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Too close to call.

campy
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p.1 #1 · Too close to call.

I have gone over this in my mind for a couple of months now and can't seem to make a decision. I don't have any lens needs just wants. I am looking for a top tier lens but can't decide due to not having any specific usage in mind, just best quality. I would be buying used and a budget of $2000 and it will be used on R5.
My current lenses are:
EF 24-70 f2.8 II
EF 16-36mm f2.8 v1
EF 135mm f2
RF 35mm f1.8
RF 24-105 STM
RF 100-400
My contenders are:
RF 50mm f1.2
RF 85mm F1.2 (Found one for $1700 if still available, otherwise probably wouldn't consider it)
RF 24-70mm f2.8
RF 70-200 f4
RF 70-200 f2.8 non Z
RF 100-500

Mar 08, 2026 at 03:16 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #2 · Too close to call.

campy wrote:
I have gone over this in my mind for a couple of months now and can't seem to make a decision. I don't have any lens needs just wants. I am looking for a top tier lens but can't decide due to not having any specific usage in mind, just best quality. I would be buying used and a budget of $2000 and it will be used on R5.
My current lenses are:
EF 24-70 f2.8 II
EF 16-36mm f2.8 v1
EF 135mm f2
RF 35mm f1.8
RF 24-105 STM
RF 100-400
My contenders are:
RF 50mm f1.2
RF 85mm F1.2 (Found one for $1700 if still available, otherwise probably...Show more →

Of your current lenses, which ones do you use the most? You have a solid kit, but any of your lenses could be updated to a lens with better capabilities. The EF lenses could be updated to RF lens couterparts and the RF lenses could be updated to similar RF L lenses. If there is one you use a lot, but would want a little better IQ I think that is the one to update. If none of your lenses fit that description, then think about the RF 50 f/1.2, the RF 85 f/1.2, or one of the 70-200's to add more portrait capabilities if that is something you would want. Your EF 135 f/2L already is pretty good at that, but if you find that lacking in some way, then one of those 4 might be a nice upgrade.

Mar 08, 2026 at 03:50 PM

chez
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p.1 #3 · Too close to call.

Mar 08, 2026 at 04:35 PM

ctgoldwing
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p.1 #4 · Too close to call.

Timely thread! We just met a couple the other night. The husband has expensive hobbies - truly expensive sports cars, boats, country club golfing etc. I asked if he was ever into photography / what kind of camera did he have.. He just looked at me and said, "I have them all". He was almost 100% right. He did not have any Canon or Blad equipment. He has every other high end brand including their best bodies and glass. Quite an extensive collection of old and current Nikon, Sony and Leica. Less so on other brands. He wanted my opinion on which new Hasselblad body / lens to get as he wanted to start collecting them.
I gave him the same answer I would give to you. Go for it. Whatever tickles your fancy. What I do with cameras is a whole lot different than what he does / you do. He likes the technology and ownership. I'm not sure what your main interest is in photography gear but it reminds me of when, many years ago, I was shooting Nikon film. There were Nikon shooters that were appalled that I threw away those gold boxes when I bought a lens. To some of them the box was as important as the product. Buy your box.

Mar 09, 2026 at 09:02 AM

John Power
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p.1 #5 · Too close to call.

I have to ask. What does this guy do for a living or is it inherited money?

Mar 09, 2026 at 10:36 AM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #6 · Too close to call.

ctgoldwing wrote:
Timely thread! We just met a couple the other night. The husband has expensive hobbies - truly expensive sports cars, boats, country club golfing etc. I asked if he was ever into photography / what kind of camera did he have.. He just looked at me and said, "I have them all". He was almost 100% right. He did not have any Canon or Blad equipment. He has every other high end brand including their best bodies and glass. Quite an extensive collection of old and current Nikon, Sony and Leica. Less so on other brands. He wanted my opinion...Show more →

I admit, I sold a few lenses, boxes, and old Canon and Nikon system literature on eBay. Collectors need the full set of paraphernalia and will pay for stuff normally thrown away.

Mar 09, 2026 at 11:00 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #7 · Too close to call.

Mar 09, 2026 at 11:38 AM

naddis
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p.1 #8 · Too close to call.

Since you mentioned a budget, it would seem that like most of us, you don't have unlimited funds. So my short answer is that if you don't know what you need, you don't need anything and the money would be better spent on travel, a workshop, etc.

