Buy Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR CamerasCanon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras Product Description:
- 24-105mm standard zoom lens with f/4 maximum aperture for Canon EOS SLR cameras
- 1 Super UD glass element and 3 aspherical lenses minimize chromatic aberration and distortion
- Ring-type USM system delivers silent but quick autofocus (AF); full-time manual focus
- Image Stabilizer technology steadies camera shake at up to 3 stops; weighs 23.6 ounces
- Dust- and moisture-resistant; measures 3.3 inches in diameter and 4.2 inches long; 1-year warranty
Product Description
This easy-to-use standard zoom lens can cover a large zoom area ranging from 24mm wide-angle to 105mm portrait-length telephoto, and its Image Stabilizer Technology steadies camera shake up to three stops. Constructed with one Super-UD glass element and three aspherical lenses, this lens minimizes chromatic aberration and distortion. The result is excellent picture quality, even at wide apertures. Canon's ring-type USM gives silent but quick AF, along with full-time manual focus. Moreover, with dust- and moisture-resistant construction, this is a durable yet sophisticated lens that meets the demands of advanced amateur photographers and professional photographers alike.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
53 of 57 people found the following review helpful.
Versatile Walk-Around Lens
By Avid Reviewer
This is one of the most popular lenses, and with good reason -- you get a lot of bang for your buck. It has an ultrasonic motor drive (USM) for fast focusing, image stabilization (IS), and a very versatile focal range that covers wide angle to mid-telephoto on a Canon 5D and a respectable 38mm to 168mm (1.6*24 ~= 38, 1.6*105 = 168) focal lengths on cameras with crop sensors, like the Canon 7D, the Canon Rebel series, and cameras with APC-C sensors (1.6x crop factor).Its only downside is its f/4 aperture limitation. On the upside, it has a constant f/4 aperture (i.e. the f/4 aperture setting can be maintained across all focal lengths).- SharpnessThis lens is sharp across all focal lengths. I haven't noticed any degradation in image sharpness on either the 24mm or the 105mm end. However, the lens is sharpest between f/8 to f/11. Outside of this "sweet-spot" (i.e. below f/8 or above f/11) shots of distant objects are *noticeably* blurrier. (See uploaded images on the product page for a comparison of images shot with different f-stops: f/5.6, f/11, and f/22. The descriptions for the images begin with "For the pixel peepers out there...")For relatively close subjects, however, the difference in image quality across f-stops is a lot less perceptible - that's good news if you're using this lens for portrait shots and plan on opening up the aperture for a bokeh effect.- Chromatic Aberration (CA)The lens assembly uses Ultra-low Dispersion (UD) glass (reserved for Canon's best lenses), so chromatic aberration is minimal, even in bright light (where it's barely noticeable or imperceptible). In more even lighting, this lens shows absolutely no signs of chromatic aberration.- Auto-Focus (AF)The auto-focus is real snappy. Thanks to its ultrasonic motor (USM), it brings objects into focus in a fraction of a second. In the AI Servo mode, the focusing mechanism is very responsive for bringing even very fast-moving subjects into focus. However, as with all lenses, the auto-focus inevitably has a bit of trouble in (i) lowlight conditions and (ii) with surfaces that lack texture or contrast.- Image Stabilization (IS)The image stabilization is amazing. In my book, image stabilization is a must for a lens to be truly called a "walk-around" lens. For the times you don't have your tripod with you, the IS on this lens will prove very invaluable for helping you steady your shots, especially at the 105mm end! (It helps to bear in mind, too, the rule of thumb: the shutter speed should be at least as fast as the reciprocal of the focal length.)- Internal Focus (IF)The Internal Focus is a big plus, especially for landscape photographers who use a circular polarizer (also known as a polarizing filter). With Internal Focus, the barrel on which the polarizer is affixed doesn't turn and throw filter out of adjustment, so it saves you from having to readjust the filter after the subject is brought into focus.- BuildThis lens simply oozes quality. There's a good heft to it but it's not too heavy. Both the zoom ring and focusing ring turn very fluidly. The zoom ring is tight enough to prevent zoom creep.- Alternatives You Might Be ConsideringCanon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM: The EF 24-70mm f/2.8 has a constant f/2.8 aperture, but alas, it has no image stabilization, which is a real shame. The lack of image stabilization is definitely a deal breaker for most people, including myself.Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM: The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 is an equally popular lens. (Note: it has an EF-S, not EF mount, so it's not compatible with the 5D. It's compatible all other bodies, such as the 7D, the Rebel series, and other Canon DSLR's with crop sensors.)With the 1.6x crop factor taken into consideration, this lens has focal lengths of 27-88mm. In terms of image quality, the 17-55mm f/2.8 is on par with the 24-105mm . It, too, uses Ultra-Low Dispersion glass. The only downside is it's not weather sealed (which is not a concern for me). If you don't mind forgoing "reach," I would highly recommend the 17-55mm f/2.8, which is one of the best low-light lenses you can buy. I use it for landscape and portrait, and it's my walk-around lens of choice.---The quality of this lens is top-notch and definitely worth the money. It offers a very useful 24-105mm focal range without compromising on sharpness. The only limitation is the f/4 aperture. If this is not a concern for you, this lens is definitely worth consideration.
