Canon EF 2470mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens

Perfect range and tack sharp
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Perfect range if you have a 5D and love the short DOF of wide aperatures!

Love this lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had been looking for a fast lens in which to

use for photojournalism. I wanted a lens that

could handle low light situations. I rented

different lenses to see which would produce the

clarity, the color, etc. I was torn between

the Canon EF 24mm f 1.4L USM and the 24-70mm f2.8L.

I decided I could get better use of the 24-70mm

since it was zoom and it worked well in low lights.

Absolutely Essential
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is Canon’s workhorse and can be used to produce stunning portraits in low light situations and marvelous landscape shots on a Full Frame sensor. Have not had a single issue with this lens. Highly Recommended!

Canon 24-70 f/2.8 delivers
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I will keep this review short and sweet. This is the 1st Canon lens I have purchased for my 30D (my only other lens is a Sigma 70 – 200mm f/2.8). I have used my new 24 – 70 lens quite a bit now, and it has delivered flawlessly. I only wish it wasn’t so expensive.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is fantastic all around. Very sharp optics, great light gathering and color saturation. The letter L says it all. (Some say the L is for Luxury, some say the L is for Leave it on your camera..it’s probably the one you’ll use next time.) It is a bit pricey, but if you really want quality in your images you have to bite the bullet and buy it. That’s what I did and I would do it again without hesitation.

DO NOT BUY!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Extremely disappointed with this lens. Poor focus after 15′, Images never sharp under any condition. Not at all what you would expect from an L series. Lots of $$$$ poor performance. Working on third copy. Unfortunately did not get chance to evaluate prior to warranty running out.

CAUTION!!!!

PS failed to research product reviews prior to purchase, My Bad, Better luck to all!

If you could only afford one lens – this would be it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Assuming that you are a “model based” photographer… and you were only able to afford one L series lens – this should be it.

The 24-70 range is great for shooting people at a comfortable working distance. My primary portrait lens is the 85 1.2L, but prior to going with a prime – this was my primary lens.

It’s sturdy. It’s really sharp at 5.6 and above. And though it only goes down to 2.8 – the zoom is really enough of a benefit to outweigh a limited specialty use of a wider aperture.

Downside: heavy and expensive.

Upside: great range, good sharpness, excellent color rendition

I strongly recommend this over the 24-105 4.0L IS. I have that one too – and I find that this lens is better for natural light situations – while I find myself using the other one more in studio.

Great Lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Exceptional images! I can shoot indoors with low light due to the large aperture. The lens is a bit heavy though!

I had to choose between this lens and the 24-105 F4L IS lens. I went for the 24-70 F2.8L for the wider aperture. I have no regrets!

I do miss the additional reach of the 24-105 F4L IS lens, but this was a compromise that I was willing to make.

Once again, excellent lens!

Great all purpose lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great lens. Produces pics with great color. Hasn’t left camera since it was purchased.

Worried about what will your partner will say when they read the visa statement?
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Stop squirming and wiggling. Buy it! Deal with whatever pain you have to at home. Nothing short of divorce should stop you, and if it does cost you a separation, then the resulting pain will make an artist of you.

My favorite along with the 10-22. These lenses collect light an a very mysterious and esoteric way. It makes you a better photographer knowing that you have to live up to a lens that will not hose your shot. No more excuses.

Read the other posts for the tech stuff, this is a sweet lens.

Amazingly fun and brilliant
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I just have to say that this is my very first “L” series lens and it has spoiled me and also has made me upset to think that I was shooting for so long with a 3rd party lens. It’s like going from an old CRT T.V. to an HD plasma TV. The colors, the sharpness, the contrast is unreal. I have a Canon 30D and was thinking of getting a 50D or even a 5D. This added a quality that I did not expect, therefore have put off spending more money on a camera and sticking with what I have for now. I had heard from many people that you really couldn’t see the difference between a non “L” lens and a “L” lens. Boy are those people wrong. I will NEVER shoot without an L series lens. I now own this lens and the 70-200L 2.8 which is even better in my opinion. The only reason I did not give it a 5 star is the range. Would love to see an “L” range from 18MM to at least 105MM something like that. They need to make a all around “L” series. The 18-200MM is an okay lens, but you are compromising great quality photos for convenience. The last thing I ever wanted to do is carry a bunch of gear on vacation. That is why I had the all in one walk around 3rd party lens. Now I feel like going back to the places I have photographed in my travels and recapture them the right way. With my 24-70MM L lens. Buy this baby, and you will quickly forget how much you doled out from the first frames you take from it. Highly recommend it if you can afford it, especially if you are a serious hobbyist/ professional.

This Lens Is Nuts
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It seems ludicrous to “review” this lens as if it has to live up to some standard. It IS the standard, this thing rivals prime lenses in all aspects. I shoot a 5D Mark II and own several L lenses, all f2.8, and this 24-70mm is best in class image quality-wise. I’ve had it for a week and from day one I marveled at the image detail and contrast (and the bokeh that stays smooth up to f5.6!). Don’t toy with the 24-105mm, the f/4 series of lenses is very good, but they’re not WHOA. Buy up to the 24-70mm and have that WHOA back in your images.

I’m posting this review on several sites. I researched this lens vs the 24-105mm vs the Tamron 28-75mm for months, and now I’m 100% satisfied I spent the money. Besides image quality, it’s built like a tank (weighs almost as much!), and the hood design is brilliant with the way it deals with 24mm and still provides full coverage at 70mm. Please, just use the hood for protection and don’t put a $20 UV filter over this superb piece of glass. Put that $20 towards a good circular polarizer…

Well?? Stop reading this review and get the sale going already!

Excelllent all around lens.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just a quick review – have owned this lens for more than a year. Is the one which is most often on my camera (5d2). It is hefty, easily weighing more than the camera itself, which is something to consider if you’re going to be carrying it all day on your shoulder. That said, it is well built, mine has stood up to being hauled around on several trips. Might not be quite as sharp as a prime lens, but for a mid range zoom, its hart to beat. Makes a good every day lens.

Thought I Made a Mistake
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
After reading the mixed reviews, I decided to purchase this lens. I needed the lens for a few upcoming events, so it went to work right away. After the events, I viewed the images on a computer and was very disappointed. Close images (under 10 feet) were sharp, while images between 10 feet and infinity were almost out of focus. I would get the focus confirmation in the viewfinder, so everything appeared to be fine.

After some test shooting, I realized that if I manually focused the lens, the pictures were tack sharp. Luckily, the Live View with the 40D really helped pinpoint this issue as you could enlarge the view and see the focus error. I contacted Canon and they sent me a mailing label so the unit could be calibrated. After 7 days, I have the lens back and it is right on the money now.

I am now very happy with this lens and thumbs up to Canon for great service.

A superb lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens to replace an old Tokina 28-70mm f/2.8 that I had been using since about 2001. The Tokina was a very good lens, but on digital cameras it had serious problems with ghosting whenever something like a light bulb or a flourescent tube was in the frame. It also had a very annoying mechanism for switching between auto-focus and manual focus that had to be worked just right or it wouldn’t let you switch.

