Sony A7 IV Real World Review by a Professional Photographer with Sample Photos | Is it Worth the Cost and Hype?

November 25, 2025

Here we go, the Sony A7 IV. I honestly can’t believe I’m reviewing this camera right now because I’m typically a Canon girl through and through. But the Sony A7 IV has been on my radar for a while now, so when I had the opportunity to test it out, you better believe I took it! The Sony A7 IV is known for its incredible video and autofocus, but it also takes beautiful photos. When you add in the long battery life, dual card slots, in-body image stabilization and a 33 MP full-frame sensor, it’s hard to deny this camera. I’m a full-time photographer, not a videographer, but I definitely loved switching between the photo and video modes because it was just so user-friendly and intuitive. I mainly use a Canon 5D Mark IV and a Canon EOS R, so I’m used to video that is a bit clunky with slow, unreliable autofocus. I’ve just never really had a camera that was video-forward, but the Sony A7 IV made me question if the reason I haven’t been shooting video is because I just didn’t have the right tools!

As a photographer who shoots all kinds of photographs from portraits to weddings to landscapes to food to fashion, I need a camera that is a workhorse with reliability. I need an amazing lens selection, a sturdy camera body, a long battery life, and super sharp images. When it comes to choosing a camera, there are really 5 categories I’m judging to determine whether a camera is for me — Functionality, Portablity, Durability, Clarity and Creativity. These might differ from photographer to photographer, but I’ve learned over the years what matters most to me and my business. I’m simply not a technically minded person. Of course the features of a camera matter to me, but I’m more interested in the originality and quality of my work, along with the ease of use that a cameras allows for. I shoot quickly and I take a LOT of images. I’m always working towards creating photographs that are entirely unique, creative, and original. I want to create photographs that wow my clients. I just prefer to be real with my camera reviews and share what I truly think about shooting in the real world, in a real location, with real people. Was the camera easy to use or was it confusing and glitchy? Did it handle low light well? Were the images tack sharp? Did the battery last through the shoot? Would it survive a fall if I dropped it on the concrete floor of a studio? Does it have options for creative modes? These are the things that matter to me. So if you’re wondering if the Sony A7 IV can keep up in the real world and create truly stunning photographs that will make your work stand out, you should keep reading. :) And if you’d prefer to watch, I have a full YouTube video about the Sony A7 IV here!

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

FUNCTIONALITY (RATING: 4.5/5)

When I picked up the Sony A7 IV for the first time, I immediately noticed how intuitive the buttons and menu screen felt as I worked my way around it. I suppose I had always imagined myself being completely confused by a new camera brand because I’m so used to Canon cameras. However, I quickly got used to adjusting the ISO, aperture, exposure compensation and more. There are 3 custom buttons that you can assign different settings to so that you can access them quickly, like white balance, ISO, shutter speed, etc. So, depending on how you shoot, you can make everything you need super accessible. This is definitely a plus for me, especially when I’m working a wedding and need to change settings fast.

Another nice feature is having options when it comes to the touch screen. I like using the “touch to focus” option so that I can choose exactly where I want the camera to focus if I’m shooting a large group of people at a wedding or am trying to hone in on one person and catch a candid moment during cocktail hour. I absolutely hate “touch shutter” so I avoid that option at all costs. My Canon EOS R would always accidentally slip into the touch shutter mode because the button was super easy to hit with your nose if you decided to shoot through the viewfinder. It drove me crazy. But luckily the mode is tucked within the menu on the Sony A7 IV so it doesn’t accidentally change on you.

And of course, the 5-axis in-body stabilization (IBIS) is a huge upgrade for me. It’s somehow the first time I’ve ever used a professional camera with in-body image stabilization and it is definitely something I could get used to. Since I’ve never had it before, I just never missed it, but at any sort of wedding or event where I’m moving around, it would come in handy, for sure.

The fact that the A7 IV also has dual card slots is a major plus. It’s another one of those things that you don’t miss until you have it. After having them with my 5D Mark IV, it just lowered my stress levels so much when working for clients. You can record your images or video to two cards at the same time so you always have a backup of your work. There’s really nothing more important than having that safety net for a high-paying gig.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the battery life. I ended up using the Sony A7 IV much more than I expected to at my most recent wedding at Mankin Mansion in Richmond, Virginia, but the battery lasted the entire 6 hour wedding day and had about 17% battery left when I got home. I did notice that once it got to about 11% battery, it died really quickly after that.

