What is the best portrait lens for Canon EOS R5 Mark II?

Question

I am honestly so fed up with my RF 85mm f2. I upgraded to the R5 Mark II last month hoping the insane new autofocus system would fix the sluggishness of this lens but it still hunts constantly during my portrait sessions. It is so frustrating to miss crucial shots of clients because the focus motor is just lagging behind. I have a huge series of outdoor family portraits starting next month here in Chicago and I need to replace this thing ASAP.

So I was thinking about my options. My logic was that maybe I should just bite the bullet and get the RF 85mm f1.2 L but honestly that price tag is just way too steep for my budget right now after dropping so much cash on the R5 II body. I really need to keep it under 2000 dollars.

I looked at the RF 135mm f1.8 L but I worry it might be too long for some of my tighter indoor setups. Then there is the Sigma 85mm f1.4 art with the EF adapter but does that defeat the purpose of having the fancy new autofocus? I am just stuck. What is actually the best portrait lens for the R5 II that wont break the bank but actually keeps up with the camera...

flatbushflyer · Accepted Answer

Man, I totally get the frustration with that RF 85mm f2. The autofocus motor on that thing is just sluggish. Since you want to keep it under 2k, I have two solid options that I'm super happy with on my R5 setup.

Canon RF 135mm f1.8 L IS USM: This is my absolute favorite. The autofocus is lightning fast and the compression is just gorgeous. No complaints about the quality, but yeah, it can get tight indoors.

Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG HSM Art EF with the adapter: Dont worry about the adapter slowing things down. It actually focuses faster on the R5 than it ever did on native EF DSLRs. It is super sharp and way under budget, though it is kinda heavy. If you have the space outdoors, grab the 135mm. Otherwise, that Sigma is a total steal.

connor.elliott · Answer

Like someone mentioned, that 135mm is absolute magic! But if you really need to stick to 85mm, definitely grab the Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG HSM Art EF with the canon adapter. The R5 II's Dual Pixel CMOS AF II drives EF glass natively, so the autofocus speed is actually insane! You get gorgeous f1.4 rendering and zero lag for way under your budget. Let me know if you want spec comparisons!

melody.hunt · Answer

Honestly, I've had so many issues with the newer Canon RF non-L glass lately. It's just not as good as expected for the price. If you want to keep costs down and get stellar autofocus, honestly just look at the EF lineup with an adapter. Go with any of the premium Sigma primes, you really can't go wrong. Their older EF art glass is still incredible on the R series. Actually, speaking of EF lenses, I was digging through my gear closet yesterday and found my old zoom that has basically been gathering dust since I switched to mirrorless. My kid wanted to try taking photos at his school soccer game, so I dusted it off. Man, I forgot how heavy those older lenses are. My wrist was literally sore after ten minutes of holding it. I need to hit the gym or something. Anyway, definitely look into the Sigma EF primes, they're a steal used right now.