But in order to really answer your question, which lens do you use most often? IMO the logical choices would be to update your 24-70 to the RF version which is excellent, And you might choose to sell your EF 24-70 and maybe the RF 24-105 too, which could free up cash for another new lens. Or you could pick up the 70-200/2.8, another workhorse lens for many photographers.

Or a less logical approach (perhaps, although you don't currently have a fast L series normal lens) would be the 50/1.2, which is pretty special in it's image quality and rendering, in my opinion.

Mar 09, 2026 at 02:31 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #9 · Too close to call.

campy wrote:
I have gone over this in my mind for a couple of months now and can't seem to make a decision. I don't have any lens needs just wants. I am looking for a top tier lens but can't decide due to not having any specific usage in mind, just best quality.

I�m confused. Why are you buying a lens if you don�t have any needs in mind and can�t explain the �wants?� What are you looking to get from this purchase?

I suppose you could take out some small slips of paper, write the name of a different lens on each one, put the slips of paper into a hat, and draw one out without looking�

Mar 09, 2026 at 03:11 PM

MintMar
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p.1 #10 · Too close to call.

I only bough lenses without plan when they got very cheap for my wallet and usability, just to see how they perform or to have something rarer.

This way I bought EF 100/2, now that the prices fell down in second hands because of RF, and even before RF introduction I got the very first EF L for super cheap - 100-300/5.6L. Too bad it's no hidden gem, its performance is on par with the 70-300 IS Mk1, but it's got the AFD motor and pump zoom

Mar 09, 2026 at 03:21 PM

EB-1
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p.1 #11 · Too close to call.

I'd replace the 16-35/2.8 for sure, but not with the MK II that is optically better, but still not very good. The 16-35/4 IS is the best value of any of the 16-35s, having good IQ in the middle apertures and also the IS.
The RF 70-200/4 is a nice little lens, but all of the RF 70-200s are. The latest 70-200Z is the best of course. The 100-500 is unique and one of the few reasons to bother maintaining a Canon RF system at all.

Fast primes are special purpose. I have zero use for them, but perhaps you do. The VCM f/1.4 lenses are a good compromise at a lower cost.

EBH

Mar 09, 2026 at 06:05 PM

tkbslc
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p.1 #12 · Too close to call.

Since you don't have any stated needs or wants, it doesn't matter. Roll a die, flip a coin, go on vibes, throw a dart, whatever.

It's like you've gone into a restaurant and said, "I'm not hungry, what do you recommend I eat?"

My advice is to buy nothing and wait until the universe provides a reason to actually buy something other than money to burn.

Mar 12, 2026 at 01:37 PM

netexpress
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p.1 #13 · Too close to call.

I know you've been around here longer than most and I know you've owned some of the best kits and don't really need our advice.

Own
EF 24-70 f2.8 II
EF 16-36mm f2.8 v1
EF 135mm f2
RF 35mm f1.8
RF 24-105 STM
RF 100-400

Contenders are:
RF 50mm f1.2
RF 85mm F1.2 (Found one for $1700 if still available, otherwise probably wouldn't consider it)
RF 24-70mm f2.8
RF 70-200 f4
RF 70-200 f2.8 non Z
RF 100-500

EF 16-36mm f2.8 v1 Sold it. There are better options and even in zooms those options are great! You'll get a lot of use out of them. I've compared the newer versions side-by-side - I'd say upgrade and enjoy. I use wide a lot so I'd deep six this lens immediately. But the older version will take some time to sell so get ready to take a loss

But replace it. The results from newer lenses are far superior to this one. That would actually be my number one choice. #1

RF 100-500 Really handy and sharp! One of the best bang for the buck long RF lenses. Don't know if you shoot much beyond 200 but if you do this has a clean bill of health. But if you don't that EF 100-400 is fine. Between the RF 100-500 and the RF 70-200 Z

Painful question but the former will give you range and excellent results. The Z is also amazing. But given you can only have one the RF 100-500 is the one to get. Again the EF 100-400 is fine but because of that it will also sell fast! I sold mine but honestly I could have kept it and been completely happy. It sold instantly. Choice # 2

If I recall from the old days Campy you are a prime guy. RF 50mm f1.2 and RF 85mm F1.2 - both great - well you know what they can do. I don't need to advise you here. Of the two I'd gravitate to the 85mm if I could only have one. If not the EF version is also fine. Buy it used and safe $$$, why not? EF is cheap! The only reason I didn't list this first is you already have a 135mm that is awesome and I might ask how often do you do portraits? Portraits are so impactful it is worth having the "arms" on hand. But you may not do them as much as some people do. But some of my best photos have been portraits. But if you already have primes on another system like Nikon or Sony why bother? I don't know what else you have hence my placing this in third place even though primes are my favorites. Choice # 3

Far be it for me to give you advice. Good luck with your decision! And I hope it brings you joy and excellent results!

