Honestly, I've been shooting with Canon gear for over a decade and I'm still genuinely satisfied with how their budget glass performs. You're spot on about prime lenses... they don't zoom, but that fixed focal length usually means you get much sharper photos and that blurry background everyone loves for portraits. Since you're working with a 200 dollar limit, there's really one specific lens that works well for your situation. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM is my go-to recommendation here. On your R10, which has an APS-C sensor, this lens gives you a field of view similar to an 80mm lens on a full-frame camera. That's basically the gold-standard focal length for headshots and half-body portraits. I've used this lens for plenty of family events and I've had no complaints about the image quality or the focus speed.

• Fits your 200 dollar budget easily (usually around 160 to 180 new).
• Lightweight and compact for a long graduation ceremony.
• Large f/1.8 aperture helps a lot if the event is indoors or in low light. I've found that for the price, the sharpness is impressive. You'll definitely notice a massive jump in quality compared to the kit lens that comes in the box. Just remember you'll have to physically move your body to frame the shot since you cant zoom in. Tbh, it's a great way to learn composition anyway. Youll be happy with how your sisters photos turn out with this setup.

Unfortunately, your budget limits you to some pretty flimsy gear. I had issues with the plastic feel on these cheaper RF lenses, and they just arent as durable as I hoped.

• Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM - okay results but the focus is noisy and slow. It feels fragile.
• Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM - better build but the f/2.8 aperture is disappointing for portraits. I guess the 50mm is the only choice tho.

Nice, didn't know that

Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷

TIL! Thanks for sharing