Canon R7 First Lens to Buy! RF Lens Buyers Guide! 

Canon now sells an RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens that I would recommend for ultra-wide work instead of the adapted EF-S 10-18 that I recommend in this video.

Thanks Phil for sharing the video and the valuable information, keep up with the awesome content 🐦❤️🤗

What a nice video for those like me who recently got a R7 and are very lost when digging into the perfect lenses for all the situations. Thanks!

Phil, this is a fantastic video and has helped me no end in deciding whether the r7 is right for me. Your no nonsense approach is refreshing and greatly appreciated

I've had this exact thought. Thank you for the video!

This was exactly what I needed having just bought an R7 with the kit lens. I really like your style, just like a mate explaining it all down the pub!

Nice range of lenses Phil. I think I’d be happy just with the 100-500mm and the kit lens (18-150). Should cover everything I’d be doing with an R7. Thanks for sharing the video 🤙🙏

Best video for this question - by far!

Hi Phil. I've just picked up the R10 + 18-45 kit lens with the EF adapter after watching your previous videos. Your advice has once again helped me consider other options to the RF 70-200 f2.8 and saved some pennies, too! Thank you.

Great vid - I think you've really nailed it. I use some additional lenses that are fairly inexpensive, but they're niche products - manual 50mm f/1.05 for crazy bokeh and a Helios 44-2 for art stuff. I also can turn almost anything into a macro lens with an extension tube.

When I got my R7, I got the kit and picked up a RF 800 from Canons refurbished store for $719. The isn’t as lens I use much but you are absolutely correct, small birds at about 30’ look great. The lens is light and easy to carry. I was using my Sigma 150-600 C and while it works and produces nice images, I felt I was losing too many pictures to focus hunt. I just picked up the RF 100-500 out of Canons refurbished store. I also got the adapter so I can use all my EF glass. Nice video with good recommendations.

Thank you so much for your guidance. Got my R8 a few months ago and bought several lenses so far but always felt lost. This video helps a lot!

Great recommendations, super informative!

Totally agree with you about street photography 📷👍

Excellent video thanks for posting

Great review - thank you!

Phil, very nice presentation. I feel like I know how to move forward for lens when I purchase a R7, which will be soon. Thanks so much.

Thanks. Great comparison

I got my R7 about 2 months ago with the 18-55 kit lens and I was amazed how good that lens is. It's the only RF lens I own. But I also bought the adapter fir my EF lenses as well. I doubt I'll be affording another RF lens anytime soon. But as my grab and run camera it fits my small camera bag much better than my 90S with the 18-135 lens on it. I need to compare the size of the 18-150 RF-S to my original 18-55 EF-S kit lens I got with my Canon T3i way back in 2012.

First time viewer as I am a beginner wildlife guy. My first dedicated camera is the R7 so was researching the best first lens. Sure glad I watched your video. Excellent information in a way that was easy to understand. Really appreciate it. I have a small suggestion if your open to those.😊 Since a video involving “1st lenses” is going to draw new to casual recreational photographers, it would really help to include a graphic that shows which category the lens name falls under. Either by including the category every time a lens graphic come up, or, at the end of each category section, include a list of the lenses you just discussed under the category heading. Since most beginners screenshot the info to refer back to later as opposed to re-watching the video over and over. They(me) can just pull up screenshots later and see which lens you recommended for each category. Only a suggestion on format. I absolutely loved the video. Enough to subscribe! 😃👍🏼 Thanks again.

8:30 This camera is pretty good one on high ISO. R7 beats all 5D mk3, 1d mk4 and 6d mark I (with mark II it's a draw) on ISO 6400. So 70-200 2.8 is really enough for low light sports, for outdoor sports 70-200 F4 is a good starting point

Excellent!

If I don't have a regular use for a lens, I try to find a way around it until I do. A person just wanting a good do-it-all kind of setup not interested in dumping loads of money into glass could be pretty happy with just the 18-150 as their only lens. Impressive range - and really does work well overall. It's a solid multi-tasker.

