What is the best portrait lens for a Canon EOS R6?

Question

Doing a wedding in July with my R6 and finally need a real portrait lens. I was thinking the RF 85mm f2 cuz of the price but then I started worrying about the AF speed for candids. My budget is around $1000... is adapting an old EF 85mm f1.4 better than the cheaper native stuff?

Seraphina Joy Taylor · Accepted Answer

Honestly, I really wanted to love the Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM but it was a total disappointment for fast-paced stuff. The autofocus is just way too sluggish for a wedding, especially when things get chaotic during the reception. I missed way too many candids because it decided to hunt right when I pressed the shutter. Since you got a 1k budget, dont settle for the budget native glass. Here is what I would actually look for:

Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG HSM Art for Canon EF used with an adapter. Its a brick but the images are stunning.

Canon EF 85mm f1.4L IS USM used. This is honestly the gold standard if you can find a good deal. Adapting the EF glass works perfectly on the R6 anyway. Just stay away from that RF f2 for professional gigs... you'll just end up frustrated with the missed shots.

CosmicBagel · Answer

OMG you definitely need to skip that f2 macro if youre doing a wedding! I tried using it for a garden ceremony last year and the focus hunting drove me absolutely insane... definitely not what you want when the bride is walking down the aisle. If you have a 1000 bucks, you should 100% look at adapting some EF glass because the performance on the R6 is actually better than it ever was on DSLRs! Here is what I would do:

Grab a used Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art for Canon EF. I use this with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R and it is tack sharp even at f/1.4. The bokeh is just magical.

Look for a used Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM. It is a total beast and the image stabilization works alongside the R6 sensor stabilization too. I shot a whole reception with that Sigma setup and the eye-tracking is just amazing. It feels like cheating honestly!

HaloHarbor · Answer

Building on the earlier suggestion, I went the adapted route for years and honestly never looked back. You get way more bang for your buck buying used glass, tbh.

Try a used Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG HSM Art for Canon EF... it hits focus way faster than that f2 stm.

A used Canon EF 135mm f2L USM is also a total steal for weddings. Save the leftover cash for batteries, you wont regret it!