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Archive 2013 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone

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


michael49 wrote:
Well, then those individuals will have to continue to suffer from their "gotta buy a new lens" snobbery I suppose. I've bought most of my lenses used - here, of course.


I bet there is a relationship between the number of new and used lenses sold. If everyone bought used, there would be no used lenses to buy.



Mar 06, 2013 at 10:12 PM
melcat
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


boingyman wrote:
I think for people that are into landscape/cityscape that really want the excellent IQ (sharper edges, good distortion/vignetting control


If the vignetting really doesn't go away at 24mm no matter how much you stop down I would consider that a serious problem for landscape. It's between 1 and 2 stops, yet in landscapes one often wants an additional stop or two to correct polarizer effects in the sky, excessive dynamic range etc. In fact that was the thing that most caught my eye from the results of the review in the OP.

, 9 blades that produce beautiful 18 point sunstars)

I think I know where this meme came from, but in any case I can't stand the effect. Wasn't it last popular in the 1970s?

...cheaper than the 24-70 2.8 II

It depends a bit how robust it is. Cheaper to buy one lens that lasts.

Smaller size is also nice as well.

Weight is actually more important than size for landscape.



Mar 07, 2013 at 07:24 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


melcat wrote:
If the vignetting really doesn't go away at 24mm no matter how much you stop down I would consider that a serious problem for landscape.


All lenses in this category vignette to at least some extent, yet all can work as landscape lenses. I shoot a lot of landscape subjects using the 24-105 (since the lens was first introduced) and the 24-70 v.2 (a few months) and I don't find vignetting to be much of an issue.

1. In the majority of photographs you don't even notice it and no correction is necessary.

2. Since it is most apparent at the largest apertures, and much landscape is done at smaller apertures, you'll rarely if ever see the worst case amount of vignetting.

3. Sometimes (more often than you might expect) a bit of vignetting can enhance the photograph. (It is a long story that I won't recite here, but often photographers actually burn down the edges and corners in post.)

4. The vignetting is easily eliminated (in most cases automatically, if that is your choice) in post when using software that includes lens profiles.

I think I do get the value proposition of the 24-70. Compared to the 24-70 f/2.8 it is less expensive, and that probably makes in appealing to some who associate the 24-70 focal length with "pro" lenses. It does provide a welcome and useful close-focusing ability. The IS gives it one advantage - for at least some photographers - over the 24-70 f/2.8. Its smaller size/bulk is valuable to a number of photographers.

However, I still have a hard time seeing its value overall against the other two existing 24mm-whatever L zooms. Few who believe they would want the 24-70 f/2.8 L will be willing to go with this lens instead, aside from a few who primarily want the IS and the close focusing. Few who rely on the 24-105 will want to give up the 70-105mm focal length range, and few will find any real world improvement in their photographs related to differences in optical performance.

I feel like the f/4 24-70 looks like a fine lens - well designed and with a fine feature set for some photographers. The problem, at least right now, seems to me that the arguable advantages that it might offer will likely seem compelling to only a small number of photographers when the 24-70 f/2.8 and the 24-105 f/4 IS are the alternatives.



Mar 07, 2013 at 09:38 AM
Ralph Conway
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


The mentioned focus shift only occurs in macro mode? Did I get this right?

Ralph



Mar 07, 2013 at 03:30 PM
melcat
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


gdanmitchell wrote:
All lenses in this category vignette to at least some extent,


Where did I say I did or would use a lens in this category? I have the focal lengths otherwise covered.

In the majority of photographs you don't even notice it and no correction is necessary.

I suppose you mean you don't notice it.

The vignetting is easily eliminated (in most cases automatically, if that is your choice) in post when using software that includes lens profiles.

You are rather missing the point here. It isn't that it can't be corrected, it's that if you want to increase the brightness in the corners by a further 1-2 stops for any other reason you will, with a Canon body, run into problems doing so, because there just isn't 4 stops headroom.

I am happy for you if your personal style happens to suit the lens defects on offer, but I prefer to make my own artistic decisions.



Mar 08, 2013 at 03:26 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


gdanmitchell wrote:
In the majority of photographs you don't even notice it and no correction is necessary.


melcat replied:
I suppose you mean you don't notice it.


No, I wrote precisely what I meant. Photographers and viewers won't notice it, and in many cases some vignetting works to focus attention on the central portion of the image - the reason that many photographers/printers have and continue to employ the option of burning down edges a bit.

gdanmitchell wrote:
The vignetting is easily eliminated (in most cases automatically, if that is your choice) in post when using software that includes lens profiles.


melcat replied:
You are rather missing the point here.


Don't think so.

melcat wrote:
I am happy for you if your personal style happens to suit the lens defects on offer, but I prefer to make my own artistic decisions.


Classy: "... your personal style happens to suit the lens defects..." Somehow, I suspect that your "happ[iness] for" me may be a bit less than genuine... ;-)

And you are, of course, free to make any decisions you want and I would not suggest otherwise.