The Canon EF 24-70mm L USM is even more of an improvement on that lens that I had expected. Not only does it extend down to 24mm, focus faster, control flare and ghosting much better, and implement manual-focus sensibly (including, like all ring-USM Canon lenses, the ability to adjust focus manually even in auto-focus mode), but it’s much sharper. I had no idea how sharp a zoom lens could be until I bought this lens! It is just a bit soft wide open at the long end of its range, but from 24-50mm or so it’s quite sharp even at f/2.8, improving to stunningly sharp by f/5.6. Softness creeps in again at about f/11 due to diffraction limiting, but that’s a natural optical restriction, not a flaw in the lens.

Ergonomically, the lens is excellent. The zoom and focus rings are well-placed and move easily, with a comfortable level of resistance. It is a fairly large, heavy lens, but typically so for Canon L-series lenses, and not much more so than the Tokina that it replaced in my setup. I don’t find it uncomfortable to hold, but I do tend to keep my left hand under it for extra support when in use.

Aside from the minor softness at the long end that I mentioned above, the only significant negative of this lens is the lack of image stabilization (IS), which would come in handy in low light situations.

One interesting property of the EF 24-70mm is that it reverse-extends when zooming — that is, the inner barrel is extended more at the shorter focal lengths, and fully retracted at 70mm. This seems counter-intuitive until you notice how this interacts with the lens hood, which is mounted on the outer barrel and so does not move with the inner barrel. The EF 24-70mm has a much deeper hood than I have seen on other standard-range zooms, and the extension of the barrel at shorter focal lengths means that the hood optimally covers the lens at all focal lengths. At 70mm, the lens is fully retracted, so the hood provides an appropriately narrow field of view; at 24mm, the lens is maximally extended, and the hood provides correspondingly less coverage.

To sum up, the EF 24-70mm L USM is an excellent lens, fully worthy of the L-series designation. The only improvements I would hope for in a future update would be IS and a little more sharpness at wide apertures near 70mm. Until that lens comes into being, I’ll happily continue using this one.

Bad Lens for the price
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Just a few things, i lost money in fees to re-sell this heavy glass,please consider other lenses 70% cheaper than this one, email me if you want a comparison pictures of this lens and a cheap 17-50 TAMRON (370 dlls)much lighter, cheaper and better pics, i am not the first one to say this. Just shop around, it is my advise.

top notch glass!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have used this lens with my 1D for about 6 months now and I have to say the images are truly outstanding. When I first tried it out in a shop I was amazed at the fast focus and that was using a 30D! Of course I also was amazed at the weight but you have to have that weight with glass of this quality! Its aptly nicknamed “the brick” for a reason. It is not a lightweight set-up to carry around but its not impossible to deal with. The focus with my 1D is fast and accurate, its aperture is wide enough to shoot in available light, and the images are tack sharp and vivid! It is built like a tank, and I have taken it to the base of Niagara Falls (as wet as that is) with no issue whatsoever. This is about the best all around lens you could have, i think slightly better than the 24-105 due to faster autofocus on the 24-70. When you see the results you can get with this lens, you wont mind lugging it around!!!

Fantastic Lens, especially when clarity counts
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic lens that has the ability to make any photograph better. The real beauty of this lens is that, in my experience over the past 18 months, the impact of this lens is directly proportional to the quality of the picture taken. That is to say, its effect on mediocre pictures tends to be marginal, if you really look you’ll notice a minor improvement in detail and crispness. Take a great picture, something with a lot of details that demands clarity, and that’s when this baby start to shine. The more challenging your subject, the more you likely you are to be impressed with this lens.

Nothing in life this good comes cheap, and the costs of this lens are measured in more than just the typical “L” class price tag. As is typically the case with any of the Canon “L” lenses, it is significantly larger that what one might expect a lens of its power range to be. This was the first “L” lens I ever used. When I took it out of the box I though someone had shipped me a 200mm lens. This is a BIG lens for its class with a substantial girth — the product pictures do not begin to do it justice. It’s also a heavy lens, even taking its size into account. This needs to be kept in mind if you are considering using this for your “normal” lens — which I do. A final consideration is that when this lens is paired with a camera configured for 1.6X field of view magnification, which most Canon digital SLR’s are, the 24MM wide angle really doesn’t get very far into the wide-angle range. In these cases the lens functions less like a wide-angle to short-tele zoom, and more like a normal to short tele zoom, with a hint of wide-angle capability thrown in for good measure.

Taking all of this into consideration, it is still a fantastic lens. It is difficult to imagine any photographer, pro or hack, not being pleased with it.

Great glass
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful glass, if you are used to a small prime this can seem heavy if you aren’t used to it, but it is a small price to pay for the quality and flexibility of this. Comes with good lens hood but an ugly cheapo bag which is my only minor complaint. Add a 77mm uv and you’re set. Don’t expect this to work with the flash on your body if you have it, it will block the lower third of the light, so you’ll need a decent external.

Almost perfect
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Excellent quality as would be expected from a L series lens. Good range however, I wish Canon would make a lens with this quality and speed in a 24-105mm range. Perhaps the technology is not there yet. That being said, you won’t be disappointed with the sharpness, contrast and overall high quality produced by this lens.

Quality lens, quality results
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I ordered the new Canon 5D Mark II and the 24-70mm f:2.8L to arrive the day before Christmas (2008) and I was not disappointed as they arrived within about 30 minutes of each other. I was excited as I unpacked both and couldn’t wait for the battery to charge. My other camera gear wasn’t around so I didn’t have a flash so my first pictures were an experiment in using the high iso settings on the 5DMKII. This is my first L glass, so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was amazed at the lens fast focusing indoors in a low light setting and the ability to take photos in very low light. On the first day, the few photos taken inside without a flash were just experiments with varying results depending on the settings. Taking photos inside with at 6400 iso were ok but I wasn’t pleased with the color hues nor the sharpness, but I guess you could expect something less sharp at iso 6400. The very few photos taken outside with lower isos on a very cloudy/rainy day in East Texas were very good with great color and sharp as a tack.

I next used this lens on Christmas Day and used it without a flash indoors for a few family photos with similar results as the previous day and initial photos. The photos were ok and editing in Aperture made them usable as family prints to give others, but they were less than stellar. At this point, I didn’t know if the color hue problems were due to the lack proper lighting, camera white balance, faulty lens, or other problems.

