Railfan Technology > Canon L lens question

Needing to replace my everyday lens and I cannot decide between either the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L or the Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS. Any thoughts from actual users? The 24-105mm would give me a little overlap with my 70-200mm so I won't be constantly swapping lenses which is appealing. The 24-70 is a bit more expensive and seems to get slightly better reviews by a tad at least.

Any other lenses I should consider? (Thinking full frame down the road, so no EF-S's)

Thanks

yea the 24-105 F4 L IS has IS! I have one and like it.

PowellWye Wrote:
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> Needing to replace my everyday lens and I cannot
> decide between either the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L or
> the Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS. Any thoughts from
> actual users? The 24-105mm would give me a little
> overlap with my 70-200mm so I won't be constantly
> swapping lenses which is appealing. The 24-70 is a
> bit more expensive and seems to get slightly
> better reviews by a tad at least.
>
> Any other lenses I should consider? (Thinking full
> frame down the road, so no EF-S's)
>
> Thanks


My vote goes for the 24-105L F4 IS. I've had this lens since it was first released and have been very pleased with it. Its nice and sharp, comparable to my 70-200L F2.8 IS.

Bryan Jones
Brooks, KY
Bryan's Train Photos

PowellWye,

I personally would go for the lower F stop.. I do that so I can have a "higher" shutter speed in less light.. I know a couple rr buddies that have the 24-70 F/2.8


SP8100

PowellWye Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Needing to replace my everyday lens and I cannot
> decide between either the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L or
> the Canon 24-105 f/4 L IS. Any thoughts from
> actual users? The 24-105mm would give me a little
> overlap with my 70-200mm so I won't be constantly
> swapping lenses which is appealing. The 24-70 is a
> bit more expensive and seems to get slightly
> better reviews by a tad at least.
>
> Any other lenses I should consider? (Thinking full
> frame down the road, so no EF-S's)
>
> Thanks

-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I personally would go for the lower F stop.. I do
> that so I can have a "higher" shutter speed in
> less light..
>
> SP8100
If your shooting Film yea, 1 Stop with a DSLR no biggy.
The new Cameras ( Canon or Nikon ) can do ISO 800 all day just like 100 and it still has less grain then film.

As another owner of the 24-105L, I highly recommend it. It's really a great lens, and honestly I find myself shooting up in the 70-100mm range frequently. That's why I didn't go with the 24-70mm - 70 is right in the middle of my "typical" range, and I didn't want to be continually swapping lenses.

The downside to the 24-70 is it's weight, and some degree it's size, especially with shade attached. I have the older version of this lens, the 28-70 2.8L, and it draws quite a bit of attention.

Also, I'm a member of the Canon_40D yahoo group. Some time back, there was a spirited debate between these lenses. Many preferred the 24-105 as it was lighter, and had a little more reach.

hth,

* JB *

I have owned all three lenses in this discussion.

The 28-70f2.8L was a fine lens, altho I was warned by a friend at Canon that I would find it somewhat frustrating for train photography. "You'll always wish it was a little longer or a little wider..." he said. "That's why there are so many used ones on the market...the photojournalism crowd finds that this lens spends most of it's time in the camera bag."

Mine had some focusing issues that were rectified by two warranty trips back to Canon. I found it to be a great lens for railroad photography, particularly when I wanted to travel light...the 28-70 and 70-200f2.8L covered most of the bases I cared to hit.

I sold the lens when the 24-70f2.8L came out. Loved the lens and used it extensively for non-railroad subject matter, like family stuff.

Then, about the time I switched to digital, I had an opportunity to sample the then-new Canon 5D for a day of shooting on Marias Pass. (In those days, the Canon reps came to the Alta-Mont weekend at Essex and brought about $250k worth of gear for railfans to play with). I was going to simply test the 5D with my personal lenses, but the Canon rep insisted I try the 24-105f4L. Already, a good friend in Canada had purchased the 24-105 and raved about it.

Within ten minutes I was hooked on the camera, lens and the "IS" setup. I came home and sold the 24-70 in about three days. Then I bought the 24-105 and a 5D came a few months later.

Yes, I do miss the extra f-stop from the old 24-70, but jacking up the ISO to compensate is no big deal in the digital world. And, if I had one lens to take on a railfan trip, the 24-105 would win hands down. Quite simply, this is a great lens for all phases of railroad photography.

As you consider other lenses in the Canon line, my recommendation would be the 24-105, followed by the 70-200f2.8L and a 1.4x APO extender to be used in conjunction with the 70-200. Gonna travel? This is the best "go light" setup I can suggest.

I have those plus the 17-40f4L and the 300f4L. The 17 is a great lens for special purposes, particularly family gatherings and train riding. The 300 is nice--I just like long lenses for certain photography.
I also have a 50mmf1.4 and it largely gathers dust--I simply cannot remember the last time I even took it out of the bag.

Thanks for the replies everybody. I likely will go for the 24-105 in the next month or so. I do find myself wanting a tad more then my current 17-70 can provide but then soon as I switch to the 70-200 f/4 L, I find a need for something wider. Sounds like the 24-105 will work out well for me. Should I need something for a little lower light, I can tack on the 85mm f/1.8 which is my current favorite.

Thanks again.

Decided not to wait and found one on Ebay split from a 5D kit (valid warranty) for $870, which I thought was a good deal.

Now for some sunny weather which is hard to find in Ohio this time of year....

PowellWye Wrote:
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> Decided not to wait and found one on Ebay split
> from a 5D kit (valid warranty) for $870, which I
> thought was a good deal.

Split from a 5D kit, that's exactly how I got a 8 month old 24-105 about a year ago for the same price. Enjoy the lens.

Ryan Wilkerson
Fair Oaks, CA