Canon EF 24 105mm f 4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

The L-series is Canon’s flagship professional lens range, designed to include outstanding image performance, ultimate operability and weather resistance. The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM offers a lightweight alternative to the renowned EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. offers the highest possible optical quality with no change in aperture over the full focal range of the lens. This allows photographers to set exposure at the widest aperture and zoom all the way through to 105mm without having to vary the shutter speed. Image Stabilizer (IS) dramatically reduces image blur caused by camera shake. Gyro sensors detect unwanted vibrations, triggering the corresponding movement of a correcting lens group perpendicular to the optical axis. This alters the light path, returning the image to its correct position on the sensor or film plane. The 3 stop advantage means that photographers normally shooting a 105mm lens handheld at 1/125 sec can obtain a shake free result with a shutter speed as low as 1/15 sec, for vastly extended options in low light conditions. The ring-type USM motor found in the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM employs ultra-sonic frequency vibrations to drive auto focus with unrivalled speed and near-silent operation. A powerful CPU and improved AF algorithm contribute to speed performance. Good holding torque stops the lens with precision and accuracy, the instant it arrives at the correct focus point and without overshoot. Photographers can choose manual focus instantly and at any time simply by moving the manual focus ring without first having to switch out of auto focus mode. Circular aperture producing attractive background defocus Inner focusing, ring USM and new AF algorithms for fast and quiet autofocusing Manual focusing enabled even during AF mode (full-time mechanical manual focus) Only environmentally friendly lead-free glass used in lens construction Filter diameter 77 mm / Dimensions (dia x len)

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great Lens
I am an amateur and this is my first L lens. If you could get only one lens, THIS is the one!

The pictures and videos look great.

4 Stars Great Everyday Lens
I had tried this lens first on the 5DMII and thought the IQ was terrific. I then tired it on the 40D and although not as great as on the 5DMII the difference from my non “L” lenses was appreciable. When I purchased my 7D I was hoping this was the kit lens so that I could take advantage of the discounted price, but unfortunately it wasn’t part of the package. I payed full price for it and that is my only complaint. The IQ doesn’t seem to be as good on the 7D (a cropped sensor) as is on the full frame 5DMII, but is still much better than the 17-55 mm that I used as my everyday lens for the 40D. For the price, I think it could have been better than an f/4.0 -especially for indoor low light situations. It’s quiet and focuses quickly. Overall, I think it’s a great lens and if you can swallow the price then you won’t regret getting it.

4 Stars Quality lens
Very good quality lens, feels solid and the picture quality is lovely.

Lens ships with UV filter, canon soft case and sun shield.

5 Stars Canon EF 24-70mm vs. 24-105mm IS: Read this if you are a hobbyist
I am a hobbyist and this review is for people like me. What I mean by that is that I take pictures for fun and nobody buys my pictures. I mostly shoot landscape, nature, and portraits of family, friends, and relatives. I will refer to 24-70mm as the 70, and the 24-105mm IS as the 105. I first made the mistake of buying the 70, then I returned it with a hefty restocking fee and bought the 105 – I don’t have the slightest regret and I could not be happier. I’m taking my time to write this review so that you can spend your hard earned money wisely. Let’s analyze the trade-off between the two:

* Both lenses have excellent build and image quality. So these are not differentiating factors.

* The one and only advantage of the 70 is the one smaller f-stop. For me, this means more blur when I shoot portraits, so this is all good.

* The advantage of 105 over the 70 are as follows:

- You get an extra 35mm, which is 50% more zoom. I like this.

- You get a 3-stop IS. For me, this is a great advantage, because I rarely use tripods and IS saves the day. I would choose the 105 over 70 for the IS alone.

- The 105 is 10 ounces lighter and close to half an inch shorter.

The last part is the most important part: that additional 10 ounces make a heavy lens TOO HEAVY, and that extra length makes a big lens TOO BIG. Carrying the 70 on my 50D was a pain. I can assure you, the 70 is just too heavy to walk around and take pictures for fun. The keyword here is “fun”. The 70 is a pain, the 105 is fun. The 105 is still heavy, but not too heavy. It’s still big, but not too big. After having the 70 for a few weeks, I lost all my joy for shooting. It just made me very uncomfortable (and I’m 6-foot 2). When I replaced it with the 105, it did make a difference. I enjoy taking pictures now, once again. Pros might like the 70 because they need it for their professional work. But if you’re shooting just for fun, stay away from the 70 and get the 105.

4 Stars Excellent All-Purpose Glass
When purchasing the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, I had the option of purchasing it with this lens as part of the package. The combined price represented a savings and the focal-length range of this lens offers a practical, wide selection of options.

The f/4.0 opening at first does not seem very “fast” but all my prime lenses are not much faster, and none of my vintage primes offer auto-focus and image stabilization. This combined with the extreme ISO range of the 5D Mark II renders the f/4.0 of little concern. I have not yet been in a situation where I could not make an image with this lens – even in near-darkness!

It’s a huge heavy lens, which means it’s not going to be as convenient as that little cigarette-pack-sized point-and-shoot 10x zoom, but if you place convenience over all, you probably aren’t in the market for this type of gear anyway. This is convenient in a different way – photographic flexibility, spanning ultra-wide to short telephoto.

As with all zoom lenses, there are compromises to be made. Not fast, not small, it’s also probably not as sharp as a fixed focal length lens. But add up the cost of a 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 105mm, and see if perhaps the value of having them all in one lenses doesn’t tip the scale in favor of a lens perhaps not perfectly sharp, in favor of something you will likely be able to render many images without fumbling and breaking the bank.

And that’s not to say this lens is soft by any means. Sometimes I think all the hype about sharpness, beyond practical limits, is just one-upmanship. It’s the image that matters, and not everything is always sharp is it? I have uploaded some images to show the flexibility of this lens on the 5D Mark II, as employed by my eyes.

I find nothing yet to complain about!

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