What are the essential must-have accessories for Canon RF mount cameras?

Question

So I finally bit the bullet and grabbed an R6 Mark II after saving up for like a year and a half, its honestly a beast compared to my old Rebel but now Im staring at my empty bank account and realizing I forgot all the extra bits that make life easier. I’m mostly doing landscape stuff and some street photography around Seattle which means I’m constantly dealing with mist and light rain so weather sealing and protection is kind of a big deal for me.

I’ve been doing some digging online and everyone keeps mentioning the EF to RF adapter since I still have a few old EF lenses like the 50mm 1.8 and a 70-300mm. But honestly I’m super confused about the different versions. I saw the basic one and then there is one with a control ring. Is that ring actually useful for everyday shooting or is it just a gimmick that I’m gonna forget exists after two days? Some people on Reddit were saying the control ring is a game changer for ISO but others said it just gets in the way and you end up bumping it by mistake.

Then there is the battery situation... the LP-E6NH batteries are so expensive compared to the old ones and I heard the R series eats through power way faster than DSLRs. I have about 500 bucks left in my gear fund for the next few months and I really need to make it count before a big trip to Olympic National Park in three weeks. Its a pretty tight timeline to get everything sorted.

Here is what I am looking for:

Something to keep the camera dry without being a total pain to use

Best way to handle the battery drain issues on a budget (third party or no?)

Are lens filters actually a must for the RF glass or should I just use the hoods

Any specific SD cards that wont bottleneck the 4k video if I decide to mess with that

A strap that doesnt scream steal me like the bright red Canon one does

I also keep seeing people mention Peak Design stuff but is it really worth the hype or am I just paying for the brand name at this point? I just want stuff that wont break while I am hiking through the woods and wont leave me stranded with a dead brick in the middle of a trail. What are you guys actually keeping in your bags for these mirrorless setups...

Michaelabods · Accepted Answer

Honestly, that R6 Mark II is a beast and youre gonna love it. I have been super satisfied with my setup for a while now. For the adapter, just get the basic Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. The control ring is okay, but basically, you can save a hundred bucks by skipping it. To fix the battery drain on a budget, I have had no complaints with the BM Premium LP-E6NH High Capacity Battery two-pack. They work well and keep me shooting all day for way less than the official Canon ones. For the rain in Olympic, the OP/TECH USA 18-Inch Rainsleeve is a cheap lifesaver. Regarding the strap, the Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap in black is super stealthy and worth every penny for hiking. Finally, for 4k video, the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB SDXC UHS-II is a solid budget choice that wont bottleneck your speed... definitely a satisfied user here.

Alice · Answer

To add to the point above: After reviewing the adapter and battery points, I suggest B+W 77mm XS-Pro Clear MRC-nano over Hoya 77mm NXT Plus UV for superior reliability in wet PNW conditions.

molly.walters · Answer

Coming back to this... unfortunately the R6 II power management is pretty disappointing compared to old DSLRs, especially since third-party batteries often nerf the high-speed mechanical shutter. Quick question tho, are you planning on shooting 10-bit 4:2:2 video or just standard 8-bit? It makes a huge difference for the write speeds and card budget youll actually need.