Should I buy the Canon RF 16mm or RF 28mm for travel?

For most travelers, the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM is the better all-around pick. It is a very compact pancake lens, so it’s easy to carry every day, and 28mm is versatile for street scenes, food, casual portraits, and general travel snapshots.

Choose the Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM instead if you care more about selfie vlogging, sweeping landscapes, or cramped interiors like cathedrals and museums. The extra-wide view is especially helpful for video and tight spaces, but it can also make subjects look stretched near the edges and is usually less natural for everyday walk-around photos. Like many ultra-wide lenses, it also depends more on in-camera correction for distortion, which can slightly affect the usable image area and edge detail.

If you want one lens for mixed travel use, I’d lean 28mm. If your trips are mostly about dramatic scenery or video, lean 16mm.

One practical note: the 28mm is not only more versatile, but also a more pocketable option, while the 16mm gives you the wider framing advantage when that matters most.