I bought a Canon EOS RP in 2020 with the RF 24-105mm kit lens. There were not a ton of RF lenses out at the time and the only affordable option I recall was the 35mm F1.8. The RF 50mm had not been released yet. I was new to Canon cameras at the time, so it wasn’t like I had existing EF lenses to work with.
It seemed logical to get an EF to RF adapter and personally I wanted to get the Canon-branded model. Unfortunately, they were sold out everywhere. I went ahead and got the Viltrox model with the control ring. It has worked out well for me and honestly, I would probably prefer to not have the control ring. There have been a few times I accidentally changed my ISO setting which is linked to it.
1. Budget
Canon is rapidly moving away from the EF mount. This has helped prices drop for the used/refurbished market. When I was buying into the system, I ordered an EF 50mm F1.8 for $75 refurbished directly from Canon. The RF 50mm F1.8 was not released yet but was released at $200. My Canon EF 85mm F1.8 was about $200-250 in excellent condition. The RF 85mm F2.0 was $600. I know I’m comparing new to used products, but we are talking about a huge price difference.
2. Adaptability
I was already invested in the Micro Four Thirds system when I got my RP. In 2020, it was tough to determine if there would be speed boosters and other adapters for RF to MFT (or other systems). Here we are a few years later and such adapters do not exist. I must admit autofocus does not work as well when adapting an EF lens to MFT, but there are some amazing EF lenses out there. The optical quality still shines when adapting the EF lenses to another system.
3. Third-Party Options
Canon does not seem open to allowing third-party lenses on the RF system. This could be a problem moving forward. Third-party lenses provide more options and additional competition. Without them, you are left with only the options Canon provides and the pricing they set.
RF lenses are the future for Canon. The decision to deny third-party manufacturers seems like a step in the wrong direction. Thankfully the readily available EF glass works great when adapted to RF. Is this a step in the wrong direction? Hard to say, but I bet I’m not the only one who does this.
Please forgive the wonky b-roll clips. This was the first time attempting this with my Panasonic G9. Thinking next time I will test a tripod or manual focus to hopefully improve the wobbly effect.
If you are interested in buying into the RF system, this looks like a great time. All of the RF lenses mentioned in this video are on sale for some really nice discounts. Please consider ordering through one of my links as it helps me to make more gear-related videos like this one.
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Til the next time…
#canon #canonphotography #fullframe #eosr