Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

FM Forum Rules
Canon SLRs, primes, and zooms lenses reviews

FM Forums \| Canon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell
1 2 3 end

Fred Miranda
Offline
Admin
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #1 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Klaus Schroiff, site owner and editor of the Photozone, has published his Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS review.

Here is an excerpt from the 'Verdict' section:

"The Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 USM L IS is a difficult being with a great technical performance and a worrisome focus characteristic. It is certainly capable of delivering a image quality that sometimes even surpasses its bigger in-house mate (EF 24-70mm f/2.8 USM L II). It is very sharp throughout the range with no significant weakness at any mainstream setting including max. aperture."

Read full review

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS is in stock for $1449 at B&H Photo

Mar 05, 2013 at 03:24 AM

skibum5
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

The edges and far corners are sometimes better than the 24-70 II although the center pretty much never is. Distortion and CA are also less.

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:46 AM

robbymack
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

I would say it wasn't an overall trashing of the lens but they weren't all that excited either especially for the $. Here's the problem with the lens, the tamron is faster, also offers IS and is cheaper. Honestly unless you have sever red ring envy you won't be buying the f4 IS

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:51 AM

robbymack
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #4 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:51 AM

MintMar
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #5 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

The focus shift is also great with the lens, oh wait...

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:53 AM

StillFingerz
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

RSA seems to ONLY be an issue while switched into 'Macro' mode and one feature that set's it apart from the other lenses mentioned; both Canon's and the Tamron above, is it's lighter weight, for some this fact is not trivial and might be a reason to buy.

Looking at the two f4 zooms another plus for the newer design is it's less crowded FLs, the 105 at the widest end, from 24-35, really jams everything together as opposed to the newer lens. Perhaps a small nit, but I like a wider/longer more evenly spaced out FLs as it allows for more exacting framing. Note, I shoot from a wheelchair and find this helpful, it is one factor in my lens must have feature list, YMMV

That said, the extra mm of the 105, it's cost at near half the price are quite attractive...once I pickup a body with lens correction I'll give my old beater 24-85 a go, see how it preforms before buying anything.

Jerry

Edited on Mar 05, 2013 at 01:44 PM · View previous versions

Mar 05, 2013 at 02:58 AM

jorkata
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

robbymack wrote:
Here's the problem with the lens ...

Ultimately, the problem with this lens is its value proposition.

As it stands today, this lens is a compact, (supposedly) higher-quality alternative to the 24-105L.

But at this position, it should have had a perfect optical performance, basically.
Instead, some reviewers are reporting softness at 50mm and PhotoZone is now reporting a focus shift.

To me, these shortcomings make the high price impossible to swallow at this time.
Let's talk again if/when the price drops 30-40%

Mar 05, 2013 at 04:10 AM

galenapass
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

I agree.

Mar 05, 2013 at 04:16 AM

zlatko
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #9 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

robbymack wrote:
Here's the problem with the lens, the tamron is faster, also offers IS and is cheaper.

Is that the Tamron that had a large element falling off because it was held in place (or not) by three tiny bits of glue?
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/09/tamron-24-70-f2-8-vc-issue

I hear they corrected it, but still, there's often a good reason why something is "cheaper".

Mar 05, 2013 at 04:25 AM

robbymack
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

zlatko wrote:
robbymack wrote:
Here's the problem with the lens, the tamron is faster, also offers IS and is cheaper.

Is that the Tamron that had a large element falling off because it was held in place (or not) by three tiny bits of glue?
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/09/tamron-24-70-f2-8-vc-issue

I hear they corrected it, but still, there's often a good reason why something is "cheaper".

Yes same one, and roger had mentioned in a few other threads that it only happened to one of his lenses and has yet to happen again, not to mention the 6 yr warrantee and good customer service from tamron repair (also per roger) its really a non issue.

Mar 05, 2013 at 05:13 AM

zlatko
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

robbymack wrote:
zlatko wrote:
robbymack wrote:
Here's the problem with the lens, the tamron is faster, also offers IS and is cheaper.

Is that the Tamron that had a large element falling off because it was held in place (or not) by three tiny bits of glue?
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/09/tamron-24-70-f2-8-vc-issue

I hear they corrected it, but still, there's often a good reason why something is "cheaper".