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
Ideal on full-frame, watch for sample variation
By D. Alexander
This lens is perfectly suited to full-frame DSLRs. It balances well on a 5D II, it's not too large, the zoom range is ideal for a walkaround, focus is fast and silent, the aperture is fixed, and the IS system provides at least three stops, perhaps even four.Sharpness is generally good on full-frame. It's not a prime, but surprisingly close at 105mm f/4. At 24mm f/4, the extreme corners (roughly 800x800 pixels each on a 5D II) are blurry. They clean up by f/8. Contrast overall is not abnormally good or bad. Once you start beating on the file in a raw converter, some of these differences disappear. Distortion and vignetting, while not subtle, are literally an instant fix in ACR. On a crop body, this lens has very good sharpness.Like all lenses with sophisticated optical designs, be wary of internal alignment problems. Some copies show uneven sharpness across the frame where one side will be slightly or significantly blurry. The major advantage of ordering from Amazon is that you can exchange defective copies at no shipping cost to you. Incidentally, my copy evidences no zoom creep. The zoom ring is not so stiff that it can't be worked with one finger.This is a very good movie lens. It's partially parfocal in that if you zoom to 105mm and focus, you can zoom out to 24mm and retain focus, or at least adequate sharpness within the depth of field. The reverse isn't true. The IS system is top-drawer, just as good as the 70-200/4L IS and significantly better than earlier iterations, though it will be audible in quiet environments. There's also a constant drift that'll impact shutter speeds below about 1/10. It doesn't lock in place quite like Tamron's VC, though this has benefits with panning.Some alternatives:Canon 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS+ lighter (540g vs. 670g)+ much cheaper ($200 used)+ slightly more telephoto range-- 28mm vs. 24mm-- older and less effective IS-- variable aperture-- zoom creep and looser build tolerances-- f/5.6 on the long end-- far inferior sharpness toward the edges with full-frameCanon 24-70/2.8 L II+ Prime-level sharpness, particularly in the corners at 24mm+ f/2.8-- no IS-- 82mm filters-- not the best portrait lens; 70mm is short-- heavier (805g)-- expensive ($2200)Canon 24-70/2.8 L I+ f/2.8-- many copies are not as sharp at equivalent apertures-- no IS-- not the best portrait lens; 70mm is short-- heavier (910g)-- expensive (~$1200)-- prone to misalignment with impactsCanon 24-70/4 L IS+ slightly sharper in the corners on full-frame+ smaller and lighter (600g)+ 0.7X macro mode+ updated IS-- not the best portrait lens; 70mm is short-- expensive ($1500)Tamron 24-70/2.8 VC+ f/2.8+ updated VC-- 82mm filters-- not the best portrait lens; 70mm is short-- heavier (825g)-- expensive ($1300)-- slightly slower AFTamron 28-75/2.8+ f/2.8+ lighter (510g)-- no VC-- lackluster build and haptics-- 28mm vs. 24mm-- noisier, slower, less accurate AF-- only sharp in the center on full-frameBecause the 24-105/4 IS is the kit lens for the 5D II and 6D, it's very common to find mint used copies (often never opened and still under warranty) for around $700. It's the bargain of this set for full-frame shooters, just as the 28-135 and Tamron's 28-75/2.8 are for crop bodies. Tamron's 24-70/2.8 VC takes a close second on full-frame. Optics are on par with the 24-105/4 and 24-70/4. Canon's new 24-70/2.8 II is a class above everything else at f/2.8 and f/4, though you won't see much difference after f/5.6. Pricing is stratospheric. Likewise with the 24-70/4 IS; there's very little reason to prefer it to the 24-105/4, and certainly not at over twice the cost. Serious macro shooting will benefit from a 100/2.8 or 150/2.8 with a longer working range.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
Love the lens
By Cosmophile
I am an amateur photographer and I love this lens, especially for outdoor photography and indoors where there is good light. The 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a versatile lens on my 1.6 crop body camera; great for cityscapes, closeups of flowers (although not a Macro), sports and outdoor portraits. The images are very sharp when hand held with excellent color, and tack sharp in the mid focal range when used on a tripod. The USM focusing ring is near silent, fast and accurate. The image stabilization allows for sharp images when shooting hand held. The F/4 aperture is fast enough for most daytime outdoor lighting environments (dawn/dusk). This lens is of high quality materials and construction (feels great on the camera and when handling). Operation is smooth and precise, typical of Canon L class lenses. This is a great general purpose lens, however, if you want to take photos in low light without flash, wide panorama landscapes and long telephoto sports this is not the lens for you. But then, there is no single lens that has that broad capability. The 24-105 is expensive in the absolute, but if you do research on lenses you will find it is a real value. This lens is worth the money, every penny.
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