15/03/2026 3:00 am
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Heading to NYC next Thursday for a long weekend and I still havent locked down a lens for my R6. Honestly kind of panicking because shipping is gonna take a minute. Im looking at the RF 35mm f1.8 or just the cheap 50mm f1.8 but I cant decide if the 35 is worth the extra cash for street stuff.
I also saw a used 24-105mm f4 for like 550 bucks which is right at the top of my budget but maybe having the zoom is safer? I really want to do candid shots and low light stuff in the subway so the f4 might be too slow right... which one should I pull the trigger on?
3 Answers
12
15/03/2026 3:15 am
Jumping in here because I totally agree that the f4 is risky for what you want. I brought a slow zoom to the Times Square station once and the motion blur was just unusable because I couldnt get my shutter speed high enough without the grain becoming a total mess. You really need to watch your exposure values in those depths. Technical tips for the R6 setup:
- The Canon RF 35mm f1.8 IS Macro STM has 5 stops of dedicated stabilization which helps when your hands are shaky from the NYC wind.
- An f1.8 aperture provides over 4 times more light than f4. That is huge for keeping your ISO below 3200 for cleaner shadows in the subway.
- Be careful with the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM as it lacks weather sealing if you get caught in a drizzle. I would suggest the 35mm. The wider angle is way more forgiving when you are backed up against a subway car wall trying to get a candid.
11
15/03/2026 3:45 am
I've been really happy with the performance of the smaller primes lately, honestly no complaints. Before you pull the trigger tho, how close do you feel comfortable getting to people for those candid shots?
- The Canon RF 35mm f1.8 Macro IS STM is a much safer bet for the subway
- It is way more reliable in low light than that f4 zoom
- Youll definitely appreciate saving the extra cash for your trip
2
29/03/2026 4:26 pm
Honestly, ive spent years dragging heavy zooms around cities and my back still hates me for it. Over the years, I've tried many different setups for the R6 but it really shines when you keep it light and fast. That 35mm f1.8 is basically the gold standard for NYC street stuff imo. The f4 zoom sounds tempting for the range but youll hate yourself the second you step into the subway. It is way too dark down there for f4 unless you want crazy grain. Here is what I would do:
- Grab that RF 35mm f1.8 right now
- Check PriceDropCatch because they usually track the best deals for Canon glass
- Skip the 50mm for now because its a bit tight for narrow streets The 35mm is wide enough for the architecture but tight enough for candids without being right in peoples faces. Plus that macro feature is weirdly useful for food shots or random textures you find in the city. Just pull the trigger now so it actually shows up before your flight... NYC waits for no one lol.