Yes same one, and roger had mentioned in a few other threads that it only happened to one of his lenses and has yet to happen again, not to mention the 6 yr warrantee and good customer service from tamron repair (also per roger) its really a non issue.

Only one? The link says it happened to 10% of their copies of the lens. It says the one in the photo is the third copy to which it happened. They hadn't seen that happen to any of the other 10,000 lenses they own. So for some period of time, whether by design or by manufacturing error, these lenses were leaving the factory with three tiny bits of glue -- and nothing else -- holding that element. The 6-year warranty is absolutely fantastic if they don't play the "impact damage" card, and they don't play it "very often" with Roger, perhaps considering how much he buys and the influence he has.

While I agree that this new 24-70 is not attractively priced, I frankly don't believe that a cheaper 3rd party lens is necessarily a "problem". There are many ways to make a lens cheaper. And there are ways to make a warranty cheaper too.

Mar 05, 2013 at 06:03 AM

dehowie
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Testing the Tamron vs the Canon 24-70 II i quickly came to the opinion the Tammy while looking good on paper wasnt that brilliant.
With my 1Dx two copies exhibited poor AF accuracy of quick change single shot AF targets missing shits while the 24-70 nailed it.
I bought the 24-70 on the spot having walked in expecting to buy the Tamron.
In short its not as good as its cracked up to be with two copies showing AF accuracy shall we say innacuracy.
If the Canon 24-70F4 is as accurate as the big brother it would be worth it alone in price..

Mar 05, 2013 at 06:13 AM

thw2
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #13 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

dehowie wrote:
With my 1Dx two copies exhibited poor AF accuracy of quick change single shot AF targets missing shits while the 24-70 nailed it.

That is consistent with my personal experience with Tamron lenses: poor AF accuracy. This reason alone is enough to make me stay away from their lenses.

Mar 05, 2013 at 07:12 AM

RCicala
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #14 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

robbymack wrote:

Yes same one, and roger had mentioned in a few other threads that it only happened to one of his lenses and has yet to happen again, not to mention the 6 yr warrantee and good customer service from tamron repair (also per roger) its really a non issue.

We had it happen on 2 of the first 20 copies, but talked to Tamron who (unlike other brands I won't mention) asked us very nicely if we would mind if they gave us new copies so they could send those to Japan for further analysis. They later told us there was a problem with the way they had been glued, an incorrect placement I believe. We haven't had it happen again so I believe they fixed it.

As someone pointed out earlier, Tamron service is excellent. 3 day turnaround time or they send you a refurbished lens.

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:06 PM

Breitling65
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

I see no reason for this lens especially with this price and reviews. One who need slow F4 zoom with IS could buy twice cheaper 24-105L.

Mar 05, 2013 at 12:34 PM

Paul Mo
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

So why the hell did Canon bother making this lens?

Surely the R&D would have better spent on something worthwhile?

Mar 05, 2013 at 01:54 PM

Michael White
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #17 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Ill be getting the 24-105 myself

Mar 05, 2013 at 02:02 PM

lsquare
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Breitling65 wrote:
I see no reason for this lens especially with this price and reviews. One who need slow F4 zoom with IS could buy twice cheaper 24-105L.

Am I missing something here? It seems like the reviews have said the optical performance is great, but expensive. That doesn't necessarily mean the lens got a bad review. Far from it at least that's from what I've been reading.

Mar 05, 2013 at 03:18 PM

retrofocus
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

Paul Mo wrote:
So why the hell did Canon bother making this lens?

Surely the R&D would have better spent on something worthwhile?

Sarcastically spoken out of desperation due to the lack of IS in the 24-70/2.8 II......realistically, I think it is another videographer application lens.

Mar 05, 2013 at 03:23 PM

retrofocus
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #20 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

robbymack wrote:
I would say it wasn't an overall trashing of the lens but they weren't all that excited either especially for the $. Here's the problem with the lens, the tamron is faster, also offers IS and is cheaper. Honestly unless you have sever red ring envy you won't be buying the f4 IS

+ 1: This sums it up nicely.

Mar 05, 2013 at 03:24 PM

1 2 3 end
FM Forums \| Canon-mount SLRs \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 3 end