The A7 IV worked like a dream in low light and I managed to make it through the whole wedding without feeling the need to add a flash. The native ISO range is 100-51,200 expandable from 50-204,800 ISO. Some cameras say they have these wide ISO ranges but then struggle with autofocus in low light but I didn’t find that to be an issue with the A7 IV.

PORTABILITY (RATING: 5/5)

To some photographers, portability might not matter, but for me it’s a giant factor. I’m not a very large person and professional cameras can be super bulky and heavy. I often come home from a wedding feeling like I got hit by a truck because I lugged 2 DSLR’s with huge lenses around along with a camera bag stuffed with film cameras. Anywhere that I can cut weight from my bag matters. I loved how lightweight the A7 IV was, and I think it was one of the reasons I kept grabbing it from my backpack and choosing to use it over my other cameras. I was using the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 II Art Lens which is a lovely zoom lens with a wide aperture but is surprisingly small and light for the power that it has. I’m used to the gigantic Canon RF 28-70 f/2.0 lens (you can read more about this amazing lens here!) which is incredible but weighs a million pounds and looks a little odd on my Canon EOS R. The Sigma f/2.8 lens is even smaller than my Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, which is the comparable lens by Canon. The A7 IV hand grip size also just feels right to me when it comes to my hand size. The Canon 5D Mark IV is much bulkier and feels much larger in my hand. In terms of portability, the Sony A7 IV really passes the test for me.

DURABILITY (RATING: 3.75/5)

I have a tendency to drop my cameras, mostly because I’m constantly switching between different ones. I often get tangled in straps and a camera ends up flying onto the sidewalk. It’s sad, but true! I’ve dropped every single one of my Canon cameras and have yet to officially break one. Luckily, I did not drop the Sony A7 IV but it did feel a bit more breakable to me than the Canon 5D Mark IV or Canon 6D that I’m used to. The Canon EOS R is also a mirrorless camera similar to the Sony A7 IV and it feels fragile in the same way, with the articulating back screen and sharper edges. I have a theory that these companies purposefully make these cameras more fragile these days because they want you to break it so that you have to buy another one… similar to iPhones… what do you think? If you’ve dropped your Sony A7 IV, let me know in the comments if you experienced any major malfunctions afterwards! I’m rating it a 3/5 just based on my intuition and experience with durable cameras. My Canon 5D Mark II and 5D Mark IV seem to truly be built to last, and it’s another one of the reasons I tend to gravitate towards Canon and DSLR’s.

CLARITY (RATING: 4.2/5)

Obviously, the clarity and overall sharpness of the images is extremely important to me. I need to know if I can blow up the images I take and hang them on a wall without them looking digitized or unnatural. If one of my wedding couples ever decides to make an oversized print to hang over their couch, I want to know that it still looks epic. While the image stabilization definitely helps to keep your images sharp and clean, I didn’t find the images to look quite as natural as the images I create with my Canon cameras. When zooming in on large groups of people, there is a bit of a “digitized” look that sort of flattens faces and makes it seem a little too “fake”, in my opinion. However, I’m talking really zooming in, like on a group of 20 people and focusing in on one face. It doesn’t make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, and your clients would probably never notice, it’s just something that stuck out to me when going through the photos after the wedding photographed. However, I was pleasantly surprised by look of the images overall, as I remember Sony images to look more digital than most cameras just a few years ago. I think they’ve really improved on making the images as beautiful as Canon or Nikon. The color tones seem to have been improved as well, as the greens look vibrant, but natural, and the skin tones are lovely and natural as well.

The one thing that really threw me off though was the viewfinder. I tend to look through the viewfinder most of the time to take photos, instead of using the LCD touch screen. This is probably more of the old-school photographer in me, but the images looked like they were going to be awful. The quality of the image in the electronic viewfinder just isn’t the best, and I’m used to DSLR viewfinders that show you the real scene that your eyes are seeing through a mirror/prism. That would take some getting used to for me.

However, the benefit of using a mirrorless camera with a digital viewfinder is that you’re seeing exactly what the white balance/color tone/depth of field and exposure will look like when you import it into your computer. It just is a lower resolution version of it. I’m just used to seeing the scene as it stands before me, but again, I guess I’m just old school…

Overall though, after importing the photos into my computer, the images were sharp and beautiful. I find the Sony A7 IV to actually be a bit more reliable in light handling and autofocus than my 5D Mark IV and EOS R, which really does make a difference during a photo shoot. I can see myself loving the consistency and in-body image stabilization after a while though, as it would relieve some of the stress that comes along with things like weddings and corporate events where your clients expects images that don’t differ from each other too much.

