Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Review (slrgear)

EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Review

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM (price & specs) is about to become a highly popular lens, at least this is the impression if you look at the many EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM reviews that are published. The latest comes from slrgear. Some excerpts from their review:

  • The 24-70mm […] offers sharp results, but is also the subject of some controversy for its performance at 50mm. We tested three copies of this lens; the first and second had poor performance at the 50mm setting.
  • Stopping down the lens does improve its sharpness: corner softness is never completely removed to provide tack-sharp results from corner to corner on full-frame, but it is dramatically reduced. Peak performance is shown at ƒ/8 across all focal lengths
  • Results for chromatic aberration with the 24-70mm ƒ/4L were good: overall, CA is kept under control through the majority of the frame
  • On APS-C sensors corner shading is not an issue, but on full-frame: the lens creates images with corners that are significantly darker than the center. In the worst case, 24mm at ƒ/4, the extreme corners are a full stop darker than the center
  • […] testing for distortion shows a complicated pattern with a point of near-zero distortion.
  • Going from infinity to close-focus takes well less than one second, and point-to-point focusing is lightning quick
  • the lens offers an impressive 0.7x magnification [for macro]. There is also some slight fine-tuning adjustment available for zoom and focus in the macro setting

As you have seen, they are nor very satisfied with the performance at 50mm (sharpness-wise). Moreover, they found inconsistencies among copies of the lens (not good Canon!). It is hence wise to test the lens at 50mm before buying it. The issues at 50mm reflect also in the conclusion:

Canon made a smart decision to offer a lower-priced alternative to its 24-70mm ƒ/2.8, in order to give Canon shooters of the more casual or economical nature a way to stay true to the brand name. Unfortunately the lens’ performance at 50mm stands out as unacceptable, especially when you consider [it] still costs $1,500. […] So what is a Canon shooter to do? If you’re happy with the performance you see from our sample pictures, and you need or want the image stabilization and macro capabilities of the 24-70mm ƒ/4, then you should be happy with your purchase – assuming you get as good a copy as we did […]

There is always the alternative to go for the good old Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (price & specs), which offers a wider range and the same specs as the 24-70mm. And the 24-105mm is known not only to be a lens of proven quality, but also to have consistent optical performance.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

[via slrgear]

EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Review

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Review (Photography Blog)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Review

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM (price & specs) is the standard choice for many pros using Canon full-frame cameras. The lens has image stabilization, macro features and an ultrasonic motor for AF. Although it has a price tag of $1499 it is still cheaper than the heavy discussed Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM (price & specs), which comes at $2199. If you can live without the f/2.8 (but there is Canon’s excellent IS instead) this lens may be the right glass on your full-frame DSLR (like the entry level Canon EOS 6D (price & specs), the cam used to test the 24-70 f/4).

Photography Blog reviewed the 24-70 f/4 posting an exhaustive review (check the various sections about the lens’ sharpness, samples images here). In the conclusion they write (emphasis mine):

Given its L-series billing, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM build quality is reassuringly excellent and it makes a perfect partner to a full-frame Canon DSLR like the EOS6D that we tested it with. Auto-focusing is quiet and quick, with the ability to manually override it and focus manually if required proving a nice touch. The capable image stabilisation system used in conjunction with a high-ISO monster like the 6D is a low-light shooter’s dream ticket, making it easy to hand-hold the camera and get the shot, despite the relatively slow maximum aperture of f/4.

Canon EOS 6D price check:  B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

[via Photography Blog]

Dissecting The Canon EF 24-70 f/4L IS

Dissecting The Canon EF 24-70 f/4L IS
Dissected EF 24-70mm f/4L – image credit: lensrentals.com

After having measured the resolution of the Canon EF 24-70 f/4L IS (price & specs), R. Cicala and the lensrentals team decided to open and dissect the EF 24-70. And since they are really ironic guys, they started the post with an Albert Einstein quote: If we knew what we were doing it wouldn’t be called research, would it? :-)

The lens is dissembled and every step is shown with pics and explained in text. This is for sure nothing you should do as a DYI weekend project. In the conclusion they write:

[…] the Canon 24-70 f/4 IS is a truly interesting design, with some things that we’ve never seen before.

Some worry me a tiny bit. I’m certain the zoom-lock/macro switch is going to break some, although it doesn’t appear that will have any major effect.

The large number of adjustable elements is a bit concerning, too. In theory, at least, that’s more adjustments that could contribute to sample variation. On the other hand, Canon’s been a long time developing this lens and they engineer lenses more logically than anyone else. I suspect there’s a nice thick document I’ll never see that tells techs exactly which of those adjustments controls which aspects of the lens’ optics.

In some other lenses, where one element is used to adjust several variables the adjustments can be ridiculously finicky to make. It might well be that having more adjustable spots will make the adjustments more straightforward and logical, reducing sample variation. Only time will tell on that one.

A limited stock of the 24-70mm is available at Adorama for $1499

Canon EF 24-70mmf/4L IS price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

[via lensrentals]

 

First Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS And EF 35mm f/2 IS Sample Images Online

First Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS And EF 35mm f/2 IS Sample Images OnlineFirst Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS And EF 35mm f/2 IS Sample Images Online

Canon UK published two sample pics shot with the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS (click here) and three pics shot with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS (click here).

Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS pre-order options: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS pre-order options: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA [via CR]