Mar 12, 2026 at 04:03 PM

campy
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p.1 #14 · Too close to call.

For anyone who might be interested, I went with the RF 70-200 f2.8 non Z.

Mar 27, 2026 at 08:06 AM

garyvot
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p.1 #15 · Too close to call.

campy wrote:
For anyone who might be interested, I went with the RF 70-200 f2.8 non Z.

I like this lens as well. If you are not in the habit of using tele-extenders with zooms, you cannot beat the size and weight savings for the quality on offer.

Mar 27, 2026 at 12:47 PM

artsupreme
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p.1 #16 · Too close to call.

campy wrote:
For anyone who might be interested, I went with the RF 70-200 f2.8 non Z.

Great choice. I talked smack on the R5 and then ended up loving it. I talked smack on the RF 70-200 and then ended up loving it. It's probably the best lightweight/compact travel lens available.

I guess I should talk smack on more new gear so I end up loving it.

Mar 27, 2026 at 02:13 PM

ctgoldwing
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p.1 #17 · Too close to call.

John Power wrote:
I have to ask. What does this guy do for a living or is it inherited money?

I just saw your post John (and assume it was directed to me).

He is a plastic surgeon in South Florida. When I asked him what he shoots he looked at me like I had horns and said he just likes the technology. . . Whatever floats your boat.

Apr 05, 2026 at 01:22 PM

Pixelpuffin
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p.1 #18 · Too close to call.

Tbh
The R5 and the list of lenses you gave will deliver awesome images.
How about using the budget to travel and explore??

Edit:
Just seen your update� enjoy the new purchase 👍🏻

Apr 05, 2026 at 01:38 PM

elfanucchi
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p.1 #19 · Too close to call.

You have a lot of glass and you may have too much.
That is why you are not able to make up your mind.
Steve Spencer wrote:
Of your current lenses, which ones do you use the most? You have a solid kit, but any of your lenses could be updated to a lens with better capabilities. The EF lenses could be updated to RF lens couterparts and the RF lenses could be updated to similar RF L lenses. If there is one you use a lot, but would want a little better IQ I think that is the one to update. If none of your lenses fit that description, then think about the RF 50 f/1.2, the RF 85 f/1.2, or one of the 70-200's...Show more →

Apr 08, 2026 at 09:41 AM

RexGig0
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p.1 #20 · Too close to call.

When EOS EF was still my primary system, in 2016, I took a trip across the USA's "Old South," from East Texas to the Atlanta area of Georgia, inland on the outbound leg, and coastal along the return leg, with my teen nephew. I took my 5Ds R, my EF 35mm f/2 IS, and my EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS. 35mm always seemed wide enough, and 100mm was plenty long enough. I had an occupational need* for the EF Macro L lens, at the time, so, it served as my "people lens," during personal time. I simply ignored bird photography, for this trip, as I knew that my nephew was not interested in visiting nature/wildlife areas. Later that same year, I added the EF 100-400L II. I added the 5D Mark IV in 2018

I seem to "see" landscapes at 35mm. This was confirmed during a road trip of nearly 4000 miles in 2019, when I used another system, bringing 21mm, 35, and 50mm compact fixed-focal-length lenses. I only swapped lenses once, to use the 21mm lens. Otherwise, I used 35mm. Obviously, others will have different ideas. My point is that covering everything from ultra-wide to super-tele may be unnecessary.

If building an RF system, today, I would simply use those above-mentioned three EF lenses, with an adapter, until I felt a really good reason to replace them with their RF counterparts/successors. If starting from scratch, then I would buy the RF versions.

*During the final seven years of my police patrol career, I had the added duty of evidentiary/forensic/crime scene photography.

Apr 11, 2026 at 08:37 AM

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