Hi Phil, I’m a little late to your review and suggestions but found it really quite interesting. I started out with digital using the Canon 20D which came with a Macro EF-S 17-85 - very good lens, still have it on a 50D!! . These days I’m R5 and R7 (backup body) and shoot RF L f4 zooms and have the 16, 24, 50 and 85 primes , I’m mainly land and seascapes, parks , architecture and interiors. I really like the way you’ve given speciality based options but come back to that kit lens , if you were starting out I agree entirely it gives truck loads of versatility, sure its not the sharpest pencil in the box but if you find photography isn’t really for you then not too much sunk cost . I’m retired and been behind the lens since I was 13, but finally in a position to own and use gear I could not have even imagined back in ‘67 and I’m about to give “street” a go , never too old to try something different , right, thought I’d go the R7 with the 16 for light compact and not too “in your face” to start , being the natural introvert is provably why I haven’t given this a go in the past. 😀 Cheers from NZ .

Randy Bocksnick(Mt) A lot really nice lenses< very nice presentation! You gave out a lot valuable information to your fans, much appreciated! Thanks PHIL!

Worthy ❤ I was just confused buying new lenses..... Chose 100-400

Great video Phil! And an update for folks wanna shoot landscapes and don’t want buy ef lens, Canon released their rf 10-18mm f4.5-6.3 zoom lens in Nov 2023.

Street photographer here who considers herself a purist and I promise I'm not "coo-koo"! However, I won't be using this camera for street. I'd prefer to blend in with the people I'm photographing candidly doing their own thing. I will use the kit lens though, as you suggested for events. It makes total sense to me, as you said, that if you're going to shoot without a lot of depth of field, you might as well have options. Thank you so much for helping me make my decision!

Phil I know it’s off topic, but I just sold my entire Canon kit(R & R6)! Just felt their lens lineup support wasn’t where I needed it to be! Currently looking at Sony for replacement. I simply believe they have the best lens support, for both full frame & crop sensor. After 25 years it pains me to leave Canon, but I shoot a lot of low light & although I love have the R7 offers, it make no sense to me to pay for L-glass to use on a sub 1K body. My daughter is a college film major & their line is to expensive for new camera users. Just my thoughts. Truly enjoy watching!

A good cheap macro can also be a used EF 100mm 2.8L, works well with the R adapter. Just in case anyone is interested

I've have the 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/2 and the EF 200mm f/2.8 L II and have had the 24mm and 35mm f/1.8 primes as well as the 100-400. I've settled on an "event" kit of the Ef 24-70 f/2.8L II and the 200 - but for walk-around use, I've settled on the 28mm f/2.8 pancake lens, using cropping in the computer to zoom, since the R7 has a high pixel density. which makes that practical.

Great video Phil ! Wish you will do it again in late 2024, when the APS C lenses of Sigma and Tamron , RF Mount, are available ?

Just picked the R10 with the 18-150mm kit lens, in addition I purchased the 50mm 1.8 and 100-400mm RF lenses as per your recommendation. Initially I thought about adapting my existing EF lenses but the extra bulk and hassle added by the adapter wasn’t worth it.

Thank you sir

Excellent advice! Thank you Phil.

I use the adapted Sigma 105mm F2.8 macro for Canon on my R7.

Astro photography option: Rokinon 16mm f2 EF-S with the adapter. Full manual, but Astro requires full manual , including focus.

Phil, thanks again for another informative video on the R7. In spite of Canon's unwillingness to allow third party lenses into their R system, you certainly showed that there are several viable Canon R and EF lens options available. One question about your choices for landscape lenses with the R7. The EF-S 10-18 looks like an intriguing choice for a light weight super wide angle lens. Your comments about it's usability in spite of the relatively slower aperture are well put. A few months ago, you did a video where you hiked to a remote waterfall with the R7 and the EF 17-40 f4 L. Your results were beautiful. Would you recommend the EF 17-40 L as a more expensive option if one is looking for the highest IQ? How does the IQ of the EF-S 10-18 compare? The EF 17-40 L is also twice the weight I believe. Thanks. I am seriously considering investing in the R7 and the 100-500mm lens (I'm a bird photography nut).

