I am fully a hobbyist and bought this lens. Heavy and huge but don't regret it. Currently on holiday trip to London and Dubai and struggled deciding which lens to take for the trip. I did not think twice about this lens though. Love it and would not consider going on a trip without it. Also took the 50mm 1.8 since it is so tiny. But only taken it out during the trip because needs bit more space to fit subjects. Also took the 70-200mm F2.8 and only taken it out once to the park. However, I love the 28-70mm so much that take it out all the time. The lens I left behind was 24-105mm F4 and in hindsight I would have been better off taking that with the 28-70mm for the trip and just left the 50mm and 70-200mm behind. I know this lens is super expensive for just a hobbyist but if you can afford it then go for it. Nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while. It's the 70-200mm I regret buying because I hardly ever use it.
Rented this lens for a trip to NYC and while THAT was a mistake, the times I did portrait shoots with it made me quickly realize it's the best lens I've ever shot with!
about to rent the 28-70 for a club photoshoot. i own the 24-105mm f/4, which does the job in many situations that i've been apart of thus far, but do wanna see the power of this lense. i appreciate this video, was very helpful. because i was also considering renting the 24-70.
@@K124B there are 2 stops of light difference between f4 and f2. That means 4x more light is reaching the sensor. The difference between f2 and f2.8 is 1 stop so an f2 lens has twice the light of f2.8 lens
@@K124B I was hired to shoot a fund raiser/concert event at City Winery here in NYC. it's not what I usually do, so I couldn't justify buying this lens, so I rented a RF 28-70 2.0 and the RF 15-35 2.8 IS. I have to say it was a great combination. I got some great looking, natural light shots with the 28-70 and the 15-35 was great for some wide group/table shots that in situations where I couldn't get any future away from the subject. The 15-35 really has some optical issues at 15mm/2.8, but they look fine with the lens correction applied. The 28-70 gave me some amazing shots during the concert portion of the event! If I were shooting clubs, or concerts on a regular basis I would consider this a MUST HAVE!. I will certainly rent one every time I have this type of event to shoot. Unless of course a certain cute ginger who happens to own this lens wants to get married! In that case, I will just use his lens and thats all I will ask for in the divorce ;-)
Those longer exposure images you take are stunning. I agree with everything here. Incredible lens. I was hesitant for the obnoxious size and price but its worth every single penny. For events it is it. I shoot video also and now the 28-70 is my main lens. No warpy nonsense, autofocus is amazing. Yeah its heavy but I just eat more spinach. Love the 100m macro also, but the 28-70 is gold. BTW, your voice is the silky smoothest on youtube dude. You could narrate anything.
where I learned the beauty of this lens (and there's no equivalent lens on any other platform) was on a recent trip. I'm also a prime lover. So on my previous trips, I brought my 16, 24, 35, and 85. So I was CONSTANTLY having to change lenses. Because I had to pack light for the trip, I didn't have room for my traditional camera bag. I had my briefcase bag and a carry-on and that's it. Switching for the crowded, fast situations I was in was a big pain. I ended up leaving uncapped lenses in my bag to speed up switching lenses. but with the 28-70, I was bold and I left all the other lenses (except for the 35) at home. I kept the 35 because I wanted a light do-it-all lens. While the 28-70 individually is a big, heavy lens, it takes up less room than my 16+24+35+85 in my bag. My bag was light and I didn't have the pressure of switching lenses. It also made traveling easier, especially passing through airport security. And the 28-70 is the best zoom ever. There is no lens like it. It looks like a prime but gives you so much flexibility. Now, if I was shooting locally, I would probably still stick to my primes (like the 85 1.2 is next level) but on a trip, having a lens that just stays on and produce the premium quality of this lens is just amazing.
People who do not have problem with the budget and only do photography for thier enjoyment possibly buy this lens though . Just to get the best of their enjoyment. Thanks
This lens is the one I ordered when I decided to go pro (after a decade of shooting travel and street photography as an amateur with prime lenses). I don't regret it. It's amazing for wedding and customer events. Great channel btw.