On Saturday 12-27-2008 we had our family Christmas and I took some 200+ photos with and without the flash. Funny, the first thing I noticed (other than the focusing speed) is that this glass is heavy. The heavy glass plus the additional weight of the 5DMKII over the 40D made me wish I had brought my mono pod I use for youth sports. I’m not sure why I didn’t notice the weight on Christmas Day. Today the lighting was completely different from the previous two day’s use and the color hue problem went away. I took photos at high isos without the flash and achieved good results…note: the walls in the home here were very neutral in color very much unlike the wall colors in our home for the previous photos. Yeah, I know the wall color in ambient lighting really affect the color hues of the photos…duh. Again, we experiment with manual settings, aperture priority, etc., and fully automatic. The fully auto setting for family gathering photos proved the camera was smarter than we were producing great results. The Canon 580MKII flash is awesome and provided the results that were were expecting from a $2700 camera and $1100 lens. Whew…

After reviewing the photos (589) from the three days, most were very good family photos and it appears that I’m going to be very pleased with the 5DMKII and the 24-70mm L glass. Shoot there is even one photo that I would gladly publish anywhere. I admit that I have a lot to learn moving from a 40D with a crop sensor to the 5DMK II full sensor.

The lens is heavy but then it’s mounted on a Canon 5D. The point is to be prepared for the weight when you are going to shoot more than just a few photos. L glass of this quality is expensive. I’m very pleased with the results achieved, although, I’m not sure the results are worth the additional cost. There is always a cost to improved quality and there’s always a decision to be made about spending the extra dollars for what I would call an incremental quality increase. I achieve very good results with a Tamron with VC (Vibration Compensation), but that’s on a crop sensor and also after I learned how to deal with the very much slower focusing of the Tamron. I’ve also achieved very good results with a Canon 28-135mm non IS. I made a decision to spend the extra money for better photos, so now I just have to learn enough to make the investment pay off.

Pros:

Great build quality

Fast focus

Very smooth zoom

Short DOF at wide apertures

Nice brokeh

Color saturation

Very sharp

Nice macro capabilities

Cons:

No IS, but I knew that when I bought it

Expense of L glass

I was going to rate this lens a 4 because it didn’t have IS and the weight, but then I felt as if my rating should be based on the quality of the results and the quality of the lens after my very short time with the lens. With the correct settings the lens is tack sharp, very fast focusing, provides great color saturation, etc. I purchased the lens without IS and read about the weight of the lens and coupled with the 5DMII then I shouldn’t have been surprised. The performance of this lens deserves higher than a 4 rating.

Excellent Portrait LENS
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This lens Is very handy in the studio! I like it because unlike my prime lenses I can find the best focal length easily and still retain a great deal of sharpness. The 2.4 speed also is a major plus++ I have photographed indoor and outdoor in various light conditions with and without flash achieving nice results. I like the lens a lot but there are a few cons number 1 the weight. This lens is very heavy. To obtain the speed and versatility requires a lot of glass and that makes for a heavy lens. 2 it can be more difficult to keep in sharp focus than most of my other lenses. Overall I would recommend the lens for any professional portrait photographer. I think the lens is worth every penny but it is not very practical and I wouldn’t recommend it to someone wanting to travel and photograph a variety of imagery.

Can it get any better?
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This has to be one of Canon’s greatest lenses. The images are super sharp, contrasty, and the colors are super accurate. The lens has some weight to it and attached to my 40D with a battery grip, it makes for quite a bit to carry around. I am a bigger guy so I prefer the weight. This is the perfect walking around lens. It is not super wide angle on a cropped body but again, this is my walk around lens. I have a wide angle lens for those purposes.

I highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants a great lens that will wow them every time they take it out. I should have bought this lens a long time ago.

Fantastic Lens
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought this guy from Amazon a year ago. It was another

great experience among many.

This lens is my favorite all around lens. The build quality,

the feel, the color, sharpness, autofocus speed are all

what I had hoped for in an ‘L’ lens. it is my most used

lens and I have 3 L’s – this one, the 16-35 2.8 L II and

the 70-200 2.8 L non-IS. The 70-200 is always on my 1D

when I’m shooting motocross, but the 24-70 is on

most of the rest of the time.

The only thing keeping this lens from getting 5 stars

is lack of IS. Of course, this would add price and weight.

But, I suppose if I were to grade this on what it is and

not on what I’d like it to be, I’d give it 5 stars.

Getting the idea how much I like it, yet?

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this lens or Amazon.

If your getting this lens, it comes with a hood
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Amazon advertises the hood as a seperate Item. Just know that the actual lens does come with a hood. Also, the hood in the image is different from the real hood…the image looks like it’s the hood for the 24-105 (maybe?)

One of the best
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great lens. The pictures I take are very sharp and alive with color, and the brokeh is excellent. I am a big fan of keeping a shallow depth of field when shooting people or animals, so the f/2.8 helps out. Also dim wedding receptions are no problem with even the weak built in flash on my Rebel XT. The autofocus is practically silent, accurate and very fast.

If you don’t think you need f/2.8, go for the 24-105mm f/4 L IS. It has an extra 35mm on the telephoto end, image stabilization, and is lighter and smaller.

really fantastic lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am just an amateur photographer, but once I rented this lens there was no going back. My purchase was just as I had remembered with my rental. Super happy with it.

Not as good as it should have been
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this after trying the Sigma and have since returned the Canon to get another copy… The lens back focused between 24-50mm but was very sharp out to 70mm. I’m looking to get my next copy locally so that I can swap until I find a sharp version. Maybe the 50D lens focus tweaking will fix this!!

excelent choice
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great lens – fast, sharp and heavy, all plused in my view

I bought it when i had a rebelXT it was great, but when I got Canon 5D (full phrame) this is really where it shines. This is a great landscape and portrait lens period. It also can take a lot of abuse and built like tank. No IS required for this lense.

It is hard to put this lense down!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have been shooting digital for years, Nikon, and now Canon mainly because of the L glass. I love changing lenses, wide angle, macro, zoom, and trying out different angles and approaches to photos. The problem with this lense is, well, I can’t bring myself to change it. Everything it shoots is remarkable- especially with wedding photography. I get my assistant photography to take all of the extreme wide angle shots with the other lenses, because I want to keep this on the whole time in case a shot comes up that I have to get, quickly (super fast focus, even in low light). I can zoom in on the subject and it will be crystal clear, or I can zoom out and fit most everyone in the frame. If you are serious about photography, you have to have this lense.

Excellent Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this lens for a few weeks now and it is excellent. I also have the 24-104 F4 Canon Lens. I like this lens much better and it seems to produce a slightly sharper picture and has much much less vignetting at 24 mm than does the 24-105 lens. Before getting this I read many reviews stating how heavy it is so I was prepared for a “brick” sitting on the front of my 5D Mark II. The lens feels much lighter than expected and I have no problem using it. I think the tradeoff in weight is well worth the improved picture quality.

Excellent
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use this lens mainly for portrait and event photography. An excellent range to get up close and go wide, with an aperture to deal with lower-light circumstances.

As with most L lenses, you also get better color and contrast compared to cheaper non-L lenses.

Doing portrait photography myself, this is my favorite lens.

Quality of the 24-70mm f/2.8 vs Quality of 70-200mm f/2.8
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Although the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 “L” lens does a good job, it does not compare with the clarity, contrast, or the color saturation that I can get with the Canon 70-200mm IS f/2.8 “L” lens. The Bokeh of the 70mm-200mm is much more pleasing then the 24-70mm Canon lens and that may be due to the different focal lengths. I don’t know if I have an execeptional 70-200mm or that I have a 24-70mm that is below normal standards for the lens.