CREATIVITY (RATING: 3/5)

This is probably the most important category to me. Can I create images that are timeless, show-stopping, unique, eye-catching, breathtaking, magical? I don’t want images that are digitally “perfect.” I don’t want them to look digital, at all, actually. I prefer photographs that look natural, film-like, cinematic, and just generally pretty. I will say this, the photos I took with the Sony A7 IV surprised me. They didn’t look that different than my Canon 5D Mark IV, and the camera overall is considerably smaller and faster when it comes to autofocus and convenience. I truly enjoyed shooting with it!

Sadly though, the Sony A7 IV does not have a built-in multiple exposure function. And if it did, I probably would seriously consider using a Sony camera as my main work camera. It’s a necessity for me to have a multiple exposure function, though I understand that this feature isn’t important to everyone. For me though, it is a dealbreaker. I wish it wasn’t! Of course, you can always layer images in photoshop after your shoot and create multiple exposures on your own, but I often have so many photos to edit that I just don’t have time to play around in PhotoShop. I used to do that when I first started my business, because it does allow for more control with your multiple exposures, but I prefer to create them on the spot. I also find it to be sort of a fun challenge, to use my surroundings in that moment to create something interesting.

The other thing I noticed is the way the Sony A7 IV handled sunlight when I tried to get some lovely backlighting behind the bride. While it was probably handling the sunlight “correctly” and minimizing sun flare, maintaining detail in the shadows and not blowing out the scene, I found it to be a bit flat and boring. In that moment, I ended up switching back to my Canon cameras to capture the images the way I’m used to. There is something about the way Canon captures sunlight that is so lovely and magical.

If Sony can let go of some of the “perfection” and lean into creativity, I think I’d end up with a Sony in my camera bag. I did like that it had some creative options built into the camera like black and white, sepia, etc., which allows beginner photographers to have fun and experiment, but I didn’t find any of them to be personally exciting in any way. I’d still rather shoot the image flat and edit it in Lightroom myself.

OVERALL SCORE - 87/100

There are so many things I truly enjoyed about this camera. The small, lightweight body, the fast and accurate autofocus, the in-body image stabilization, the reliable light-handling when photographing large groups of people, and the overall color tone of the images. Not to mention, features like the dual card slots, custom function buttons, long battery life, and low-light functionality can really change the game when it comes to wedding and event photography. I’m pleasantly surprised by the beauty and natural aesthetic of the images right out of the camera, without editing or using a picture profile. It also was just super fun to mess with the video and I can see why so many videographers choose this camera. If you’re a hybrid photographer/videographer, or you’re a videographer that wants the option of taking beautiful photos, then this camera would be perfect for you. While it definitely bums me out that it doesn’t have a multiple exposure function, I still loved having this camera in my bag for a few weeks. I knew that I could rely on it for a lot of high-stress photography moments, like a wedding, and I found myself continuously reaching for it over some of my other cameras. It’s an amazing camera that offers so much value for the price. It has everything you need for running a successful photography business, or for filming for a YouTube channel, or for traveling and photographing landscapes, nature, people, etc. I’d even say that the Sony A7 IV was even better than I expected and it makes me want to try out some of their other products, for sure. It was fun being a Sony girl for a hot minute! I’ve included tons of sample photos below so you can decide if this camera is for you!

WHERE TO BUY THE SONY A7 IV CAMERA

B&H Photo

SIGMA 24-70MM F/2.8 DG DN II ART LENS (SONY E)

B&H Photo

I hope this post helps you decide if the Sony A7 IV is for you! It’s truly an amazing camera! And it’s actually on sale through B&H Photo this year for Black Friday/Cyber Monday! You can find the deal here. I’ve included a ton of sample photos below. There are no filters on these images, but I have made minor adjustments to exposures, shadows, highlights, and color temperature to fit my personal style. There is no sharpness or clarity enhancements, curve adjustments, or color grading. If you have more specific questions about the editing, please feel free to ask!

