What to get as backup for Canon 24-105mm f4

Mark1616

I shoot with 5DmkII's at weddings and I'm trying to work out how best to cover the 24-105 if it goes down. I had, until last weekend, a Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 but when playing with it again recently wasn't at all happy with the AF even in good light. Sometimes in front, sometimes behind, sometimes fine..... no good at a wedding.

I do have a Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.5 and also Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 which can be used on my 7D but I would like to keep my options up in full frame.

The thoughts I've had so far are

-Get another 24-105mm f4
-Get a Canon 17-40mm f4 as the wide end is the only thing I don't have covered in FF lenses (have 50mm f1.4, 70-200mm f2.8 etc)
-Get a Tamron 28-75mm f2.8
-Get some sort of wide(ish) prime.
-Something else.

I would love to know what people have done who are working with similar kit (you might have a 24-70 rather than the 24-105) as I really don't know how best to invest. I'm don't have much spare cash (read that as very little) but also want to be able to give great results if something goes down.

Dogdots

I too have the 24-105 and I love it ... thought many times about picking up another one just in case mine has problems. Never thought another lens could replace it so I can't wait to hear what others say.

Overfocused

If $ isn't an issue I'd get another one if you can get a good copy without horrible sides The tamron 28-75 is also a very nice lens, although Tamrons tend to have weaker AF in lower light vs. canon L lenses.

ziggy53

I use the Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-f4L, USM as my primary "standard/normal" zoom lens on the 5D MKII and 1D series bodies. (That lens is no longer supported by Canon.) I'm in no hurry to replace the 28-80L with anything more modern.

I always have a Canon 40D with EF-S 17-55mm, f2.8 IS USM as both backup for the ceremony and formals, and my preferred combination for candids.

I also have a Canon 24-85mm, f3.5-f4.5 USM for an additional backup. While I would not like to use it for the important stuff, it would be fine for candids on a FF or crop 1.3x/APS-H, 1D body.

The top local photographer used to use a Canon EF 28-135mm, f3.5-f5.6 IS USM for everything, but I was not terribly impressed.

The Tamron 28-75mm, f2.8 is not bad on a crop 1.6x camera, but both edge and corners are very soft on FF.

jhefti

I have a 28-135mm lens, and it is an OK kit lens. It's what I take backpacking, but nothing special. I certainly wouldn't use it for weddings (assuming I actually shot weddings, which I don't).

Never much thought about lens failure; not sure I want to think about it for my 400/2.8, which BTW did have a failure recently (though easily fixed on site).

Stuart-M

The 17-55 2.8 IS is actually a better lens than the 24-105 for weddings on a crop sensor camera IMHO.

If the only use is for situations where your main lens breaks, the 18-55 IS kit lens is actually a pretty decent option. I find mine quite sharp and it has IS and is actually faster than your current lens at the wide end of the zoom. It has the added bonus of being very small and light, and it's very cheap!

Mark1616

Thanks everyone, I think I'm leaning towards a 17-40 as it will cover the wide end of the 24-105 and will also give me additional options when shooting. Most importantly it works on my 3 full frame cameras as well as my 2 crop bodies making it pretty versatile. If I had something that just covered the range of the 24-105 (or slightly less) then probably it would just be a backup lens and wouldn't get used so not the best value for money day to day.

Anyone using the 17-40 with a 5DmkII? How is it wide open for sharpness?

ziggy53

Mark1616 wrote: »

... Anyone using the 17-40 with a 5DmkII? How is it wide open for sharpness?

I have the EF 17-40mm, f4L USM and 5D MKII. It is very sharp at f4 and about as sharp as the original EF 16-35mm, f2.8L @ f4. (The original 16-35mm, f2.8L is a little soft wide open.)

The extreme corners are potentially an issue wide open, but have not been an issue for me in anything I shoot. If you must have sharp corners for something, like architectural photography, your best bet is the Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm, f2.8G ED and Novoflex adapter. (Manual focus, of course. An expensive solution to be sure.)

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=115951

http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/

My recommendation is that the Canon 17-40L is just fine as a super-wide zoom on a FF body. A bonus is that the Canon 17-40mmL is also a very good choice for IR photography on an IR converted Canon body. (It's not really a backup lens for your 24-105L on the 5D MKII, but it is very complimentary and useful.)