Hey Zach, loved the video! Love all your videos actually. I own this lens and I agree with almost everything you said about the lens. Its quite impressive. Where we disagree is that I have learned to use this lens as my everyday lens. Its that good. I do have one strong arm now though. So there is that... Thanks for the vid!
this sounds like 'I bought the 28-70 after i bought the 24-70 so now need to justify keeping it' :D. Love the video man, seems like 28-70 is a good choice if it fits budget? Would you travel this with lens? Is it THAT heavy? For me the weight doesnt seem an issue but more the visual looks of it. Anyway to hide it when on the go?
Hello! Can you recomend 28-70 for sports? Does it really has faster autofocus in case of object tracking (servo AF) than 24-70? Case of usage - crossfit, jumping etc.
I need your help, I have an option to change my 24-70 to 28-70 for a small amount of extra money, I am shooting video as well as photo, I am shooting a travel photography, landscapes, as well as portraits and videos but I have only one lens. What's your advice in this case?
How did you feel about shooting video with the 28-70 f/2 and only having ibis on your body ( and not IS on the lens too) was it manageable for hand holding video shots? Did you ever attempt to mount it on say a ronin rs3 at all?
Whether you are making money with it or want very personal family moments like pictures from your child in a situation and constellation that will never come again - I don't see a difference. Bad lenses is for those who want bad photos, good lenses are for those who want good photos, for whatever reason.
Hope your business has been keeping you busy and happy! I was expecting the youtube activity to slow down when you started your own business, and that is ok! You have to live your life and this is just a blog of you sharing your life with us. Live your life and give us what you can when you can!
Why on earth do you say this lens isn't for non professional use? You say you use it to produce high quality images, so why wouldn't everyone want to produce those images for themselves? Makes no sense. I've just bought one , also have RF50 1.2 , 15-35mm, 100mm and EF70-200mm 2.8 IS
I did the opposite of you. I purchased rf 28-70mm f2 for photo and video asap to replace my primes. This week I decided to purchase the rf 24-70 f2.8 for video because i no longer want the heavy video set up with a side handle. And photo for receptions. Im glad you're keeping both. I plan to keep both as well.
It's silly to say that one shouldn't buy a given lens unless it's going to be used for paid work. If one uses a 600mm f4 to take pictures of birds, is that lens too big and expensive? Should one buy the new iPhone as a personal accessory? They're very expensive, and the old iPhone works fine... it's OK to buy a thing for the pleasure of using it.
Yeah, pretty much. I still have the 24-70 and I swap that with the 28-70 when I put a speedlight on my camera to save on weight and gain a bit of width. We also have a 135 but I don't use it very much.
Have used for weddings. Remarkable. Though so big and fat I found myself instead of using like a zoom using like prime where I would make a specific effort to set to 28 or 35 or 50 etc and then take a pic rather than adjust focal range while looking through the viewfinder. It's also intimidatingly big (the glass) when taking a close up portrait in say a small room. Also, 28mm is only so useful and for a wedding I think the sweet spot would be 20-60mm. Still single camera work has its appeals versus my usual 35/85 split.
I’m an amateur and love the images I’ve seen from this lens and the idea of being able to cover these focal lengths @ f2. But I’m scared that it would just be too heavy to be enjoyable for my recreational photography. So thank you so much for your perspective on suitability :)
Hey Zach, really enjoyed the review! Question - I run a wedding photography business and primarily shoot with Fujifilm cameras because of their compact size and fantastic color science (Canon is super nice too though) For weddings, is this lens heavy? Also, do you find the 70mm focal length sufficient for your needs in such scenarios? Or do you happen to use another longer focal length lens as well? I'm considering whether the 28-70 could potentially be my all-in-one solution or if maybe adding a 70-200 would be necessary down the line.
Thanks for watching! I do also use an 85 and a 70-200. I think you could shoot the entire day on the 28-70, but I would miss my primes and longer lenses. I think it's up to your preference. It is heavy, but I don't really think about it when I'm working.