The Best All Around? Maybe
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I think it very well could be so I’m not going to differ with those who say it is.I bought this to use with a new 5D and itt’s simply outstanding in every regard. So far, I’ve kept it on the 5D and can’t bring myself to take it off.

I considered a couple of lenses, including the IS 24-105 f/4 which has a lot of appeal and the price is about the same. But this was the lens I chose in part because I already have a the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS Lens and the overlap seemed a waste while the extra stop helps. I have no regrets about it. sharp as a tack and quick.

I note that this is not compact lens, especially with the hood on and it can stretch out a lot when you widen the field. It is also not light. This lens and the 5D will give your neck and back a pain, assuming you work with more than one camera. But the focal lengths covered are just about ideal and require none of the compromises that a longer zoom range require. For that, I’ve got an 18-200 on a 20D. The 70-300 DO, while not an L, specs out in that range and has the virtue of real compactness, but it’ not a lightweight. These two lenses cover just about everything for me. And I can keep the 10-22mm on the 20D for the extra-wide shots.

Since writing the initial review, I’ve since traveled for several weeks with this lens and it fully lived up to expectations. Given the difficulties of travel these days, I am concerned about the problem of not being able to carry it with me — not a problem to date except for Britain. But always possible. And, despite the weight, I might favor the 70-200 F/2.8L IS USM as a second travel lens- I like the brightness of the focus.

One suggestion. There’s a temptation to use this lens wide open a lot of the time. It’s very good and sometimes that’s the best thing. But I’ve also found this lens makes beautiful images stopped down a good deal for short night time exposures on a tripod and a remote release. The effect with lights, etc. is considerably different along with the extended depth of field.

An incredible lens that’s a “must have” for any serious shutterbug
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I rented this lens a few months ago, along with the 24-105 f4 lens. Like a lot of people, I was debating back and forth on which lens to get.

I based my decision to purchase this lens because I tend to shoot primarily in low light and indoors, where using an f4 lens is a little tough without a flash or tripod. I don’t like using either, so that extra f-stop makes all the difference.

Pros:

1) This lens is tack sharp, even at f2.8. It gets even better down to f5.6.

2) Excellent color and contrast

3) The bokeh in portraits is very smooth

4) Full time manual focus is available, which is nice to have

5) Lightning fast auto focus

6) Versatile zoom range (at least for my needs – your mileage may vary)

7) Solid construction. It’s built like a tank. A huge leap from the 18-55mm kit lens that came with the camera.

Cons:

1) This lens is *HEAVY*. Then again, you knew that when you bought it. (Get a neoprene neck strap and you’ll be set. It makes a huge difference.)

2) Cost – not cheap, but then again, you get what you pay for. You have to keep in mind that buying L lenses is an investment.

3) One weird thing I noticed – the lens hood (which is *HUGE*) creates shadows when using the internal flash on my Canon XSi camera. If you’re using an external flash, then you should be fine. This isn’t a big deal for me, I just noticed this.

Although this lens doesn’t have IS, I’m not concerned. In a way, I’m glad it doesn’t. It forces me to do a better job on my techniques, which is a good thing. IS can really spoil you…

Overall, this is probably one of the best all-purpose lenses that you can buy. It’s very versatile and useful, with very high quality pictures, which is why so many professionals use this lens. I can’t recommend this lens enough.

L-Series Why buy anything else!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After tens years of “pro-sumer” photography with the Canon family of 35mm cameras and inexpensive lenses, this lens was my first BIG L-series purchase. My “problem” was I receiving inferior results with my existing lenses. I cut my teeth on slide film. After switching from slide and to a lesser extent print film, I discovered that digital is just as unforgiving.) To me the difference in the digital realm is the “glass.”

TIP: Always look for and purchase the second generation of Image Stabilization and the most wide open f-stop you can get when investing in lenses. I’m shooting with a 300D (Digital

Rebel), my first foray into digital SLR’s, but will probably upgrade the body in 1-2 years. As for the lenses, the L-series and DO formulated glass will not depreciate in value. (There is quite a strong secondary market for used L-series lenses.)

As for this particular lense: shot with it for the first time today and found the responsiveness, crisp focus and color saturation excellent in the digital domain. I required only minimal Photoshop to the pictures. I plan to purchase the 70-200 mm f2.8 IS tomorrow before the rebates expire. FYI: Canon usually runs the rebate program twice a year.

Canon is aggressively pursuing what the competition can’t deliver; high quality lenses and ever evolving 35mm digital bodies.

Get in the zone and get the shot!

Compared to 24-105 4L IS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After using both lenses I think this is much better. Here are my reasons:

1- f 2.8 makes the autofocus much faster and accurate.

2- Bokeh is much better in this one.

3- Macro is slightly better on this one.

4- 105 mm does make a very little difference in image size.

5- IS is not very crucial in 24-50 range.

You can buy a better lens but you can’t pay more for it.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I take a lot of indoor color guard and outdoor marching band pictures under lights. I was looking for a wider angle zoom to complement my excellent Sigma 70-200 F2.8 zoom. My Canon 17-85 IS was just too slow to stop a spinning flag or saber. After reading numerous reviews, I decided to pull out all the stops and buy the top of the line Canon 24-70 f2.8L lens. Easily the most expensive lens I have ever purchased. I was disappointed to find that the lens was remarkably inconsistent. The majority of the pictures were fuzzy. Not grossly unfocused but sort of cell phone camera quality. I would take 20 rapid fire pictures of a group to get 1 or 2 with smiles and eyes open etc. only to find that only 3 were in sharp focus. At first I blamed operator error but I quickly realized that the same EOS D30 body took consistently sharp pictures with my other 2 lenses. I sent it back to Canon for repair/adjustment and they reported the lens was working perfectly but offered to adjust the body to the lens. Since the other two lenses did not have this problem, I declined and got a replacement lens. The new 24-70 f2.8L lens is significantly better than the first copy. Focus is now consistent but the lack of sharpness is still disappointing. It is comparable to my 17-85 kit lens and far short of my Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. I have also used this lens on my EOS 5D Mark II with similar results. My Sigma says razor sharp when I zoom in until the 21 Megapixel picture starts to pixelate. The Canon 24-70 lacks the resolution to do this. After taking thousands of pictures with this lens, I have come to the sad conclusion that 24-70 f2.8L is just a faster, larger, heavier version of Canon’s 17-85 IS lens that offers no improvement in sharpness despite a price that is 3 times higher. It is for this reason that I believe you can buy a better lens but you can’t pay more for it.

Tactically Tac-Sharp!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When I was looking for a General Purpose glass I contemplated between the 24-105mm F4L & this one. I knew that this lens would weigh much heavier than the 24-105 because of the 2.8 glass which could be a potential concern. I really didn’t need the extra focal length as I already have the 70-200 for that. I knew that the 24-105 & 24-70 would run neck & neck as far as sharpness being that they’re both L-Lenses. But I did love the speed of the 2.8 on my 70-200IS so I decided on the 24-70.

