Canon EF-24-105mm f4 IS USM (1 Viewer)

Canon EF-24-105mm f4 L IS USM

I have been looking at buying the EF-24-105 f4 L IS USM lens as midrange zoom for general & wedding photography, I already own the 17-40 but it's just that bit short & wide for portraits.
Do any of you have this lens? if so is it worth the money, I can get it for £599. :-C

also consider the 24-70mm f2 L USM - it lacks the IS, but it has a faster max aperture - might be important for indoors no flash wedding photography.
Either of the two lenses is worth having though I would (as a non wedding photographer who just read the odd thread) think that faster aperture would be more important than IS

The 24-105 is a fine lens, I use it for general photography and portraits, it is a sharp lens and the IS helps, I have even shot at 1/40sec and the IS works very well.

I've got the 24-105 and am very happy using it for portraiture.
In very (!) low light it does hunt a bit but the IS has saved the day for me a few times so I feel that outweighs the f4 aperture.

The 24-70 is the obvious other lens and if you're shooting in a studio I'd say go for that lens because there is no need for IS but for natural light shots and reasonably well lit interiors I think the IS makes the 24-105 worthwhile.

Certainly IQ wise I've got no complaints at all and the extra reach can come in handy.

Thanks guys, I will have a look at the 24-70 down the town at the weekend.

You don't say what camera you have, but the 24-105 is the "kit" lens for the 5D FF camera, and it is excellent as an all around lens for this unit.

For a crop camera, I'd take a serious look at the 24-70.

mrmarklin said:

You don't say what camera you have, but the 24-105 is the "kit" lens for the 5D FF camera, and it is excellent as an all around lens for this unit.

For a crop camera, I'd take a serious look at the 24-70.

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:-O Hi Mrmarklin

My camera body is a 40D & I will be getting a 1D MkIII shortly, just shopping around for the right price at the momment.

Cashie said:

Thanks guys, I will have a look at the 24-70 down the town at the weekend.

Click to expand...

The faster aperture has an advantage over IS. While IS reduces the effect of shake so you can shoot still objects at a slower shutter speed, it has no effect on subject movement. You still need as high as possible shutter speed to reduce the effects of subject movement.

Perhaps you should consider a fast prime to get even better shutter speeds ? something like an 85 f1.8 ? Not too expensive either - a 1.2 might be even better but £££s !

All lenses have their compromises, and changing lenses in a fast moving situation is a big nuisance. When you get your new body can you afford to keep your 40D ? If you can maybe you could put a widish zoom on your MKIII (where you should be able to push the ISO a bit higher and it has less crop factor) and a fast "short tele" prime on your 40D.

On POTN (forum) the wedding photographers regularly refer to having a backup body in case of some technical failure. One of those situations where you can't go back and try again.

I always like to have two bodies as I never want to take the bird lens off when I am out - if I do, it is a recipe for (apparently) missing opportunities.

Mike.

Hi Mike.

Yes I will be keeping the 40D as well, and you have given me some food for thought by using two different lenses on both bodies.

Thanks for your input.