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GEAR: Canon EF 24-105L f/4L
Tutorials and Reviews
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Canon 24-105 f/4L
Review by Andy
My first look at Canon's 24-105L lens was at the Canon Expo in NYC in the Fall of 2005. I watched Douglas Kirkland and a bunch of Canon's Explorers of Light use this lens for real work.
It's always encouraging to see real working pros using the gear one is considering. And yes, subsequently I interviewed Douglas, and he still uses it. For me, it was an obvious choice, I just hoped that it would hold up to close scrutiny and my actual use. My first outing with it was a portrait session. The results are beautiful. Excellent color rendition, beautiful sharpness, and lovely contrast. The above was shot at 82mm.
Shortly after I got the lens, Canon issued a recall on early production models of this new lens. They talked about "unacceptable levels" of flare, on models with designation of UT999 or less. Actually, it's rather interesting, isn't it? I had one of the early models, and thought "why bother?" But I've since sent it in to Canon (at their expense) and they gave me a new model to replace it.
It's a really fun lens to just "take along." I totally dig the focal lengths availalbe, and the low light performance is excellent. Have a look at a sample 100% crop from this photo.
Maybe you like sports action? Or just put it on your camera for a family event. You won't be disappointed.
Many folks are comparing this lens to Canon's 24-70 f/2.8L. They want the f/2.8 "for the bokeh wide open." Well, here's just a test shot to demonstrate the bokeh this lens can produce. This is a row of 8x10 photos on the wall. ISO 1600, f/4, 1/40th second. Take a look at the nice bokeh in this 100% crop. Damn good, if you ask me! I did not expect to see such nice bokeh at f/4 on this lens.
Just another demo of the Image Stabilization. ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/6th second, handheld. There's a 100% crop here. The crop is unsharpened - and remember, it's ISO 800 from a full-frame Canon 5D so it's huge. One more, at 1/8th second.
This lens makes an excellent companion to Canon's 70-200L lenses, as part of a two-lens travel setup.
I find this lens more than a very serviceable performer on portrait shoots. It's not easy finding a zoom that gives you the focal lengths you want, and the quality you need - Canon delivered both on this lens.
In summary, this lens has a place in my bag, alongside my prized primes. Build quality is excellent. The IS just works, period - and can save your bacon so that's a huge plus. The focal range is very convenient. It's a great performer on full-frame, or 1.6x body. The color, contrast, and sharpness are Canon-L quality. At $1250 retail, it's not cheap - but I think it's worth it. I recommend this lens!
Review by Andy
My first look at Canon's 24-105L lens was at the Canon Expo in NYC in the Fall of 2005. I watched Douglas Kirkland and a bunch of Canon's Explorers of Light use this lens for real work.
It's always encouraging to see real working pros using the gear one is considering. And yes, subsequently I interviewed Douglas, and he still uses it. For me, it was an obvious choice, I just hoped that it would hold up to close scrutiny and my actual use. My first outing with it was a portrait session. The results are beautiful. Excellent color rendition, beautiful sharpness, and lovely contrast. The above was shot at 82mm.
Maybe you like sports action? Or just put it on your camera for a family event. You won't be disappointed.
This lens makes an excellent companion to Canon's 70-200L lenses, as part of a two-lens travel setup.
In summary, this lens has a place in my bag, alongside my prized primes. Build quality is excellent. The IS just works, period - and can save your bacon so that's a huge plus. The focal range is very convenient. It's a great performer on full-frame, or 1.6x body. The color, contrast, and sharpness are Canon-L quality. At $1250 retail, it's not cheap - but I think it's worth it. I recommend this lens!
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