I have no regrets but damn!.. damn!. damn! What a piece of Glass! And the weight while on any of my Canon bodies, indeed, it’s Heavy… But I don’t mind after seeing the results. I actually like it being heavy. My, my, my it’s ‘Oh so sharp! Another bonus feature I love is the Lens Hood which BTW came with the lens & I have it on 100% of the time, stays in a fixed position (it does not extend/retract), the objective lens retracts deeper into the hood as the focal length is increased. The hood is deep & huge! It looks DOMINATING!

All I know is that if I went with the 24-105mm F4L, soon if not later I’ll always wonder how the 24-70mm F2.8L would be & probably end up buying one down the road. Hence, ending up with 2 General Purpose glass that have practically similar focal range. Grant it the 24-105 has IS, extra focal length & much lighter(No, thanks). I get nothing less than Tactically Tac-Sharp images! Going with the 24-70mm F2.8L route, I’ll never wonder about the 24-105 nor own one for that matter. If you get the 24-105 you’ll end up buying this later on I’m sure of it. If you get this first… After using it – Believe me, you’ll never want the 24-105. Save & spend your money on the 70-200mm F2.8L IS instead. As partners, these two are a one two punch to have in your Canon Gear!

Great Lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It is amazing what good glass will do for your images. While it won’t make ugly people beautiful it definitely will not make them look any worse!

We use this lens all the time and it is fantastic. It does add a bit of weight to your camera but well worth the added detail to your images.

This is a must have lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the canon 20d with 18-55 lens, I was a little unhappy with indoor pics and some outdoor pics were to soft. I then purchased a 28-135 Is usm lens which I also found to be some-what soft. I finally broke out the funds and bought this 24-70 L lens and I have been totally happy with this lens and my 20d. The pictures that are produced with this camera and lens are beautifull, sharp. lens is expensive but you will not be dissapointed. This lens is built great,not that heavy as others have said. check out the pics I took of the sunflowers and the parakeet on the cust submitted pics. nothing was enhanced, downloaded into jpg format. You will be happy with this lens if you don’t mind parting with the funds.

Sharp lens, great product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was looking at the F4.0 but after saving some extra bucks a realized that I need to invest some extra money and go for the 2.8 great quality; fast and very well built!

It’s a heavy lens, just like the 70-200 but the sharpness of this lens is just amazing. I’ll be having a lot fun with it for the next few years!

After selling my XTI and getting a 5D MKII this is the only was to go.

Update:

This lens rarely gets unattached of my camera. I might replace it a few times for my 17-40.

I love! it goes with me pretty much every where I go; great speed and softness when needed.

Sharp when needed.

It is a heavy lens but I don’t really care if the quality is good I don’t might carrying it. I think my 70-200 f4 is a little lighter.

Remember is 2.8 all across!

amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
No other words to describe it but amazing. I’m a pro photographer and this is now my prime lens with my 5d

Outstanding
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my second Canon L Series lens and was purchased for my 5D2 that replaced my lovely XTi which is now my backup. I wanted the focal length of 24-70 and F2.8 over the kit lens Canon offered with the 5D2. I had the lens for about three weeks and took over 500 pictures. Focus is extremely fast and accurate in combination of the 5D2 (normally ISO set at Auto)even in very low light indoor condition. The picture quality is exceptional and is so easy to catch a moment with sharp picture in every aperture setting, quite often without flash. F2.8 is not as sharp as the Canon 70-200 F2.8L but it is still way better than anything from other brands.

This a very well made L lens and you get what you pay for. The weight balance with a 5D2 is perfect for me. Please do not compare this setup with a point and shoot, it is much more hefty. If you plan to get one, which I highly recommend, please pair it with a quality filter.

Professional Item
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
What a lense!! I bought it to basically replace the 18-55mm lense that came with my EOS 20D. I was a little concerned about the price, but what an item. It’s superb. I know that a good lense doesn’t make a good photo, but with this lense the picts I do take just seem so much clearer. I’m stunned at how good it is.

The only slight con about the lense is it’s weight. But, that should not stop you buying.

Quality, Heavy, Priced High
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L is a high quality lens that gives sharp details and saturation of color throughout its various focal lengths — it is as though you are using several straight lenses all in one lens. Even though this is a fast lens, during a professional shoot in Las Vegas in a dimmly lighted hotel, I still needed to use a flash (580EX w/Stroboframe Pro-RL) to get professional results. Despite being very heavy (2.1 lbs), the lens is a favorite of photojournalists and professionals who shoot weddings and conventions. You will need a grip on your camera to balance the lens and it is too heavy to be considered a true walk-around lens. The autofocus, which has a manual over-ride, is quiet, quick and smooth. The lens is also sealed and gasketed against dust and moisture. Its hood is large (4.25″ diameter by 3.25″ length) and when attached to the lens it can make any photographer look like a professional. Since the price of this lens is more than $1,000.00, I suggest that you do not buy this lens unless you really are into photography. There are a lot of other non-L Canon lenses that give near equal quality images at much lower prices.

Note: For a lighter weight zoom lens in the (Luxury) L-series, I suggest the 24-105 f/4L (23.6 oz) with (IS) Image Stablization which can be used for portraits (with greater depth of field than the f/2.8), landscapes and as a walk-around lens. If you don’t want to spend quite as much, the non-L 28-135mm with IS is also a very good lens that is used by professionals as a general use/walk-around lens and gives L quality-like results. Unlike Canon’s EF-S lenses, the 24-70mm, 24-105mm and the 28-135, can be used with both the full-frame and APS 1.6 factor digital camera formats — which is a Major Plus!

Canon EF 24-70 mm, f/2.8L USM Zoom
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Met all expectations. Note this is not a image stabilization lens. After 3 weeks it has met my needs however.

For the amatuer, 18-55mm kit lens is just as good as the 24-70
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
Check out some of the tests that people have done on these two lenses. Do a search on “24-70 18-55 canon”. I bought the 24-70 and expected to see an obvious difference in quality… there isn’t any (this was very disappointing to me). I was surprised to see that in many cases that the kit lens pictures were actually better. On sharpness, the 18-55 had the edge in my controlled tests using same aperture, tripod and remote shutter release etc. I was very excited to get this lens, I checked on its arrival date about 10 times while it was in the mail to me. But I run a procurement department for a Fortune 100 firm, so by nature I am coldly analytical. Simply put, the tests on the 24-70 just don’t show anything close to a $1200 difference. This is confirmed by tests that others have done. I am sending it back and will use my 18-55 for a walkaround lens and my Canon f1.4 50mm ($400) for those special pictures with a beautiful bokeh and/or low light shooting capability (which on both counts the f1.4 is far superior to the 24-70). Other things I noticed as I worked with the 24-70 is that for a cropped body like my XSI, it is not too long on wide angle as some others had complained. However with my f1.4 50mm though this can be an issue. As for professional photographers, I understand why they use it: the 24-70mm handles most types of shots for a wedding so no lens changes which means no lost picture opportunities in a fast moving wedding (this is very important to them, and rightfully so!), it provides a nice bokeh at f2.8, and it can shoot without a flash in some, but not nearly all, lower light situations. So for me the trade-offs are some lens changes and some difficulty with the 50mm being too long on some shots due to the cropped body. But on the plus side, I will get as sharp or even sharper pictures using the combination of lens (18-55mm and the f1.4 50mm), and with the f1.4, far better low light shooting and the best bokeh available. Don’t be a lemming and buy this because it is an L lens and therefore expected to be far superior. Also don’t take seriously those who haven’t done a true comparison between the two lenses as they are working off of assumptions not facts. I also don’t think that I have a “bad copy” as no one has posted a valid test with results that clearly shows how superior the 24-70 is. It seems unlikely that only those who have “bad copies” are the ones doing tests. Lastly, know that your 18-55 is a truly great lens.