If you're a wedding, portrait, studio, product, or event photographer go for the 28-70. If you're a nature, every day shooter, videography, travel or landscape photographer go with the 24-70 2.8
As a hobby photographer I love traveling with my EOS R5 + RF28-70 f2L when I expect low light situations. This lens fulfills all my needs, so it stays on the camera all the time. I don't bring any other lenses. This means that the kit is not so heavy. When there is sufficient light, I leave the EOS R5+RF28-70 at home, and travel with my EOS RP + RF24-105 f4L. I love the extra reach to 105mm, and the low weight and small size of this kit. I have owned the RF24-70 f2.8L for more than a year, but NEVER used it for any real protography so far. It is a good lens, but it falls between the other two normal zooms, that I love so much. Perhaps I will find a use for it some day, but I feel that it is mostly a professional lens. For hybbyists, I think the RF28-70 f2L and RF 24-105 f4L are better choices.
Nice review... in my opinion, the only not obvious disadvantage of this lens to the RF 24-70 is autofocus for fast moving subject photography. I shoot dance and sometimes the focus is soft in the eyes. I don´t have this issue with the RF 24-70. But image out of this lens is perfect!
@@ZE3kr I compared with the RF 50mm f1.2 at 1.2.... the RF 50mm missed the focus a bit less even at 1.2. Because of this I decided to have RF 24-70 and RF 50mm f1.2 instead of RF 28-70.
I am a professional photographer with r5. Love prime lenses, currently have rf50 and rf70-200. I use ef85 on mount. Am on holiday at th moment and missing my ef 24-70 so I decided to buy rf 24-70. However watching your video, am tempted to buy 28-70. It would be useful when I need to do a wedding work (I do only a couple of times per year!) It means when I travel I will miss 24-70 again 😂 Any suggestions?😅
Hi thanks for the video, very interesting topic. Although I was also out for best light sensivity and flexibiltiy I think you nailed it. I think the 24-70 f2.8 will be better for my demand. Smaller form factor, image stabilzation are an additional plus. But I will have a closer look in a shop or loan both for a couple of days and a prime lense with ~ f/1.2. Then something regarding the background music. Sorry .. the knocking noise in the background drove me crazy. 1st I thought something is knocking somewhere close to my desk. Then I recognized it is your backgroud music or something which you recorded while speaking. Also the bass from the 2nd background track also brings too much unrest into the otherwise fantastic video through the pumping and a certain “mute” effect to the total volume. So may I suggest to be careful with the choice of music ? ;-) Otherwise many thanks for your kind efforts.
I love the 28-70 but it will not replace my primes. The RF primes are really amazing, and I don't think they can be replicated with a zoom. I also think the 1.2 apertures are best for portraits and low light shooting. I love the 28-70 because it feels prime-like, so it fits really well when I'm using my primes. But my primes are still my favorite lenses I use. Thanks for watching :)
Thank you for your video. It's an interesting video and some great images and enjoy your low-key approach to the presentation! I agree with your advice about suitability of a lens for pleasure versus profession. As regards the comparison between the 24-70 and 28-70, the former is quite a bit lighter and less bulky too, so for most people, that is not insignificant - especially, as you say for travel. I think your approach has a good level of balance. A tiny point, your title should read: The PERFECT lens for WHOM?
It is absolutely (hmm sounds like a Scritti Politti song..) a Beast of a lens. I use it for events and family portraits and I take it with me on vacations - haha! The weight of this lens is really not an issue for me in regards to the quality of the photos. I love this lens.. Just Love, love, love it and isn't "love is all you need"?? Thanks for another great video!!
Hey Zach - excellent video. A quick pair of questions for you: How do you weigh the 28-70 F2 against the 50 F1.2? Do you reach for one quicker than the other?
