What is the best all-around lens for Canon EOS R5 Mark II?

Question

What is the best all-around lens for the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II if I can only afford one piece of high-end glass right now? I finally bit the bullet and pre-ordered the body and now I am staring at my bank account wondering how much more I can justify for a lens lol. I am so hyped to finally upgrade from my old DSLR but the RF lens lineup is honestly kind of overwhelming when you are trying to pick just one daily driver that can handle everything from travel to some portrait work.

I spent all night reading reviews and it seems like everyone points to the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM as the default choice because of the range but then I see people on some other forums swearing that the 24-70mm f/2.8L is the only lens that actually does the R5 sensor justice and now I am stuck. Is the f/4 gonna feel too slow in low light? I am headed to Tokyo this November for three weeks and I really dont want to be swapping lenses constantly while walking around Shinjuku at night but I also dont want to carry a literal brick on my neck all day if the 28-70 f/2 is the best but weighs a ton.

My budget is hovering around $2000 to $2500 for this first lens. I mostly do:

Street photography

Landscapes

Occasional family portraits

Video for my YT channel

I also saw some talk about the 24-105 f/2.8 Z lens which looks insane but it is super expensive and huge so I dont know if that is overkill for someone who isnt doing professional cinema work every day. Does the extra reach of the 105mm matter more than the f/2.8 aperture in the real world for this specific camera? I really want something that can take advantage of that crazy new autofocus and the 45mp sensor without feeling like a compromise. What are you guys actually keeping on your cameras most of the time?

Savannah Rose James · Accepted Answer

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM is your best bet f/2.8 is vital for Shinjuku night street photography it handles 45mp better than the f/4 zoom imo

cole.oliver · Answer

Jumping in here because that 24-70 recommendation is totally spot on, but I would suggest being careful with how you balance weight versus aperture for a three-week trip. Since you are doing video for YouTube, the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM is basically the gold standard for a reason... the autofocus is silent and it stays sharp across the frame. One quick tip tho: keep in mind that the R5 Mark II sensor is super high res so any tiny bit of lens softness shows up fast. I might want to consider if the extra reach of the 105 is worth the trade-off in shutter speed. If you are mostly doing street stuff in Tokyo at night, that f/2.8 is gonna save your ISO more than you think. Definitely stay away from the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z for travel unless you want a gym workout every day lol.