Need Help
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
First, I am an amateur. I purchased this lens because I am going to start taking my photography much more seriously and decided to get a good lens right away since I had the funds.

I find that my lens doesn’t seem to be as sharp and crisp as I’d like. My old G5 shot sharper photos. I’m using an EOS 30D body. I’ve take about 2,000 photos with every imaginable combination – auto focus, manual focus, zoomed in, zoomed out, inside outside, built in flash, EX-580, diffuser and so on. The photos look nice, but not sharp. Edges are always seem soft to me.

Is there a known defect in this series with certain makes? I understand that this lens has a short depth of view, and have accounted for that. I am seriously considering returning this lens for the f/4 is 24-105L. Being an amateur, I do want greater depth, especially at close range and I wouldn’t mind something a little lighter.

Is it simply a matter of me needing to learn more and that this lens will eventually live up to it’s reputation? I am a picky person, but I don’t think I am being overly picky in this case. Like I said, my G5 takes sharper pictures. Thanks for any advice.

*EDIT*

I may have found a solution and will test it further later. I bought my 30D with the lens and this is my first round with DSLRs. I moved the dial to the user selectable dials and the menu options are different than in the auto setting dials. The last red menu item (can’t remember what it’s called) is the portal to more manual user settings after pressing the “Jump” button. From there, I was able to adjust the sharpness from the default to the max. It improved the sharpness of the photos a lot. There are also settings for saturation, contrast and a couple others. I’d like to test it out on people before making final judgement.

I still wish I could make the auto settings sharper, but being how this is DSLR, the auto functions really aren’t what I bought this for. I’d still appreciate any input/advice from the pros.

Best available all-around Canon lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Simply put, this is the best all-around lens that Canon manufactures. It produces razor-sharp images with startling color and saturation, and at f/2.8 across the zoom range is capable of shooting in all but the dimmest of lighting conditions. The “L” glass (Canon’s professional line of lenses) is simply the best out there, bar none, from any manufacturer. It’s pricey, but well worth it.

I use this lens for portrait and wedding photography, landscapes, sports, and anything else that doesn’t require extreme telephoto. In concert with my EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM lens, I find that these two lenses cover just about everything I ever want to shoot. Of the two lenses, if I could pick only one, it would be the 24-70mm, because it’s so versatile and can shoot so many situations (the 70-200mm is also a marvelous, invaluable lens, but at 70mm is limited in wide-angle situations).

I can’t recommend this lens highly enough. If you can afford the entry fee, you’ll have no hint of buyer’s remorse once you see the spectacular images this lens produces.

Simply the best lens in this focal range…period.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
She’s fast…real fast f/2.8 throughout. Optically outstanding…sharp as a tack. Just a negligible amount of pincushion at the long end and (very) slightly soft corners at large apertures. Other than that, razor sharp. Canon ultrasonic (USM) focusing is very fast and quiet. Build quality is excellent…at 2 lbs. this L lens feels substantial, but it’s certainly not too heavy to lug around shooting all day. The only true drawback to this lens is price….that’s why they say “it’s expensive as ‘L’” However, it is my duty to inform you that this lens is absolutely worth the pricetag.

Good wide angle lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Over all a good wide angle lens. I use this lens for large groups, product photography and tight areas.

Canon EF-24mm Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is great . Didn’t realize what I was missing . The detail on close ups is incredible.

Jim

Awesome in Low Light, However Constant Blurry Images = Four Stars
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought this lens for my Canon Digital Rebel XSi and soon to be Canon EOS 7D 18 MP that I’ve preordered. I was amazed at the ability to shoot low light with this lens. Shooting in normal light brings out sharp images, however, I’ve had issues with back focusing and just “off-focus”. Due to my amateur skill with the camera, I was skeptical if the focusing was due to the low-er camera, my skill (or lack thereof), or just a calibrating issue with Canon. For reference, I’m moving from a Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OS Lens and a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens.

I am going to send the lens in to Canon anyway just to prepare for the new camera.

Okay, all the negativity aside, this is a pretty nice lens. The colors are out of this world. It’s just using the camera in places like low-light restaurants or walking through a foreign city market center in the evening will require a camera with ISO capabilities worthy of handling the lens. If not, then what I have is awesome colors, saturation, but with constant blur. Not all the time I can set up with a tripod.

The weight is definitely heavier, but it’s no matter to me at all! I have a Canon Powershot G10 on order for the times when I don’t need a full SLR, but still don’t want to miss the opportunity to capture the shot. But if you are afraid of a little weight–which isn’t that much at all–then don’t spend the money.

Every time I go out now, the Sigma 18-200 stays in it’s box, and I hesitate between the Canon 50mm and the Canon 24-70–especially for short trips. I always, always, always choose the 24-70 for it’s ability to zoom, shoot in low light, awesome aperture, etc. It just does what the 50mm does, only better. It also forces me to learn my camera more and use my manual settings on a regular basis.

As I’ve said, this lens is going back to Canon–a HUGE INCONVENIENCE–for calibration. I shouldn’t have to pay extra, wait extra time, risk the mail system, etc. for an extremely expensive piece of equipment that should have been good to go in the first place.

One more thing, I did wrestle over purchasing the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens instead, but went for this one so I could eventually supplement with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS Lens for my telephoto needs. So far I don’t feel as if I’ve missed much, but I know I will want the 70-200 for the details and closeups of distant subjects.

A must
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is a must for indoor shooting. The weight is a con but work out your forearms and its not a problem. The image quality on this lens is nothing short of awesome and it gathers more light than any other L lens in my bag (the 77mm really helps).

Permanent Resident.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have not used another lens since I received the 24-70mm f/2.8. It is a permanent fixture on my 40D and I have not found it to be the over-bearing heavy weight that I read about in so many reviews. I have found it to be a great indoor low light lens that has freed me from my flash much of the time and an amazingly clear and sharp optical instrument that embraces and enhances outdoor colors and hues. I have not found the wide end of the lens (24mm) to be overly restrictive indoors, in spite of the fact that I use it with a crop camera. You’ll get lots of “wow” responses from this lens……its build quality and attention to detail are readily evident. I’d recommend this lens without hesitation.

