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Archive 2011 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

willw9
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Hey all,

In 3 months, I'll be leaving for a bit of a 4-continent, ~12 month backpacking trip. I'll be doing lots of hiking, city photography, close-up-ish lifestyle type photography, and just general travel stuff. Will be climbing Kilimanjaro and doing a safari as well, so will be taking some shots from these too!

I actually just sold my Rebel T2i kit, and picked up a 60D. I have a 55-250mm telephoto, and have been planning for months to get a 24-105mm. Will only be bringing 2 lenses, as weight is certainly a concern, and this lens seems like a perfect do-it-all lens, solidly built, excellent image quality, etc etc. With my Rebel, 18-55mm and 55-250mm lenses, I've always had way more fun with the telephoto, and actually had this on most of the time. I really like the close-up street scene shots. As such, 24-105mm seems like a great lens for me, and most of these shots are in the ~100mm range.

However, in the past few days, I've been giving the 15-85mm some real thought. Basically, given all of the hiking I plan on doing, I'm wondering if the 24mm end isn't quite wide enough for me. I suppose I can just step back a few feet to compensate? Does this sound about right? I think I'll actually wish that the 85mm end was longer, but it would be nice to have some wide-angle landscape capability on my crop body. Price difference is no biggie either, only ~$250ish it seems. Maybe the 15-85 is less prone to theft too, as it doesn't look as flashy?

Any and all help is appreciated here. Kinda went off on a tangent. Lemme know what you think!

Thanks in advance,

Will

Sep 24, 2011 at 12:05 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Will,
You will find out that the general consensus will be that the 24-105mm for a FF body and the 15-85 for a crop body like your 60D. The 24-105mm has a longer reach and indeed, from your description, it sounds it would fit your bill better. However, not knowing whether you will be taking some indoor shots or not and how much, if yes, the 24mm end on a crop body can be a little bit too tight. For outdoor shots, most of the time, you can do zooming by feet but indoors will be a different story. At the end, I would seriously consider the 15-85mm if I were you. The long end of that lens is a tad shorter than the 24-105mm but still not bad and that what I would recommend, just to cover the short end. However, for safaris, you will find out fast that neither will have enough reach

.

You still have time to decide and play with either lens before your trip. Play with both. You can rent lenses or if you feel lucky you can buy them used, try them out and sell whatever you decide not to take with you on the trip.

Enjoy the trip,
Joshua

Edited on Sep 24, 2011 at 12:21 PM · View previous versions

Sep 24, 2011 at 12:13 PM

MrAdventure
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

The 24-105L has very few equals as a general purpose lens. If your going by IQ alone then that's the right glass. On a crop...and wide angles being important you obviously want the 15-85 which isn't bad... the L glass can be environmentally sealed with a compatible body such as a 1D...if you care about such things.

Sep 24, 2011 at 12:17 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

I really like my 24-105L on my crop bodies and I dont usually find I need wider. but when I do I also have a Tokina 12-24 (that usually finds use at its wide end).

That said if you dont have a quality lens in the wide range you may find your wanting one quite a bit. so the 15-85 would look the much better choice. I think that and your 55-250 would make a very good alround combo on a crop body

Sep 24, 2011 at 12:29 PM

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

I'll echo MrAdventure, for your application with a 60D, the 15-85 is the better choice. And with the 55-250 you have a great 24-400 range in a fairly light package. I've been wanting to test a T2i with those two lenses as a backpacking combo.

Sep 24, 2011 at 12:38 PM

willw9
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Achh. Thanks for the replies so far. I've really had my heart set on the 24-105mm for a while..such a nice looking piece of glass.

As far as having a crop body, well, I've never actually taken a FF body out for a shoot, so I don't really know what a true 24mm focal length looks like, and just qualitatively equate it to the 24*1.6 = ~38mm length that I've always known it as. Again, I've really never wished I had something wider than the 18mm end of my now-sold 18-55mm kit lens, but basically, I feel like I will wish for this during my trip! I'll definitely be shooting indoors a bit, but just like standard stuff like group photos, bars, food pics, etc etc. Will try to test out both lenses, and see which one I like better.

Quick question: I can frame a shot at 15mm from a certain point X, and alternatively, can capture an almost identical shot at 24mm if I take a few steps backward from X, yes?

Finally, @AGeoJo, I unfortunately don't think it'd be a wise choice for me to bring a heavier, more expensive telephoto for the safari, although this would be ideal. I'll be doing it on like day ~21 of the trip, and definitely will not want that big thing in my pack for the following 11 months! Welp.

Thanks again for the replies so far--more thoughts are encouraged too! As you can see I really want the 24-105, but I do suppose I can be persuaded (hence the thread, ahh).

Cheers,

Will

Edited on Sep 24, 2011 at 01:36 PM · View previous versions

Sep 24, 2011 at 01:28 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

willw9 wrote:
Quick question: I can frame a shot at 15mm from a certain point X, and alternatively, can capture an almost identical shot at 24mm if I take a few steps backward from X, yes?

