, sure does get exhausting, and a zoom lens would give me back a little bit of energy that is needed during these excruciating moments. That’s why I decided to rent the Canon RF 28–70mm again. Some of you might remember I used this lens at a wedding back in June. Most of the day was shot with it, and while the results were good and the color rendering was beautiful, I wasn’t completely wowed. Compared to my 85mm, which always feels incredibly sharp, the 28–70mm left me questioning whether it was worth the investment.
The Canon RF 28–70 is heavy—heavier even than my Canon RF 85mm, which already feels substantial. At first, the thought of carrying both of these lenses around in my backpack felt overwhelming, almost like adding an extra burden to my workflow. Surprisingly though, once I was in the middle of shooting, I didn’t notice the extra weight at all. I’ve been using my RF 85mm for about five years now, and while in the beginning it left me with sore arms after long sessions, over time I adjusted and even built up the strength to handle it with ease.
After trying it again, I feel much the same. While it’s a strong lens, it’s also an expensive one, and I’m not sure I’d be satisfied if it became my main tool. So now I’m torn—do I test out the 35mm f/1.4 next, or should I go in a completely different direction and invest in a dedicated macro lens? This has been one of the tougher gear decisions I’ve faced, and honestly, I’m still stumped.
So any advice???????? I would love to get any help.