Despite the sideshow, the primary thrust of my reply to your earlier message was directed toward your assertion regarding vignetting at 24mm for landscape photography, as follows:

melcat wrote:
If the vignetting really doesn't go away at 24mm no matter how much you stop down I would consider that a serious problem for landscape.


Take care,

24-105mm f/4 L IS:

http://gdanmitchell.com/gallery/d/4449-2/TenayaLakeShorelineTreesBW20100630.jpg

Edited on Mar 08, 2013 at 08:05 PM · View previous versions



Mar 08, 2013 at 01:07 PM
Ralph Conway
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


Looks to me like it is a serious problem for landscape NOT to use a 24-105 ...


Mar 08, 2013 at 02:18 PM
StillFingerz
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


twistedlim wrote:
I cannot replecate the focus shift in the macro mode. My lens seems fine. It seems fine all the way around.


Thanks Rich, perhaps the focus shift issue is a QC problem with the lens. If your lens does not exhibit the bad behavior then maybe it's something Canon can adjust/fine tune. Let's hope your lens isn't the exception...



Mar 08, 2013 at 02:49 PM
Dan-O
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


I used to lug around a 24-70 f/2.8 L, a 70-200 f/2.8L and a 1v in a DryZone 200 and a metal Bogen tripod with 3-way pan/tilt head all day - ouch! Now my mantra is to get the weight down, so I like the considerably less weight of the 24-70 f/4 IS paired with a 70-200 f/4 IS and carbon fiber tripod (for landscape work) and DryZone Rover. I am thinking about a 6D now that prices are becoming more attractive. I do agree twith other posters that the 24-70 f/4 IS is too expensive, and feel it should be closer to $1100-$1200 tops. Hopefully CPS can fix whatever bugs crop up in the initial production run and the factory can adjust going forward if it is a systemic issue in production.


Mar 08, 2013 at 10:12 PM
skibum5
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p.3 #10 · p.3 #10 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


Ralph Conway wrote:
Looks to me like it is a serious problem for landscape NOT to use a 24-105 ...






Mar 09, 2013 at 12:33 AM
Ralph Conway
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p.3 #11 · p.3 #11 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


It was a joke to melcats comment and Dans answer, skibum.

Edited on Mar 20, 2013 at 11:03 AM · View previous versions



Mar 09, 2013 at 03:45 AM
15Bit
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p.3 #12 · p.3 #12 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


The 24-70mm f/4 does look like a hard sell with the 24-105mm still available at 60% of the price.


Mar 09, 2013 at 08:05 AM
Cphoto1954
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p.3 #13 · p.3 #13 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


I was one of the few who were actually quite excited about the announcement of Canon’s new 24-70 F4 IS lens. For me it seemed like a good replacement for my current 24-105 F4 IS lens. I was hopeful for it to be a better performer all around with newer IS, nine blade aperture and better quality at 24mm.

So when it arrived in my local camera store I tested in the real world (for me) against my current lens. With the exception of how it performed at 24mm I was thoroughly disappointed with it. At 24mm it was a sharper and much better in the corners for sure.

I tried both close and mid-range subjects at 35mm, 50mm and 70mm setting at F4, F5.6 and F8 and did the same setting (same subjects) using my existing 24-105.
I had seen some reviews that it was not very sharp at 50mm. Well that was an understatement it was not acceptable to me at 50mm even stopped down to f8.

So, sorry Canon – if you had a lens close to what the 2.8 version is you would have gotten my money, yes even at the current price without any rebates involved. It is hard to believe that they actually let an “L” lens that performs this poorly get out there. Heck if your 2.8 had IS I would buy it now (at its current price of course).



Mar 20, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Mike Liu
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p.3 #14 · p.3 #14 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


I had higher hopes for this lens too (maybe comparable to 24-70II?) but at the current price and with the reviews so far, very hard sale given how much the 24-105L is going for nowadays.


Mar 20, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Massimo Foti
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p.3 #15 · p.3 #15 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


Cphoto1954 wrote:
I was one of the few who were actually quite excited about the announcement of Canon’s new 24-70 F4 IS lens. For me it seemed like a good replacement for my current 24-105 F4 IS lens. I was hopeful for it to be a better performer all around with newer IS, nine blade aperture and better quality at 24mm.


I was feeling pretty much the same. In the end I am keeping my 24-105 and I just ordered a 24mm IS.

Massimo



Mar 20, 2013 at 11:04 AM
skibum5
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p.3 #16 · p.3 #16 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


skibum5 wrote:
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.


Although in the real world I'm not so sure the edges are better than the 24-70 II. Maybe he got a superb 24-70 f/4 IS and a sub-standard 24-70 II.




Jul 22, 2013 at 07:29 PM
skibum5
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p.3 #17 · p.3 #17 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


lsquare wrote:
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.


Well he did actually recommend both the Tamron and 24-105L over it which is kind of verbal trashing.

