p.1 #1 · Difference between 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Hi,
This may be a stupid question, but I have a 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM lens and am thinking of getting a EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. The question is are they basically the same?
If I get the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, will I be getting the same or similar lens as I already have?
The other lens I'm thinking of is a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM. Would this be a better lens to buy?
I want to use this as my all-around utility lens, my everyday go to.
p.1 #3 · Difference between 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
The 28-105 is a great little lens, but it’s not perfect. The 24-105 is wider, heavier, stabilized, and more expensive. It’s better built, probably a bit better contrast straight out of camera, and likely somewhat better focus speed/bokeh/sharpness. 24-70 2.8II costs twice (used) what the 24-105 F/4 does. It’s much sharper, a stop faster, but heavier and with a more limited range. At the 800-1000 dollar price point, there’s also the 24-105 f/4 Mark II which has much better IS than the mark I and smaller improvements in most other areas. Which lens really depends on your budget and intended use cases (handheld, tripod, low light, landscape, people, etc.)
p.1 #7 · Difference between 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
The old 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM is a small, lightweight lens. It is not a stellar performer at wide-open apertures, but does fairly well stopped down to f/8 or so. Corner sharpness suffers at the wide end compared to the 24-105. And 24 is quite a bit wider than 28 mm, more than it would seem.
Budget permitting, I’d go with the 24-105. If you can’t afford it at 5is point in time, the 28-105 is pretty inexpensive and will do the job while you save up for the other lens.
p.1 #8 · Difference between 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
I've had two copies of the old 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM, the first one dating from my Elan film days. As soon as I got my 10D I could see it was very soft. I replaced it with the 17-40 and later with the 24-105 L with my original 5D. The 24-105 is still fine on my 5D4. I tried the 28-105 again on my 5D2 or 3 and found it just couldn't focus sharply at infinity even in live view. It seemed ok at <20 ft. I bought a 2nd on eBay and it behaved the same. I was hoping for a lighter lens for my wife to use. Anyway, didn't work. I returned the ebay lens and gave the original to the good will as I couldn't take money for it.
This is just my experience. But if you can't afford a refurb 24-105 L I'd suggest a 24-105 STM at least.
p.1 #9 · Difference between 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
I had a 28-105 that was the first eos lens I bought (along with a 70-300 IS and an Elan II E film body).
I hadn't used it in nearly 20 years and dragged it out a while back to compare with my 24-105 IS L and the 28-105 was woefully lacking. It was poor at 28 anywhere but the center, and at 50 wasn't even sharp in the center.
The only length they even compared at was 105, and even that wasn't that close.
Now, I think my 24-105 IS is a pretty decent example. Compared to a friends 24-70 f4 IS They were near equal at 24, my lens was a bit sharper on the edges at 35 and 50, and the 24-70 was a bit sharper in the corners at 70.
A lot of people think the 24 70 f4 IS is worlds better than the 24-105 F4 IS. My comparisons are only of single examples, but I am hanging on to my 24-105 F4 IS for now.
*my comparisons are all taken wide open not stopped down.
I bought a 2nd on eBay and it behaved the same. I was hoping for a lighter lens for my wife to use. Anyway, didn't work. I returned the ebay lens and gave the original to the good will as I couldn't take money for it.