Best budget lens for street photography with a Canon EOS R10?

Question

Ive been messing around with my new Canon R10 for a few weeks now and I really need to find a better lens for street photography before my trip to Chicago next month. The kit lens is okay but the aperture is just so slow when it gets dark and I hate how much noise I get in my shots. I did some digging and everyone points to the RF 50mm f1.8 since it's like 170 bucks or something but on this crop sensor it ends up being like 80mm which seems way too tight for busy sidewalks. I feel like I'd be backing into traffic just to get a decent shot of a building or a person.

I also saw the RF 28mm f2.8 pancake lens but then I read some reviews saying the distortion is weird if you don't use the in-camera corrections and now I'm just confused. My budget is pretty capped at $300 right now so I can't go buying the L series stuff obviously. Is there anything else out there for under that price point that works well for the RF mount? Maybe something third party like Meike or an older EF lens with an adapter if that's even worth the bulk? I just want something small and fast that won't make me look like a total tourist with a giant setup...

lincoln.greene · Accepted Answer

Building on the earlier suggestion, the native lens situation is pretty disappointing. I’ve had issues with the 50mm being way too tight for street stuff too. Your best bet under $300 is probably adapting older glass:

Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM: Needs the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R but it’s a classic for a reason.

TTArtisan 25mm f/2 RF Mount: Tiny and cheap, though manual focus is kinda slow. Unfortunately, the adapter adds bulk, but it’s still better than the kit lens.

George · Answer

Unfortunately, Canon is really dragging their feet on native RF-S primes. I tried using the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM on my crop body and it was just way too tight for narrow streets. Kind of a letdown. Heres my take:

Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM Pancake

Meike 35mm f/1.4 RF Mount The 28mm distortion isnt even a big deal with the in-camera corrections on. Adapting EF glass just feels too clunky for street stuff tbh.

sheepsheadbaylife · Answer

It's been really disappointing seeing what Canon offers for us lately. I wasted a lot of money trying to find a native lens that felt right but everything just felt like a compromise. Honestly, just look into any of those manual lenses from TTArtisan. Theyre way cheaper and feel way better in the hand than the plastic stuff Canon sells... just grab a wide one and youll have a blast in Chicago.