Perfect.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Ok here it goes. It is big,havy and in my humble opinion perfect. I broke my bank for this but I got lucky and I have a good copy to play with. All the great reviews from pros and non are true. I have nothing else to say but this ” HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY” . This is bar non the best all around lens at this price tag.I own two more of the L class lenses. This is the one I should have bought first. Some of the negative reviews are the result of some “soft” in short defective lenses.They sould have send them back and get other ones. Perhaps from a different vendor.If you have the dollars spend them on the L glass.Camera bodys will become cheeper and better and most of us will upgrade again.But this lens will stay with you for a good long time and will keep its value.Look at the prices for used ones and you will understand . Always buy through Amazon. Play safe and good luck to you.

excellent lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use it on my 5D…Nothing more needs to be said if you know about the 5D…right?

Tim

tfarrisphotography.com

Pure Awesome
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have a 20D, and am a student at Mizzou for Photojournalism… This is my main walkaround lens… tack sharp, always, fast, always… its just plain awesome. The 2.8 is nice, and essential for me, if you don’t need it, check out the new 24-105. I would also recommend having the grip if you don’t have a 1 series, since this is heavy, and tends to torque down your hand w/o the balance of weight provided by the grip. If you have the money (i saved my earnings all summer) go for it, no doubt.

WOW what a lens!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is awesome. It makes pictures that make you feel like a pro, even though you are a novice. My husband and I share the lens and everyone thinks we are these great photographers, but it’s all the lens. I’m so happy with the pictures made with this lens. You won’t be sorry you bought it and years from now when you are enjoying those pictures, the price of the lens won’t matter. It’s worth every penny.

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Pros:

- Outstanding sharpness, saturation, and bokeh

- USM AF is fast and quiet

- Fast f/2.8 throughout zoom range

- Weather sealed

- Common 77mm filter among L-series

- Front element does not rotate with focus

- Non-existent zoom-creep

- Solid construction and feel

- Focus range indicator window on top of lens

- Comes bundled with soft lens pouch and lens hood

- Well controlled vignetting (full frame)

Cons:

- Heavy

- Expensive

- Lacks IS

Thoughts:

Used with 40D. Sharpness, bokeh and saturation are outstanding. Lens is rugged and feels very hefty, however, hand holding this lens with a large DSLR through a day will wear you out. The front element does extend at 24mm and returns at 70mm. Always use the included lens hood in addition to a UV filter, even when using a polarizing filter. Zoom to 24mm, set the polarizer, and return back to normal zoom. Same for the lens cap. The zoom ring is stiffer zooming in than zooming out. Overall an outstanding lens for everyday use.

Bottom line:

Highly Recommended!

This is it!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After about 22,000 shots with my Canon 20D and several lenses I finally bought this one. I was looking for one walk around lens that could do most things. I suppose you might find a better macro if you are really into macro photography but for flowers and such this is just fine. For everything else it is simply outstanding.

Until you get this lens you are just playing..I didn’t think I was but after I got the lens and went to work with it I just could not believe the results, crystal clarity, true vivid colors, no more need for unsharp mask with this lens. Virtually every one of my shots was tack sharp. I don’t know how to go into all of the technical terms but this is the lens..I know, I know it is expensive and am I really that far into photography that I need it? Yes..if you own a camera that fits it you will take leaps forward in image quality. Simply all it is advertised to be and more. The only negative is I have yet to get my mind around the lens being at full zoom when retracted. Seems assbackwards but I will get used to it and whatever it takes it is worth it. It is also a little heavy but somehow that is a comfort for me so I like that about it.

If you can’t afford or don’t think you can go rent one for a day or a week at one of the big camera stores that have the service. I think the results will make your mind up for you. After showing some of my photographer friends the images I shot with it they were literally speechless.

Pretty Dam Good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is one amazing lens the moment i picked it up i noticed it was significantly heaver then my pervious 28-135 lens. The weight and reverse zoom is going to take some getting used to. I noticed that the lens isn’t extremely sharp when at 70mm, f/2.8, and in marco. The performance of this lens is great the focus is fast and accurate. The pictures I take with this lens at f/2.8 are much more appealing than with any other aperture or lens. The color reproduction is also extremely good. Over all this is an amazing lens especially if want to do portraits, weddings, or anything in low light.

Very sturdy lens but not as sharp as I expected
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I purchased the 24-70 2.8L and was expecting a superb lens for the price. After comparing with my 70-200 4L, the 24-70 performed worse at 70mm f4 than my 70-200 4L. At 35mm, the sharpness was only average, slightly less than my 28-135 at f4. The image does get sharper as I increase to f8 or higher, but the whole purpose of getting this lens is for the f2.8. The color and contrast was outstanding as expected from Canon L series. The lens is also big and heavy, not a lens you want carry around your neck all day. It’s not very practical lens for me and copy I got doesn’t perform up to optical quality I expect. I won’t bother send it back to Canon for calibration. It’s going back to the store.

Fantastic lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens a couple of months ago after renting an example for a shoot. This is a fantastic lens. It took my digital images up a couple of levels. f2.8 at all focal lenths, razor sharpness, great contrast, excellent fit/finish/quality. I love it, the clients love the results. Highly recommended.

Read this if you are debating the 24-70 vs the 24-105
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
UPDATE – October 3: Wanted to update my review on this lens after using it for a couple weddings and portrait shoots lately. Normally, these wouldn’t warrant an update for a lens that is so obviously well-suited to these roles, but this lens literally saved the day. I was shooting a wedding in one of the most difficult type of circumstances – never seen the location before, had 15 minutes before the ceremony to scope things out, had no chance to get my basic flow figured out by watching a rehearsal and this place was an exposure nightmare – black tuxes, white dresses in a very poorly lit chapel. I was shooting with a backup camera (50D – great camera, read my review, but it doesn’t perform well enough at high ISO for me to trust it for a wedding shoot as I don’t want any noise introduced into things.) So I knew I was going to be limited to some extent in terms of the freedom I’d have to play with different F-stops – I was going to need to be wide open to shoot at an ISO that I trust on the 50D for weddings (no higher than 200 in my experience) and have a shutter speed that wouldn’t give me motion blur during the proceedings. Suffice it to say that I was more than pleased with how sharp things were at F2.8. I don’t know that I could have done the same thing – on this camera – with the 24-105. That extra full stop down to 2.8 was absolutely critical. On another note, aspiring wedding photographers would be well advised to make an initial investment in a 5D Mark II or something in the 1D lines if you really want the freedom to work at high ISO and not worry about image degrading noise. I am ultra-picky about noise, so perhaps what I notice wouldn’t bother some, but the investment will be worth it in the quality of your work. 40D and 50D are wonderful prosumer cameras (high level consumer/amateur, entry level professional), but the 5D and 1D series truly set themselves apart at higher ISOs. 50D is a perfect backup, or a great second camera if you want to throw a 70-200 or something ultra-wide on it and switch to that on the fly during the wedding. This lens pays for itself again and again.