Great video, very helpful! I’m switching to mirrorless and struggling to decide on getting R7 or the new R6 II. Which one would you recommend mainly for bird photography? I like the better reach with R7 and better low light handling with R6 II. Thank you!

Got the 70200 F4 as it’s super compact compared to the 2.8

thank you! Do you have also R6 full frame? If yes, which one r7 or r6 gets more good result for macro? I use Canon M50 with 65 mm Loawa 2;1 macro lens ( those satisfy me) , but at the moment I make decision about new camera / m6 mark II or R7. One or another I suppose complete with Loawa again.

Great video. Saved me some money. Have R7 with rf 18-150, 100-400, 50 1.8. Sold all my ef fit lenses except tamron 90mm 2.8 and ef-10-18. Bought a couple of cheap manual tt artisan lenses for fun 7.5mm and 25mm both f2. Finding that noise reduction software nowadays (dxo and topaz) is so good that high iso is not the issue it was, I have a question, I'm wondering how much noticable difference between a rf100-400 cropped to 600mm equivalent, rf100-400 with 1.4 extender and rf 600

Thank you, Phil. I currently have 18-150 mm. For wildlife photography I bought a chip lens 600mm f1. 600mm good for photo but not so good for video. I want to buy 10-18mm for landscapes and 35mm for portraits. But is it necessary to take 100-400mm or is it better to save up for 200-800mm?

Since this video came out, Canon has come out with a native 10-18 mm RF-S APS-C lens which from what I've heard is a little better overall than the EF mount version. These lenses will also work very well with the R10.

Hi Phil, would like a wide angle to 300-400 35 mm equivalent to take on walks for landscape to birds photography on my R7 have you any recommendations. Enjoyed your video of lens for R7.

It's the 2nd video i watch today in which it is said that the kit lens 18 1500 is a great lens. I wanted to sell it this morning to buy a RF 24 105 but apparently it's not well recommended on the R7. And second video in which it is said the 50 mm is a great lens too on the R7

Canon has now native 10-18 mm for RF-S and it is really small, the same size as 18-45 mm kit lens. You can put it in your pocket.

Full frame R + 24-240 is unbeatable for walk around.

Can I use my ef nifty fifty with the adapter and still get good results? Thanks

Hi Phil what are your thoughts o nthe rf 600 f11, i already have a sigma 100-400 that I have been using on my 90D and the R7 amd I am not too sure I want to double up on the same focal lengh, although I would like the rf100-400?

Got the Rf100-500mm, with my R7. 👍🇩🇰

Thank you so muah for your guidance. And, how about Canon rf 15-35mm f/2.8 on eos r7?

Hello Phil from France! Do you recommend me 100 400 RF or the sigma 150 600 for bird and sports ? thank you !

I have the RF 35mm 1.8 and it doesn't focus that great in low light. It hunts a lot and I'm using the R5. I am a little spoiled though because I also use the RF 50 1.2 which focuses far better than any lens I've ever used. It'll focus on subjects I can't even see because it's too dark.

By the way, there’s now a native 10-18 mm RF lens for around 299 bucks which is significantly smaller than EF-S version (even without considering the adapter) and also offers a pretty good macro performance… probably will be my next purchase down the road for the R10.

Takk!

Hello Master: Please help and give me some advice, The camera I am currently using is Canon EOS R10, The kit lens used with it is (RF-S18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM) My main subject matter is toy photography. The secondary shooting content is street photography or portrait photos. Now I want to buy new lenses, after watching your video, Want to be Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM and RF85mm F2 Macro IS STM or RF 35mm 1.8 STM After making a choice, I would like to ask you to give me some advice on which lens is more suitable for me? Thank you.🙏🙏🙏

I have the ef lens for macro 100 2.8

Hi there, if i already have an existing EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM, and currently looking to buy the R7. Do you think i have to get the 18-150 kit lens or i can just get an adapter and use back my 18-135mm? Thanks!

