We Like That: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM For $840

Yes we do, we really like such good deals when they come from a reliable seller. Top rated plus eBay seller getitdigital (39235 ratings, 99.6% positive) has the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM on sale for . That’s around $200 less than usual, even with the Canon Rebates going on. As free bonus items you get an UV filter and a lens cap keeper. Free shipping and USA warranty.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM core specs:

  • 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

Image Stabilizer – Ideal for handheld work, IS Image Stabilizer allows use of shutter speeds up to 3-stops slower with no perceptible increase in image blur.
Fixed Aperture – With no change in aperture over the full focal length range, photographers can set exposure at the widest aperture and zoom through to 105mm without slowing shutter speed.
Super UD and Aspherical Lens Elements – 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.
Ring USM – Ring USM (Ultrasonic motor) uses ultrasonic frequency vibrations to drive responsive, near-silent high speed auto focus. Good holding torque stops the focusing lens group with precision without overshoot. Full time manual focus override is available without having to switch out of AF.
Super Spectra Coatings – Optimized Super Spectra lens coatings and lens element shaping suppress flare and ghosting – more prone to occur with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. Coatings also help achieve true color balance and increase contrast for vivid hi-fidelity images.

Specifications
Weight: 1.5 lb (670 g)
Length: 4.2″ (107mm)
Filter Size: 77mm
F/Stop Range: 4-22
Minimum Focus Distance: 1.48′ (0.45 m)
Magnification: 1:4.3
Angle of View: 84 – 23° (full-frame cameras)
Groups/Elements: 13/18
Maximum Diameter: 3.3″ (83.5mm)

 

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: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM price check: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

[via slrgear]

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

US Deal: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM $850

Top rated eBay seller getitdigital has the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens for . As free bonuses you also get an UV filter and a lens cap keeper. The lens comes with USA warranty and ships for free in the US.

This is a good deal for a lens that usually is sold for $1091 at best, for instance at Amazon (click here).

Product specs:

  • 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

 

Deal: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and Accessories $3499 (plus: Sandisk 16GB deal)

Photobucket

Another X-mas deal by B&H. The Canon 5D Mark III with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens and the following accessories

  • Lowepro Rezo 170 AW Camera Shoulder Bag
  • SanDisk 16GB CompactFlash Memory Card Extreme 400x UDMA
  • Pearstone LP-E6 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack (7.4V 1450mAh)

is sold for $3499 (click here). Free overnight shipping. The final price shows up after having added the item to the cart.

Finally, there is a Sandisk 16GB class 10 memory card deal on eBay: . Limited quantity!

 

It’s Getting Crazier: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Price Tumbles Down Even More (now $2994)

Canon EOS 5D Mark III Price Tumbles Down Even More

If things are going on that way I will have to post a EOS 5D Mark III deal every day. The price of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III dropped again (it dropped just five days ago). Both Amazon and B&H are now selling the body only option for $2994 (Amazon | B&H). Last week it was around $200 more than today! These are not eBay sales, but offerings coming from the big, official sellers. Both Amazon and B&H show exactly the same price, I guess these price drops are suggested directly from Canon. However, while Amazon doesn’t refer to any sale or rebates program, B&H says that it is an offer that ends on November 24th. Don’t know what is going on.

And that’s not all. All the EOS 5D Mark III kits have also gone down with the price. Now the kit with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens is yours for $3749 (Amazon | B&H). That’s just $250 more than the price the 5D Mark III body only option was sold when the camera was introduced (6 months ago). Crazy!

What about the Canon EOS 5D Mark II? The price is still down to $1,699 for the body only (Amazon | B&H) and $2,499 for the kit with the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens (Amazon | B&H). I don’t really expect other significant price drops for the EOS 5D Mark II in the near future. But then, who knows.

These are all “official” prices, and it could be hard to find better options even on eBay. I wonder how much the EOS 5D Mark III will cost in April 2013, when Canon will release an important firmware update for it.

 

Deal: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Kit For $2200 (EF 24-105mm, Pro9000 Mark II And More Stuff)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm, Pro9000 Mark II And More Stuff For $2.200

There is a very interesting sale going on at B&H: Get the Canon EOS 5D Mark II kit for $2.200 with EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II printer and more stuff (after additional mail-in rebate of $400). The kit includes:

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera
  • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AF Lens
  • Lowepro Rezo 170 AW Camera Shoulder Bag
  • Vello FreeWave Plus Wireless Remote Shutter Release – 2.4GHz (for Canon)
  • Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Inkjet Printer
  • Canon Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss 13 x 19″ (50 Sheets)

The kit is listed with a price tag of $2,599 but there are additional rebates to top on. After the mail-in rebate of $400 the kit comes for $2,199 (click here). The offer lasts until December 31st, but it will probably be over much earlier (limited quantity).

In order to start you off right with professional level equipment, B&H Photo has created this EOS 5D Mark II DSLR with 24-105mm f/4L IS Lens and Pro9000 Mark II Printer Kit which also includes a wireless remote, semi-gloss photo paper, and camera bag to store and carry your gear. The EOS 5D Mark II DSLR camera improves upon the previous EOS 5D model with an increased resolution of 21.1MP and the addition of Live View to preview your shots on the 3.0″ 920K-dot LCD display, or shoot Full HD 1080p video with stereo sound. You can also use the included remote to shoot hands-free for self-portraits or vibration sensitive images.

Chris Gampat over at The Phoblographer wrote an interesting post about why he is still sticking with the Mk II.