Should you buy a Canon RP with the 24-105 kit lens?
Thank you to Annabelle for your assistance on this video.
I first purchased my Canon RP in 2020 as an aspiring portrait photographer. This was after hearing about how amazing full-frame cameras are. This was the camera that took me to the next level.
Canon EOS RP with 24-105mm Lens
Was that true? Not really. Is it a great camera? Yes, but not for everyone.
Video is a weak spot for the RP. It does not offer In Body Image Stabilization (IBIS). That really hurts the ability to get handheld shots. 4K video has a significant crop. This is a tough one. Looking at the screen or viewfinder and suddenly getting a huge crop after hitting record. It makes framing tough and doesn’t help the stability issue. I find wide shots are far easier to shoot handheld.
There are some technical limitations for the camera as well. The fastest shutter speed is 1/4000. Sure, that’s a fast shutter speed. What about shooting wide open on a sunny day? You will possibly need to stop down the aperture or use an ND filter to compensate for this limitation. I’ve found it doesn’t matter 90% of the time, but have found myself needing to adjust around this in the past. It will likely happen to you.
Another technical limitation is the burst mode. It is only 5 frames per second. This is a perfect rate for portraits where there isn’t much happening. It could help you capture a better smile for example. My E-M1 Mark II can shoot up to 60 frames per second which is far more than I like to use but can help with sports and wildlife.
Now that we’ve covered the limitations, what does the EOS RP do well? Portraits are one example where the RP really shines. The 24-105 kit lens does a great job, to be honest. I’ve included some examples in this video. Nothing here was staged, we were just going out for a short walk on a fairly windy and cold day.
I’d recommend an aspiring portrait photographer to get the kit lens if it is within $200 of the body-only option. The reason for this is the range the lens covers and the fact it has stabilization. The kit lens is nice for walking around and traveling. It is really sharp and has a nice look.
Canon RF 24-105mm F4.0-7.1 Lens
The first lens an aspiring portrait photographer should consider is likely the RF 50mm F1.8 or adapting the EF version of the nifty fifty. You will be able to get much more bokeh with F1.8 than with the variable aperture kit lens. That does not make the kit lens bad, just different.
The RP and kit lens are great for travel and walking around. The size isn’t horrible and it is lightweight. An F2.8 zoom is nice to have, but they weigh a ton. There are times when having lightweight gear is preferred. Travel is one of those times.
I’m far from a landscape photographer, but I would say the RP checks the right boxes for this genre. I would recommend some additional research if that is your primary interest.
Is the Canon RP with the 24-105mm F4.0-7.1 a perfect camera? No, but it could be the perfect camera for the right person. This would likely be someone getting into portrait photography, perhaps someone wanting a high-quality lightweight travel option, or maybe an adventurous landscape photographer.
The RP has some limitations, but it is still an amazing camera and an excellent entry to full-frame photography for the right person.
On-camera footage shot with the Insta360 X3
Thank you so much for watching. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe.
Til the next time…
#canon #canonphotography #eosrp