Phil - I’m looking to upgrade my 10 year old 6D.. I’m an enthusiast and generally love portrait and sports photography. I’m trying to get a bit better autofocus help shooting my daughters basketball team in the gym.. currently debating between a R6 ii and R7.. can yo make a recommendation?

Question for you Phil. Which is better, the R7 with 100-400 at full 400 zoom + 1.4x or the 800mm F11? The 800mm would give an extra 240mm (full frame) but require a higher ISO.

Being a bit of a novice…forgive me - would the ef-s 55-250 give some wildlife capability - faster? Hell of a lot cheaper and sharp for what it is..?

Can anybody let me know if the EF adapter for the R7 worth it? I mean what lenses EF do you recommend if I get the adapter to attach it on my R7 Canon? Thanks if you take a quick time to share!

R7s first lens(es).... EF and EF-S all the way!

The R7's sharpness is defraction limited already at F8 due to it's high pixel density - I'd guess this 800mm F11 wil be quite blurry on it's 32 megapixels APS-C sensor?

If you have the R10 (no IBIS), does your prime lens need IS? Asking because the RF 50mm F1.8, the RF 16mm F2.8, and the RF 28mm F2.8 (cheapest RF primes) do not have IS.

Which lens is best for vlogs with canon r7

Just my opinion of course, but I feel the first lens someone should buy for the R7 is the RF 100-400. Everything else is gravy.

The only reason I was able to 'like' this video is you at least acknowledged the existence of Laowa for macro where I value compactness. The other area where the third party lenses could be useful is in the super wide range where you fall back to the EF-S 10-18 since Canon has so far ignored the market for a wide prime. Laowa even makes a ridiculously compact 10mm which sacrifices some corner qualities according to reviews but I am holding out for someone to release a better only slightly larger 10 or 12mm in RF mount (they exist for the other brands including EF-M Canon). Is Canon limiting contactless lenses also? Making a video showing only Canon products when Canon does not make a reasonable equivalent makes people suspect your videos are Canon sponsored. If the other options are bad, show them and explain why they are bad. For the time being, I'd suggest avoiding the R7 if super wide is a major part of your photography.

If I am given a choice to use a canon camera with a kit lens or a nifty fifty in either mount or a cell phone I would rather use my cell phone

Wanna have the best lenses for your R7 or R10? Get a EF-RF Adapter and get/buy EF lenses and save a ton of money!

For wild Life you need a Lens that is Native F5.6 or less and for share Quality a 70-200 F2.8 and for a bit extra reach Dx = 300 @F 2.8 and DX (APSC) 420 F4 with the 1.4 x convertor No image degradation with Nikon Z Lenses. Pity Canons RF 70-200 CANT take a convertor .. With Lenses Save for the Best you can afford and that wayyou wont get a Cheap lens at F8 or F11 >> Once you have saved >> save again for an even faster Lens Like the new 400 f4.5 Z Wow I wish but watch this space in 2 yrs time I will get it and be glad I didnt buy cheap and slow/Dark

I use the R7 but I do not intend to support Canon´s third party politics concerning non-Canon lenses. I stick to my EF-lenses using an adaptor. I´m not going to invest in RF-lenses.

Uggg....18 to 150 I disagree... The lens is as slow as molasses in January. With an 8 to 1 zoom ratio they would have had to make so many optical sacrifices I doubt how sharp it would be. It's nothing but a budget lens for happy snaps.

I would forget the kitlens...at some point you will not use it. it's not worth it.

If I would own a R7, I would sell it right away. Canon's lens strategy for this segment is a bad joke.

By the way, there’s now a native 10-18 mm RF lens for around 299 bucks which is significantly smaller than EF-S version (even without considering the adapter) and also offers a pretty good macro performance… probably will be my next purchase down the road for the R10.