If you found this post helpful in any way, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

Contax Carl Zeiss 140mm f/2.8 Sonnar T* Lens Review & Sample Photos | The Best Lenses for the Contax 645

June 5, 2025

When I first bought my Contax 645, it came with two lenses, the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80mm F/2 Lens lens and the Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 140mm F2.8 Lens. For years, the 140 mm lens just sat in my bag collecting dust. I tend to shoot wide and I find it slightly annoying to have lenses that have a longer focal length than 80 mm. However, I recently decided to challenge myself and try out the 140 mm lens! I took it with me to a few different photo shoots to really get an idea of how it handles. It’s always a little nerve-wracking to try out new gear because you just don’t know if you’re wasting your time and your expensive film! Luckily, the photos turned out amazingly beautiful and now I’m wondering why I left this lens in my bag for so long! I definitely want to take it with my on more of my future nature trips because I’m always looking for a way to capture mountains or stunning waterfalls off in the distance.

The Contax 645 is, by far, one of the nicest cameras I own. I have a full blog post about it here that features photos taken with the classic 80 mm lens that most people tend to use with this camera. The only downside with the Contax 645 is how huge and heavy it is. But every time I get a roll of film back, it’s more than worth the challenge of dragging it with me everywhere. The photos are like nothing else, in my opinion. You can also watch my YouTube video about the Contax 645 here where I take it with me on an adventure to Mount Rainier in Washington State!

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

REVIEW OF THE CARL ZEISS SONNAR T* 140MM F2.8 LENS

I was a little bit worried that the 140mm f/2.8 wouldn’t stand up to the 80mm lens f/2 that I’ve been used to. But I really should have known better considering the 1400mm is a Zeiss lens! Zeiss is known for creating lenses that are SUPER sharp and reliable. I had this idea that I’d get back images that just weren’t exciting, but that wasn’t the case at all. These lenses are incredibly sturdy and well-made, with high-quality optics and functionality. I was also worried that the lens just wouldn’t work, especially because it had been sitting in my bag, stagnant, for a decade. But it came back to life as if nothing had happened at all! I was still able to get that dreamy background blur and those super sharp landscape shots that I love the Contax 645 for, even dropping back from an f/2.0 aperture to an f/2.8. In general, I tend to prefer lenses with a wider aperture because I love the dreamy, surreal quality that they can create. But I was pleasantly surprised with the bokeh and background blur of this lens, likely because it does have such a long focal length and is so zoomed in naturally. I don’t typically use telephoto lenses or lenses past 100mm focal length, so it was a new experience for me. I did find myself backing up sometimes to get the images I wanted, but I’m sure that is just something I’d get used to after a while.

This lens also has a “T*” coating, which is a technology that Zeiss implemented to help reduce flare and ghosting. Personally, I don’t mind a little flare but I noticed that this lens did handle light extremely well and creates absolutely beautiful portraits. The Contax 645, in general, is an incredible camera, especially if you’re looking to create stunning, fine art portraiture. When I first started getting into photography, a few of my all-time favorite photographers used the Contax 645. I was in awe of their portraits and knew that I’d have to get one in the future. When I finally was able to purchase one, it felt like I had reached a new level as a photographer.

The autofocus is a little slow with this lens, but when I’m using this camera I’m typically working slower anyway, making sure I don’t waste a single frame. If you’re trying to shoot extremely quickly, I wouldn’t recommend a camera like the Contax 645 anyway. It’s really meant for slow, precise photography and not sports or fast motion.

Overall, I love that this lens didn’t disappoint me at all, and in fact, surprised me with how much I loved the images! I had convinced myself that there was no way this old, unused lens would be able to create beautiful photographs, but it definitely did. I’ve included a bunch of sample images below that I’ve taken with it over the last few months so you can decide for yourself!

WHERE TO BUY THE CARL ZEISS SONNAR T* 140MM LENS

KEH Camera

Etsy

eBay

The Contax 645 is expensive, but it’s also highly desired. If you’re on the hunt for one, here are a few places you might be able to find one!

WHERE TO BUY THE CONTAX 645

KEH Camera (not always in stock, but you can keep checking back!)

eBay

Etsy

For these images, I used Cinestill 400D 120 film and Kodak Portra 400. You can check out more of my 120 film recommendations on my blog here - The Best 120 Film Stocks and Where to Buy Them.

If you found this post helpful or inspiring, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards cameras, film & processing.

<3 Myles Katherine

Double Exposure

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens Review - Is it Worth the Cost? - Why I Chose It Over the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens

May 23, 2025

Here we go - the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens. It took me WEEKS to decide between this lens and the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens. They both had so many positive attributes. I desperately wanted a lens with a longer zoom capability for weddings, but the idea of having an f/2.0 aperture on a zoom lens, with the stunning portrait & bokeh capabilities of a prime lens, was also majorly enticing. After over a decade as my main lens, my Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L USM lens had finally kicked the bucket. It was time for an upgrade. I had an upcoming wedding on the books and needed to make a decision pronto so I could have it in time for the wedding. I even pulled my husband into the discussion and we spent days trying to decide what made the most sense for me and my style of photography. I wanted to share the three main reasons why I chose this lens over the highly desired Z lens so that, hopefully, I can help you in your decision!

