Any comments about the 24-105 USM IS lens?

[V8S]

Anyone got any useful info about this lens as I hope to buy one in the new year? It is going to replace my Tokina 28-70 ATX PRO that has focussing issues on my 5D MkII.

Anyone used these two lenses and can offer any insight into relative pros and cons?

Or just the 24-105?

Cheapest I have found it is on camera price buster for a white box ex-kit lens. I'm sure there were a few selling for about £730 a few weeks ago.


Cheers.

[nick_bbb]

It's the lens I use 90% of the time. Can't compare it for you though.

[V8S]

This is the one you do your portraits with is it?

How do you find the sharpness?

The downsides I can see are apparently quite a bit of distortion at 24mm according to people on the Net.

[nick_bbb]

Have a look at this set...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grantgb/sets/72157621...

...nearly all with the 24-105L. No sharpness problems for me. There is some barrel distortion at 24mm on full frame, I don't like shooting wide angle much so it doesn't bother me, it's a quick fix in photoshop anyhow.

[jon-]

Cracking lens. There were new ones going on talkphotography for £650 but they're all gone now. A few knocking about second hand too.

[C&C]

Excellent lens. Got one as a kit with the 5D.
These sets are all shot with the 24-105 + 5D. Full size pics are on there if you want to check out sharpness.
Bulgaria ski
Indoor with flash
Out for a walk

Normal choice seems to be between 24-105 F4 and 24-70 f2.8
I believe 24-70 may be slightly sharper?? and has max f2.8 (which I guess is why it's so popular with wedding togs), but 24-105 has longer reach and IS.

I'm completely happy with the 24-105, and it now is what I use 80% of the time.

You could always try renting one to try before you buy?

[Gemm]

I love mine.

[V8S]

Gemm said:

I love mine.

Just been looking through your albums on pbase. Very nice.

[MonkeyHanger]

Love mine on the MKIIN for Pit & paddock work at tracks. I'm very tempted to pick up a 5DMKII in a few months o nce i sell the 1D

MPB Photographic give a 6 month warranty on used kit and have a couple of 24-105's in stock. They're 100% trustworthy. I got my 7D (new), 500 prime and 85 f1.8 from them.

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

[RobDickinson]

24-105L is an excelent lens.

Downsides? Bokeh isnt as good as the 24-70, and its obviously a stop slower if you want to freeze motion, but otherwise the IS compensates for it.

Apart from that, its all good.

[Crafty_]

Got one, white box (just in case you didn't know they are supplied as kit lens with the 5D, when people buy and already have the lens they get sold on - sometimes retailers do this too).

Its great, very useful as a walkabout lens, the other one you might consider is the 17-85, or the 17-55 f2.8.. 24-105 seems to be a more usable length to me though.
The biggest problem is you get a liking for L lenses, not a cheap habit!

As someone said there are a few secondhand ones on talk photography at the moment, theres a guy on there selling some new white box ones too. You'll have to register to see classifieds, make sure you read the rules in the classifieds as they are quite strict (basically don't PM sellers, make offers on threads).

[RobDickinson]

Crafty_ said:

Its great, very useful as a walkabout lens, the other one you might consider is the 17-85, or the 17-55 f2.8.. 24-105 seems to be a more usable length to me though.

The Guy has a 5DmkII, the 17-85 (which is ste), the 15-85, the 17-55 are all EF-S lenses and wont fit.

[V8S]

RobDickinson said:

Crafty_ said:

Its great, very useful as a walkabout lens, the other one you might consider is the 17-85, or the 17-55 f2.8.. 24-105 seems to be a more usable length to me though.

The Guy has a 5DmkII, the 17-85 (which is ste), the 15-85, the 17-55 are all EF-S lenses and wont fit.

Thanks Rob - I didn't know the EF-S lenses wouldn't physically fit the camera. Just thought they were optimised for APS sensors.

There's always something new to learn!

Thanks everyone else for their help also.

[RobDickinson]

V8S said:

Thanks Rob - I didn't know the EF-S lenses wouldn't physically fit the camera. Just thought they were optimised for APS sensors.

Yeah the 'S' stands for short back focus, the lends protudes further into the mount than an AF lens and will foul the mirror, theres also a tab which prevents mounting the lens on a AF only mount anyhow.

Non canon crop lenses do tend to mount and work, but produce a reduced image circle and heavy vignetting.

[Rob13]

I considered this for the 40D but thought it was a bit long at its widest on a crop body.

[stigmundfreud]

I have this lens, its good. I also used to have a 99 quid Sigma 24-135 and it was impossible really to tell the difference (especially in studio)

Put it this way the only lenses I have where I feel you can visually see a massive improvement is the 85 1.8 and the 70-200 f2.8. These two offer superb image quality, the others (inc 24-105) not so visibly ahead. Get it by all means but buy 2nd hand dont pay full whack, you're paying for the 'L'able

[stigmundfreud]

also IS is highly overrated. If you want to introduce a lovely softness to an image then its for the win. Never use IS on the 105, use it on the 200 and between the two again you can tell the superiority of the (OK 1500 quid) 70-200.

I'd get a cheaper sigma tbh

[Gemm]

stigmundfreud said:

also IS is highly overrated. If you want to introduce a lovely softness to an image then its for the win. Never use IS on the 105, use it on the 200 and between the two again you can tell the superiority of the (OK 1500 quid) 70-200.

I'd get a cheaper sigma tbh

I think it depends on your needs. IS has saved me so much. I use IS on this lens as much as on my 70-200 if not more.

[RobDickinson]

The odd thing with IS is you can switch it off if its not appropriate to use it...

[stigmundfreud]

RobDickinson said:

The odd thing with IS is you can switch it off if its not appropriate to use it...

yes you can, just saying that its not the be all and end all and on reflection I'd have gone for the 24-70 instead