The new "Holy Trinity"?

[LovePhotography]

Times change, and technology advances. Lens quality that was not possible even a decade ago is now here. Before 3 years ago, a hand held high quality 500mm zoom was nothing more than a fantasy. With that, shouldn't the "Holy Trinity" also be updated to be (something like): 14-24, 24-105, 100-500?
I have both the RF 70-200 and RF 100-500 and both are very sharp. They have some differences... speed and size (although the 100-500 is about the same size and weight as my EF 70-200 f/2.8). But by far, the biggest difference is the range from 200-500 in a lens you can walk around with. It is a game changer.
I think it's time to update the "Holy Trinity" in light of the new technology.

Four jpeg photos:
EOS R5 with 3 lenses all hand held at 200mm in dim office light and cropped to the very center of the image: EF 70-200, RF 70-200, RF 100-500. All virtually the same. And, just for grins, the same photo with the EOS 5Ds and EF 70-200 f/2.8 Mk. II.
The point of the 4 photos is to show that you can now take a hand held photo in dim office light at 25 ft and at 200mm that is the equal of the photo of the RF 70-200 f/2.8 in a lens that is about the same size and weight of the previous generation EF 70-200 f/2.8. Time to update the "Holy Trinity"?

 

[amazin]

Thanks for this post. I agree with you and will have the opportunity to confirm this in january when i go to Tanzania for safari.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Times change, and technology advances. Time to update the "Holy Trinity"?

It’s been suggested here before. The thing is, your little stuffed snowman doesn’t move around much. To get action-stopping shutter speeds at indoor or night-lit theater or sporting events, with an f/2.8 lens I’m using ISOs from 10000-25600. Modem NR is good, but over ISO 25600 noise becomes more evident and detail loss becomes much more noticeable.

Even with static subjects, f/2.8 gives better subject isolation. An f/2.8 or faster lens is a better choice for portrait shooting.

For ‘walkaround’ use, though, f/4 is generally good. That was true before the R bodies – there was the EF 16-35/4, 24-105/4 and 70-200/4 before there were the RF 14-35/4, 24-105/4 and 70-200/4 (and the 100-400L before the 100-500L for those needing more reach). The difference is with DLSRs an f/2.8 aperture meant improved AF performance and a brighter VF, and with MILCs those advantages are gone.

Personally, the RF 14-35/4, RF 24-105/4 and RF 100-500L is my go-to travel kit. But for indoor events and night sports, I bring the RF 28-70/2 and RF 70-200/2.8.

Something else worth mentioning is that in the RF mount, Canon now offers a non-L zoom trinity for FF bodies. The combination of the RF 15-30, 24-105 and 100-400 delivers a really broad zoom range and decent IQ, in a relatively small and light kit that costs only $1500.

 

[LovePhotography]

Personally, the RF 14-35/4, RF 24-105/4 and RF 100-500L is my go-to travel kit. But for indoor events and night sports, I bring the RF 28-70/2 and RF 70-200/2.8. AGREE. That's the conclusion I have just come to, having ordered all my new mirrorless and RF stuff this month. Wondering if I should keep the 5Ds, 7D II, 6D, and EF lenses. Seems like the 7D MK II only resells for about $500 even though I have only used it for maybe 100 extended reach shots and paid $1800 for it in 2015.

Something else worth mentioning is that in the RF mount, Canon now offers a non-L zoom trinity for FF bodies. The combination of the RF 15-30, 24-105 and 100-400 delivers a really broad zoom range and decent IQ, in a relatively small and light kit that costs only $1500.
Agree, again. I can afford the L glass, but bought the 14-24 f/4 anyway. and the 70-200 f/4 and budget 24-105 look really compelling for pretty darn good IQ on a serious budget. Especially used. BTW, I've had a great experience buying practically brand stuff from "mapcamera" on ebay. It's essentially indestinguishable from new, accurately desribed and 10-15% less than even 6ave.com.

 

[ggab]

@LovePhotography, send me your DSLR's and EF "L" lenses.
I keep my DSLRS as they have photographic value and use my EF "L" lenses with my R6 & R7.

 

[Daltongang]

Holy Trinity is subjective. I shoot sports so my holy trinity is the 24-70 f2.8 L II, 70-200 f2.,8L III and the 400 f2.8L III.