(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)

Beauty Over Functionality

The main question I kept asking myself was, is it more important to create beautiful images or have better functionality and reach at a high-paying event like a wedding? I’ve always wanted more zoom at weddings. I’ve been using the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L USM lens for over a decade as my main lens at weddings. Every time I was standing in the aisle at a wedding and the couple was exchanging wedding rings, I dreamt of having just a little more reach to get close ups of their hands and rings. I imagined beautiful candid moments of guests across the room who didn’t realize I was taking their photograph. I wished I could zoom in on a mountain off in the distance or a butterfly on a flower and create images that only true nature photographers could achieve. But at the end of the day, I’ve always valued beauty and creativity over functionality. While this isn’t the case for every photographer, I realized it was for me. I wanted that extra background blur for my wedding portraits. I wanted just a bump of an upgrade to the low-light images I’d been creating for years. I wanted something BETTER than the images I’d been able to create with an f/2.8 aperture. I wanted to WOW my clients with dreamy, intimate portraits that were better than the norm. I knew this lens would give me that extra dose of magic I was looking for.

2. Low-light ABILITIES

I’ve spent over a decade getting along just fine with an f/2.8 aperture. It allowed me to capture images decently late into the evening at a wedding, but as the sun went down, I’d slowly make my way into using my Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM lens to finish up the evening until I’d eventually switch to using an on-camera flash. This set up worked great for years and years. But in post-editing, I’d have to touch up some of the noise and grain that made it’s way into those evening photos as I bumped up the ISO on my camera. I always prefer natural lighting over flash, so it’s super important to me to be able to take as many photos as possible until I absolutely have to switch to a flash. I knew with 100% certainty that the better low-light performance of this lens would come in handy for me. I just photographed my first wedding with it and it honestly removed some of the stress that I’d face as the sun went down. I was able to use this lens up until the late-night dancing began. The images are truly stunning. This is also my first RF lens, and I’ve been dreaming of trying one out for years. It’s true that the RF lenses have a beautiful, natural sharpness that is just more expensive-looking than the EF lenses.

3. A Prime Lens in a Zoom Body

This one was hard to deny. Who wouldn’t want the features of a prime lens in a zoom lens body?! The magic of zoom lenses is that they are versatile and can speed up your photography in a setting like a wedding where you’re capturing intimate, candid moments. You can use them for food photography, detail shots, events, portraits, fashion, everything. And I did. I used my Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 II L lens for everything. But if I was photographing headshots, or intimate wedding portraits, or wanting images that were more surreal, cinematic, and unique, I’d bring out one of my prime lenses like the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.2 L or the Canon EF 85 mm f/1.2 II L lens. It just made people look more beautiful, it made flowers look more magical, it made moments seem more special. But prime lenses can be limiting. You’re stuck with a single focal length and often have to work around your circumstances to create the image you’re looking for. It can be exhausting. It can slow you down. It can limit your ability to create a variety of images quickly. Once I understood the reasoning behind this lens, that Canon’s goal WAS to create a prime lens with zoom lens functionality, it pretty much sealed the deal for me. And what’s funny is that after shooting my first wedding with this lens, I realized I hardly touched my 50 mm f/1,2 lens at the wedding. This means that the lens was fulfilling two functions for me, a zoom lens AND a prime lens. It really is both of those things in one!

A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER

While this lens is incredible, I wanted to share a few of the things that almost turned me away from this lens. First of all, it’s HUGE. It’s HEAVY. It looks a little ridiculous on my tiny Canon EOS R body. If you think about prime lenses and how chunky they are, it is exactly like that, but with a zoom barrel added. It’s a CHUNK-MEISTER (the same nickname I’ve given to my new French bulldog puppy…). Weight is a huge factor to me when adding cameras and equipment to my collection. My camera was already so heavy and I’m not a large human so these professional DSLRs and giant lenses feel supersized on me. I compared the weights between the two lenses I was considering - 3.15 lb / 1430 g for the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM Lens and 2.9 lb / 1.3 kg for the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens. Not a huge difference, but it was a factor in my consideration. After discussing with my husband though, we realized that with my history of bumping into walls and hitting my zoom lenses on corners constantly as they are hanging on my side, that the extra length of the 24-105mm lens might lead me to some issues. The 28-70mm lens is a bit more compact length-wise, so I knew that could mean a matter of life and death when it came to the lens and it’s lifespan with me. The 24-105mm lens has a length 7.8" while the 28-70mm lens is only 5.5". I’m often carrying two (or more!) cameras on me at any given time and I tend to get tangled. The extra length on the zoom lens would eventually start to bother me, and I knew that.

