Canon 24-70 L series or 24-105f/4 ??
Waynesworldphotography
Registered Users Posts: 51 Big grins
I am looking to do some weddings in the future and wanted opinions on the 24-70 L 2.8 or the 24-105 f/4.
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I don't see a camera listed in your profile, so I'll mention both full-frame and 1.6x crop (assuming Canon, by your lens choice.)
On a full frame camera these are wonderful lenses and either will cover many, if not most, of the situations you might encounter for a "typical" wedding shoot.
The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is a full stop faster and, in a wedding environment, a full stop is a lot of light and can make or break the shot. It also allows more control of bokeh and potentially faster flash recycling and better low-light focus.
OTOH the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM has IS, which might be nice for PJ weddings where a tripod might interfere. It also has a bit more reach, and on a FF camera that might be a distinct benefit.
On a crop camera, I think the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM is a much better overall choice. It has a similar reach to a 28-80mm on a FF camera, and that means versatility to cover most wedding shoots.
I don't mean to imply that any single lens will cover all situations you might encounter.
My choice, for a Canon 1D MKII body, is to use a Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-4L lens as the primary lens, and a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM as secondary. While this combination is not as fast (f stops) as I would like, it's working pretty well overall. I also carry a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM for those situations which require a longer throw.
I'm considering a Canon 40D purchase and for that I would use the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM as primary with the Canon EF 28-80mm, f2.8-4L as secondary. I know that doesn't translate directly, but it's based on how I used my Canon XT/350D in the past for event work.
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That being said, I sold my 24-70 (that I liked very much) and bought a 24-105, and I'm very happy with my decision. I bought a couple primes for low light stuff, and the 24-105 has been a great all around lens. But I think if I was doing paid work, I would opt for the 24-70.
The faster speed will give you twice the shutter speed to freeze motion in low light settings and the viewfinder is brighter in the dark as well. Some bodies will also focus faster with f2.8 or wider aperture lenses. Having a faster lens will give you a shallower dof as well.
Generally, in wedding situations, if you are the designated photos, you can generally foot zoom to cover the 70-105mm range, or better yet, have a second body with 70-200mm range covered.