24-105L yes or no for my usage

[flosseR]

Ok, I shoot a little bit of everything so I am looking for a good all rounder and walk about lens.
I have been offered a 24-105L IS USM lens with some warranty left for an exceptionally good price. I am pondering now between that or maybe a third party lens and a nifty fifty for those low light situations....which I dont shoot many of but occasionally it does come up.

I am looking for people with that lens who use it...
thanks...

 

[PeteB]

It's a very good walkabout lens and the IS can be useful in low light situations.

If you have the chance to get one at a good price, then go for it (it'll give you better results than third party lenses).

I enjoyed mine, but I swapped it for a 24-70 (slightly better IQ and bokeh at the expense of IS).

 

[Razeus]

It's my everyday, standard lens.

 

[flosseR]

Thanks guys, I have been now reading up on it and apparently there are very few "bad" copies out there unlike Sigma or Tamron which you have to test every time.
I also read that the lens is very sharp which is what I am really after. I recently won a 5dmk2 but without a lens. Since this lens is actually the kit lens I have had my reservations.. but then again its an L lens... should be quality.

I think I will just go for it.

 

[Razeus]

Thanks guys, I have been now reading up on it and apparently there are very few "bad" copies out there unlike Sigma or Tamron which you have to test every time.
I also read that the lens is very sharp which is what I am really after. I recently won a 5dmk2 but without a lens. Since this lens is actually the kit lens I have had my reservations.. but then again its an L lens... should be quality.

I think I will just go for it.

Check out my Flickr, specfically the HIN photo album. Ya, it's sharp.

 

[Mousse]

Since this lens is actually the kit lens I have had my reservations.. but then again its an L lens... should be quality.

I can see where you'd get the impression that it's a kit lense, since it's usually bundled with the 5D. BUT it's not a kit lense. The only reason it's bundled with the 5D series is because bundling a consumer lense (ie. 28-135) would never sell, except to the uneducated customer. I'd rather Canon bundle the 24-70L, but that's just me.

I've got the 24-105L and it's on my main camera 90% of the time. I usually shoot wide open with it and the images turns out great. The best thing about L glass is that they're usable wide open; something that can't be said about Canon's consumer glass.

I think I will just go for it.

Good call.

 

[duncanapple]

The only downside to that lens is its f/4. You mentioned some low light shots - if that's what your after (and you don't have an external flash) you may want to reconsider. Of course, as you mentioned a relatively cheap prime 50mm can be a good low light lens for those times you need it.

Speaking of that, if you go that route, *some* have said cameras like the 5DmkII out resolves lesser lenses such as the 50mm 1.8. You may want to consider the extra $ to step up to the better focusing, larger aperture 50mm 1.4. This is based off of what I have read though, not experienced, so YMMV.

 

[PeteB]

The 5D MkII (if it's anything like it's predecessor) will be excellent at high ISO, making low light photography with the 24-105 very rewarding.

 

[flosseR]

Well i can confirm its excellent in high ISO. I just sent a confirmation that I will buy the 24-105 so I willg t it on the 28 or 29.12. Thanks guys for the help.

//F

 

[akdj]

"The only downside to that lens is its f/4. You mentioned some low light shots - if that's what your after (and you don't have an external flash) you may want to reconsider."

Definitely don't reconsider because of this concern. Your new 5d2 (you WON it, How COOL!) will be usable up to and beyond ISO6400...Gaining an extra stop or THREE (depending on your last camera) will negate most low light issues with a good F4 lens like the 24-105.

Between the 24-105 and 70-200, they make up 90% of the time spent on my 5d2 as walk around glass. Love that lens (and I bought it in the kit)...you will too. The IS is a significant selling point for me...after using it, I decided not to keep my 24-70 (I had before 5d2 purchase), as the extra stop was more than made up for by stabilization and the high ISO capability of the body.

Have fun! Great Christmas Lens, BTW. I'll have it on, inside and outside all weekend this weekend...

J

 

[nutmac]

On full-frame bodies like 5D II, an ultra zoom lens such as 24-105L does suffer from high amount of artifacts. For instance at 24mm, expect barrel distortion north of 4% and very significant amount of vignetting.

I am not sure how much you are paying but since the price is great, it may be worth getting anyway. The cost of L-series lens does not depreciate much, so the resale value will be high, provided it is a good sample.

If it was up to me, however, I would just get a collection of prime lenses.

 

[fiercetiger224]

Glad you like the 24-105mm. I have it on usually 65% of the time, since it's got the range I need. Regarding the f4, you have to remember it has IS, so shooting in low-light isn't really a concern, especially if you have the 5DII. Between this and the 24-70mm f2.8 (doesn't have IS), I'd pick this lens over it.