The other major thing to consider is that, because the 28-70mm lens is essentially a prime lens, it does NOT have image stabilization. My husband tried to argue this point with me for a while, because he’ll occasionally use my lenses for video. I know for some people this will be a deal-breaker. For me though, I’ve already been using my 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for over a decade without image stabilization and I’ve been able to create images that are beautiful and perfectly sharp. It’s really a matter of understanding when to bump up the ISO, when to speed up the shutter, and when to open up the aperture. Over the years, I’ve learned how to work around it, so I knew I wouldn’t miss what I’ve never had. However, I’m currently using the 28-70mm lens with my Canon EOS R, which is the very first mirrorless camera that Canon ever produced. It’s somewhat outdated and does not feature built-in image stabilization. My plan is to upgrade my EOS R next year to the Canon EOS R5 or R6 Mark II. My hope is that the built-in stabilization of those cameras will benefit me and my images, even if it’s just a tiny bit.

I was also a little bit bummed that I was losing 4mm of focal length by changing from the 24-70mm to 28-70mm. I love shooting super wide angle photos, especially at weddings where I’m trying to capture a full interior space. I use the full 24mm more often than I’d like to admit. My husband looked it up and it actually only accounts for about a foot of distance. So, hypothetically, if I just take one step back, I could account for the loss of focal length. However, at a wedding or in a tight space, I sometimes find myself up against the wall, unable to back up anymore, even with the 24mm lens. I’m still a little sad about it, but I don’t miss it when I’m outside or with plenty of space to back up. It’s only in those tight spaces that it would come in handy, and I don’t think it will happen as often as I think. In most situations, I will likely be able to take a step back.

And yes, obviously, it is expensive. It was a punch in the gut to purchase it. BUT! Here’s how I justified it. I used my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II L lens for about 12 years as my main lens (you can read my full review of this lens on my blog here). It carried my business. It represented me and my work for YEARS. My husband and I did some quick math and determined that the cost of the lens was less than 1% of the entire amount of money it made me over 12 years. You can’t argue with that!

SO, WAS IT THE RIGHT CHOICE?

Ok, so I’m known for being one of the most indecisive people in the world. I’ll made a decision and then spend weeks convincing myself that it was the wrong one. But I’m being 100% honest when I say, I know with full certainty that I made the right choice for me. After trying this lens out for a few photo shoots and a wedding, I came away from the shoots inspired, excited, and surprised by the next level that this lens has brought my images to. I’ve spent the past few years feeling a little burnt out, and it’s amazing what new gear can do for a photographer. I can hardly even wait for my next photo shoot! The limitations I used to experience with my 24-70mm lens aren’t there anymore. I can now get that dreamy background blur that I’m always looking for, and that beautiful low-light sharpness and low grain that is so important for weddings and indoor event photography. And I don’t miss or wish for that extra zoom that the 24-105mm would have given me, simply because I just wouldn’t have used it that often. It didn’t make sense to have that extra zoom if I’d only use it for a handful of images every year. So, YES! For me, this was the right choice. I hope that this post has helped you in your journey to make a decision.

And of course, there were a few lower budget lenses that I was considering while hunting for a new lens. The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens was also a major contender, as was the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens. The problem with these was that I didn’t feel that they would greatly enhance my work, just because I was already using an f/2.8 zoom lens for so long. But they are both great options, and would save you some dough! And at the end of the day, the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 Z lens is going to make more sense for a lot of people, especially if you shoot a LOT of weddings, because that extra zoom length and image stabilization is hard to turn down. Even when I was purchasing my lens, the store associate said the Z lens was extremely popular. It wasn’t even in stock when I ordered the 28-70mm! You can find it on B&H Photo here though, if you’re on the hunt for one!

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON RF 28-70MM F/2 L USM LENS

B&H Photo
Amazon

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z LENS

B&H Photo
KEH Camera (used)

MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens

B&H Photo

Amazon

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

B&H Photo

Amazon

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If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H Photo storefront & Amazon Storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

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