As a Canon R5 & R6 MK II user I use the 28-70 almost in every single shoot I go to. If you used DSLR before mirrorless cameras the weight is not a problem ( I used to use 5d Mark IV with grip + 70-200 mainly so the weight is not the case ) if you have the money buy 50 85 and 135 mm and also the time to change it every single pose go for it by all means but if you are planning to stick to one workhorse that can almost do every single thing you want to do it is much more than worth the money and a little tip if you combine it with a camera which has IBIS it is also great at video making
This is the main reason I've been looking to get this lens. I find myself switching between lenses way too often in a wedding I'm doing. Hoping to wield a dual camera with this and a 135mm 1.8. I feel like that could be the way forward
Me parece tonto que digan que no se lo compren si no obtienes un ingreso por el, yo soy fotógrafo amateur y lo tengo porque me gusta que las fotos que le hago a mi familia sean de la mejor calidad. Si me lo puedo permitir por qué no?
I have the 2.8 24-70 z wity tte z6...its heavier than the canons one and has lots of distortion. Its pretty slow to focus in low light...thats why i was thinking in changing to the r6 with the 28-70
I'm a casual shooter and not particularly skilled, but on my travels I have no end of photos in my favorite places where I couldn't get enough natural light and got crappy pics. This was my solution, and just did my first walkabout with it on a trip. Its damn heavy for sure, but a hip holster solved that and I really like the old film like quality (or that's the way it looks to me from my old film cameras). No regrets. I got lots of comments on it from strangers too, which was kinda nice :)
I'm selling a RF 80mm F2 and a Sigma 24-104 F4 right now and the plan was to buy the 24-70 F2.8. The 28-70 though is versatile + has prime bokeh qualities😅 Not an easy one. My cam has IBIS, so that wouldn't be a problem either.
Hi! This is my first time buying a camera + lenses and im really struggling with the decision. I’m mostly a fashion and beauty photographer, and I want to specialize in studio photography but also in portraits outside. Would you say this is a good lens for me? I mean, this is obviously a great lens in general, but i don’t know if I should buy just this lens or would be better if I buy 2 or 3 cheaper lenses. Thanks for reading! I hope someone can help me
It all depends on your work/use/etc. But I would also suggest looking into the 24-70. Very similar lens but slightly more affordable. I think investing in a really nice lens will often produce better results than cheaper lenses at multiple focal lengths. Just my opinion.
Are we gonna see your presets in the near future? Your photos have been looking absolutely amazing for the last year and I think it's finally time. Please!🖤❤🔥
@@TheZachMendez are those lens versatile for all sort of shoots where I need fast focus ? I'm currently shooting with rf35mm 1.8 stm and I should say, I'm having a terrible time because the autofocus is too slow.
Alright, you've convinced me. Good work! I was just about to ask if you're keeping your 50mm. And why not switch your 24-70mm 2.4 for the 15-35mm 2.8? also if you mind making a video comparing for both lenses the 24-70 rf vs the 28-70 rf for portraits indoors and out doors, that would be amazing. I haven seen that on RU-vid. I know there are other photographers who have done such comparisons but not with your professional style.
I am keeping all my primes! I don't think the 28-70 is really a prime replacement. You could shoot an entire wedding without it, but I would miss my primes. And thanks, I will add that comparison to the list. Thanks so much for watching!
@@TheZachMendez Awesome! when you refer to not a prime replacement, do you mean aperture-wise not being able to do 1.2, 1.4, or image quality and color rendition?
So I’m a super amateur photographer but have such the eye for great photos. I just recently got a new job as Lifestyle Manager for and advertising/marketing company. I already have a Canon EOS Rebel T7 that I’ve just been using for friends pictures here & there. I told my boss that I planned on getting the RF 28-70mm lens, she busy it for me, gives it to me, & it doesn’t fit!!! So now I’m having to buy a camera myself because I don’t want her to know, I feel terrible that she spent so much money on a lens that doesn’t fit. I really really want the R6 body but it’s a little pricey, so I think I’m going to get the EOS R50 body. Can you tell me anything about that and if you know how it will work with the RF lens? I know that was a lot but the story is very necessary 😂 I NEED HELP 😭
I believe all you need is a canon Ef-Rf mount adapter! No need to buy a whole new camera. The adapter will be able to connect your camera to the lens! ☺️