Cheers,

Will

well not quite. you will get a perspective change , but more importantly you probably wont have the chance to move that far back. its going to be more than a couple of steps.
like I said I like my 24-105 on my 40D but I think I would not want to do without a wider option as well (even though I dont use it much)

Sep 24, 2011 at 01:33 PM

willw9
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Why don't they just sell a Canon 10-500 f/1.2 weighing 12 ounces. That'd solve everyone's problems, eh?

Sep 24, 2011 at 01:37 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

willw9 wrote:
Why don't they just sell a Canon 10-500 f/1.2 weighing 12 ounces. That'd solve everyone's problems, eh?

only 1.2 ?

Sep 24, 2011 at 01:38 PM

willw9
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

I quite literally just got this 60D, and truthfully, I'm more of a serious hobbyist than anything resembling a professional photographer. In addition, I don't think I'd want ~$3500 worth of camera equipment in my backpack; while it would definitely be ideal, it's a bit too much of an investment for me, and definitely too heavy. Great pics though--great.

Sep 24, 2011 at 02:16 PM

Specularist
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

I'm not a Canon owner, but a friend was considering the 15-85 mm for use on a 60D so I looked into it out of idle curiosity. Here's a review I found enjoyable. It's not often you hear a lens' design described as "post industrial gothic", and it's true! Personally I like the look of it. It also seems to be a good performer.

Sep 24, 2011 at 02:26 PM

Gunzorro
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

There was another very detailed comparison/debate a little while ago on this very point.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1028075/0

You'll see that I'm in favor of the 15-85 on my 60D (with examples), and in favor of the 24-105 (I actually have the 24-70/2.8L) on my full frame bodies.

If you get the 15-85, you'll love it, and you'll save several hundred dollars.

If you want to spend that savings on something terrific, find a used EF 50/2.5 Macro for about $200, or new for under $300 (or even move up to the slightly more expensive EF-S 60/2.8 Macro).

Sep 24, 2011 at 02:37 PM

Jeff Nolten
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

willw9 wrote:
... and definitely too heavy...

I hear you, hence the 15-85 recommendation. I use a G10 backpacking and while I can see its IQ limits my back thanks me. The 60D + either lens will take excellent images, have no worries there.

I'll also 2nd Gunzorro's recommendation on the 60 macro. An excellent supplement to the two zooms. Perhaps not for this trip, or backpacking, but as a generally useful addition to your kit.

Sep 24, 2011 at 02:52 PM

Sp12
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

The 15-85 is a no brainer for crop bodies.

And if you're 'just taking a step back' then you're using your wide angles lazily. Wide is not just for stuffing the frame (which can be nice when you can't back up anymore), but for getting perspective.

IMO 15-85+70-300L+Sigma 30 would be my crop travel kit. Has general walk around, low light general, and tele covered for ~2500.

Edited on Sep 24, 2011 at 05:30 PM · View previous versions

Sep 24, 2011 at 03:02 PM

willw9
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

@Specularist - Great review. Great pics at the end too.

@All - Yeh, yeh, yehhhh. Probably going to go with the 15-85 now. I'd love to put the dollars saved towards a better telephoto, but I don't really think I wanna be lugging around a big heavy flash WHITE (ooo ahh) lens. Probably not the best choice for me.

Keep the responses coming if you have anything else to add!

Thanks so much for the help, all.

Sep 24, 2011 at 03:32 PM

Jeff_Stapleton
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Have you thought about the 17-55/2.8?

Sep 24, 2011 at 03:39 PM

willw9
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Seems like the general consensus on FM, and elsewhere, is the 15-85. This is probably what I'll go with.

Also, from all of the reading I've been doing about travel lenses, it seems like nobody travels with a telephoto? WTF?

Sep 24, 2011 at 05:27 PM

Yakim Peled
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

willw9 wrote:
Also, from all of the reading I've been doing about travel lenses, it seems like nobody travels with a telephoto? WTF?

When I travel I find that I tend to use wide angles more than telephoto. Nevertheless I think about going to India in about 2 months and I'll surely take a small and light telephoto (55-250 IS). It will accompany my 10-22 and 17-55 IS.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

Sep 24, 2011 at 05:45 PM

stebesplace
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

I pushed a friend of mind who travels a lot to the 24-105 simply for the FL reach. He has a T2i. I said if you need to fill some light on the inside, get a flash and learn to bounce to compensate for f/4 in lower light. You will want that reach from the 24-105 over the EF-S equivalent. Even if you do some lower light things, lean against a pole, leverage the IS, etc., etc. to get the shot. Or crank your ISO and do some PP if absolutely required. Remember, for your shooting, FL is more important right now than aperture since I'm going to go out on a limb and say you will mostly be shooting during daytime hours, and often in a rush between places.

Sep 24, 2011 at 05:46 PM

willw9
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Canon 24-105 vs. 15-85

Def great advice stebesplace, but I assume you are comparing the 17-55 f2.8 with the 24-105.

I'm definitely only considered the 15-85 vs. the 24-105, and as of now, leaning towards the former. I'll be traveling with my 55-250 IS as well.

Sep 24, 2011 at 06:37 PM

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