I have to say that while I often find his numbers credible (of course there is copy variation though) I often find his star ratings and write-ups most questionable. He claims the Tamron 24-70 VC fully matches the 24-70 II at 24mm! And even his own numbers AND sample photos don't agree. His numbers and samples have the 24-70 f/4 IS blowing away the 24-105 and then he says the 24-105 is the one to get because he goes so overboard with the RSA focus shift thing. And then he even says the 24-105 IS has better optics than the 24 1.4 II just because the 1.4 II has soft edges.... at f/1.4! Nevermind it blows away the 24-105 edges at f/4 and up.



Jul 22, 2013 at 07:34 PM
johnctharp
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p.3 #18 · p.3 #18 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


The Digital Picture has the best review that compares all four, and I wouldn't consider any lens a significant upgrade from the 24-105L other than the 24-70/2.8L II. The Tamron is nice, of course, but not nice enough unless you're in a pinch; and the 24-105L is quite cheap in a kit.


Jul 22, 2013 at 08:20 PM
RobDickinson
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p.3 #19 · p.3 #19 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


I half think Canon intended this to be a cheaper kit L for the 6D but development and scope creep hit it


For a landscaper it looks ok but with a 24tse a 50 prime and a 70-200 its use would be limited for me.

Will have to give one a go, never been overly impressed with the 24-105



Jul 22, 2013 at 10:07 PM
skibum5
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p.3 #20 · p.3 #20 · Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS reviewed at Photozone


johnctharp wrote:
The Digital Picture has the best review that compares all four, and I wouldn't consider any lens a significant upgrade from the 24-105L other than the 24-70/2.8L II. The Tamron is nice, of course, but not nice enough unless you're in a pinch; and the 24-105L is quite cheap in a kit.


A VERY brief peek at it makes me think:

24-70 II easily the best overall then a decent ways back indeed the 24-70 f/4 IS then a bit back the Tamron 28-75 2.8 then a bit back the 24-105L. I don't really think the 24-105L can touch the 24-70 f/4 IS at 24-28mm at all, although I have suspicion it might be able to outdo it at 50mm, especially anywhere beyond middle of the frame. I mostly looked at the wider end when I looked at 24-105Ls though. My very rough feeling is that the 24-70 f/4 IS can give pretty decent real world edge to edge by f/5 at the wider end maybe you need f/7.1 for tricky scenarios) and by f/8 at the 50mm and trouble zones, although below f/7.1 at the edges in real world complex scenes might get dicey once you start getting away from the wide end. My feeling is that the 24-105L doesn't give a really nice edge to edge at the wider end at ANY aperture from the three copies I've seen (although a very few copies may deliver better results). So the 24-70 f/4 IS has it beat there, but as I said it is certainly possible the 24-105 gives as good or better over maybe 45-70mm?? Still the wide end is the critical end for some, it was long hard to find anything delivering critical edge to edge near 24mm for FF while a cheap 50 1.8 could give a perfect 50mm on FF and so could most of the 70-200/300L lenses.

The 24-70 II has amazing resistance to PF/LoCA and any sort of halation or glow or fuzzing effects or weird higher order CA and so on, easily the best at all of that. My impression is that the 24-70 f/4 IS is definitely the second best at that near 24mm (and the 24-105L the worst) although it could well be worse at 50mm in those regards than the old 24-105L.

The IS actually works a lot better than I'd expect at the wide lengths, somehow getting around mirror slap and such and I even got a few 1/3s 24mm shots critically sharp at 100% and many such at 1/8th and almost all at 1/15th. Walking through a forest and not wanting to stop for a tripod all the time for reasons of not wanting to hold up others with you or for simply wanting to see the whole trail before it gets dark sort of situations I believe it would be the lens to take over the 24-70 II and I could see some times where I recently would've easily done better with it than the fabled 24-70 II. In situations with enough light or when you have time to tripod everything then I think it's pretty clear you just stick with your 24-70 II though. The IS unit in the 24-70 f/4 IS is crazy silent, spooky silent, never heard a more silent IS, you'd swear it's broken, only but for the images coming out crisp at shutter speeds when they normally wouldn't and the VF being just a bit more stable looking.

The macro mode could probably be pretty cool in a pinch, not everyone carries along a whole collection on every walk. You probably need to watch for focus shift though and maybe dial in a new MFA? It could be a handy thing though indeed.

There definitely seems to be copy variation with 24-70 II and 24-70 f/4 IS going by combo of personal experience and reading lots of user reports and reviews. My 24-70 II is almost perfect but there is a slight tilt in plane of focus where lower left doesn't like stuff to be really close in and upper right stuff super far away in scenes where you need to grab a super wide DOF all at once, otherwise it's crazy superb (especially when you compare it head to head with other lenses then you really see how good it is and that whatever troubles it may have are mostly the same or far worse with anything else and how the micro-contrast and sharp edges tend to really pop out next to same shot with something else, other a bit on far lower left corner at times on mine (if nothing is close then it's crazy crisp to lower left corner even at 24mm f/3.5 on mine).

Haven't touched a Tamron 24-70 VC as of yet.





Edited on Jul 23, 2013 at 05:05 PM · View previous versions



Jul 22, 2013 at 11:17 PM
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