Perhaps the most common agony-inducing lens choice that Canon L-series fans may run into is the choice between the 24-70 F2.8 and the 24-105 F4 IS. People waiver back and forth between the benefits of the 2.8 aperture vs. the IS and extra reach of the 105. Some say there isn’t a wrong choice because both lenses are both so good. I have a slightly different take – both lenses are good, they are both phenomenal, but you CAN make the wrong choice here, depending on the kit you already have and what you need the lens for.

First off – the IS vs. the F2.8. The 24-105 has image stabilization – a definite plus in low light, handheld situations. While IS is great for up to 3 stops of exposure to prevent camera shake, it isn’t going to freeze motion. To do that, you need shutter speed. To get shutter speed in lower light situations, you need wide aperture (and you want QUALITY glass so things are sharp wide-open). I am not knocking the 24-105 at all, but the way I see it the F2.8 outweighs the benefit of IS – it lets you go up to a shutter speeds where camera shake shouldn’t be an issue (especially in the 24-70mm focal length range) and is pin sharp at that aperture. And these shutter speeds let you freeze action – good if you want to capture a toast in lower light at a wedding or something (unless a bit of motion blur is desired, which can easily be obtained…but if you don’t have the 2.8 to begin with, there is no adjustment you can make to compensate save for bumping your ISO up and introducing more noise). So in the debate over the benefit of 2.8 on the 24-70 vs. IS on the 24-105, I think the nod goes to the 24-70.

Next, the extra reach (to 105mm on a full frame or 168mm equivalent on an APS-C like the 40D, 50D, Rebels). In this case, you might think about the lenses you’ve got or that you plan to purchase. For example, the 70-200mm zooms that Canon makes in its L-series are INCREDIBLY popular lenses, for good reason. Whether you have the 70-200 F2.8 with or without IS or the 70-200 F4 with our without IS, you have yourself an excellent piece of glass with those mid-range zooms. If you have one, or if you are planning on getting one, the 24-70 becomes the perfect compliment to them, giving you L-series performance from 24-200mm – if you have the 70-200 F2.8 you’ve got the ability to shoot at that wide aperture from 24-200mm – a very, very useful ability to have. Granted, the 24-105 saves you from having to switch lenses if you are in the 70-105mm range, but I don’t know if that is too much of an inconvenience. I will say this, if you EVER plan on owning the 70-200 F2.8, you owe it to yourself to get the 24-70 F2.8 now. Remember, F/2.8 is a full stop ahead of F/4 in light gathering capability, so if you are somewhat new to all of this, you will collect double the light at F2.8 than you will at F4 – meaning you could shoot at twice the shutter speed and get the same exposure as you would at F4 with a given shutter speed. I know many pro’s that look at aperture as being the #1 priority with any lens purchase, always get as much of it as possible. So, if you have any plans of ever owning one of the very popular 70-200mm mid range zooms from Canon, I think the 24-70 is the better choice.

Now let’s discuss image quality. In this case, there is no loser. The F2.8 lets you get shallower DOF. I’ve read some reports saying the 24-70 is sharper across more focal lengths and apertures and others that say the opposite, but when you are comparing the sharpness of these two lenses you are really splitting hairs. My 24-70 is PIN SHARP at F2.8 – so sharp that I was literally stunned when I took my first test shots of the kids playing in the yard in the early evening. Motion was frozen perfectly and details all the way down to their eyes were extremely sharp – there is no way I could have done this and gotten the results I did with anything but the freedom I had to shoot at 2.8 with a higher shutter speed in the evening light. Sure, I could have shot at F4 with double the ISO and managed to keep the same shutter speed, but as I said before, the noise factor creeps in (to be fair, higher end Canon’s do a great job with high ISO and noise). But in cases where the need for the extra aperture isn’t an issue, both of these lenses are superb. You can’t go wrong with either as far as image quality goes.

Based on all this, it probably sounds like I’d never recommend the 24-105 over the 24-70. But I would. If you are planning on owning only one L-series lens (financially this is a very real issue for most of us) and want the ULTIMATE is high quality walkaround lens – a lens that will let you do professional quality work and has the added benefit of image stabilization, then I’d say go with the 24-105. If, however, you plan on owning the aforementioned mid-range zooms and plan on doing things like event photography in poorly lit indoor settings, I think the 24-70 is the way to go.

One more thing, if you get either of these lenses, don’t plan on putting anything less than a high quality filter on them. L-series lenses need very high quality filters or you are going to suffer degradation in image quality. Spend the extra $80-100 (or more) and get a nice B+W UV filter.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this lens or if there is some aspect of the decision between these lenses you didn’t see here that you are interested in.

Don’t Waste money buying other lenses!!! Get this one!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Man I wish I would have saved my money over the years not trying to ‘save’ money by buying cheaper lenses. Yes, I have had or still own all the 3rd party ‘fast’ lenses that don’t work very good. And I have even bought a bunch of the Canon slower lenses that are fine for taking pictures of family and vacations,etc… but not for photography…

This lens will blow you away!!! You will never want another lens in this 24-70 range… Yes I have the 24-105 F4 IS lens… Wish I would have bought the 24-70 first rather than the 24-105… Nothing compares… Yes I even have the EF 35 F1.4 but the 24-70 beats it hands down even if it’s slower…

Built like a tank it will last you a life-time if you treat it right…

What more can I say???? Buy this and stop wasting money on all the other junk out there….

This expensive Lens is worth it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Man, it took me a while to save up the money to buy my first “L” series lens. I chose this one because of the zoom range. It’s perfect for the everyday zoom. I know that this lens is over $1000 but when you see the image quality you will not regret a single penny. This will make all your pictures look better than ever. The only thing that I would change is how heavy it is. It makes a big difference when this lens is hanging on your neck all day. But I can’t complain cause I don’t know how to redesign and make this less heavy. GREAT LENS!!! Buy it and you won’t be sorry.

Good quality lens with useful focal range
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
There is very little doubt that this is one of the better Canon lenses available.

However, why buy from AMAZON when it did a price increase of $73 as soon as Canon starts the 2006 fall rebate program. AMAZON has officially become the most expensive online retailer for this lens.

Great Lens For Any Canon Body
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens to replace the EF 24-104mm f/4″L” IS USM that I had sold. I know there are many people who prefer that lens for its IS, but for my needs, the 2.8 just takes the cake and IMHO the Bokeh is superior. I use it on a crop body XTi (400d) and couldn’t me happier. It compliments my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8″L” IS USM very well. Check out its reviews on”photography-on-the.net” or “fredmiranda.com” and I think your decision will be an easy one!

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had and loved an early 28-70 2.8L that I used through film into a 20D but when I got a EOS1Ds mkII I was shocked at how it showed its flaws. I upgraded to the 24-70 2.8L and am just stunned by the quality. Sharp sharp sharp and the build quality is really solid. I think it is an essential lens for anyone who cares about image quality.

Simply the best in the focal range
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had heard of the hype of L series lenses from other photographers before I bought this lens. Well, they were right.

This lens is a great all-around lens. Wide enough for most situations at 24mm. 70mm is also appropriate enough to get in there, but you may have to get up and closer to your subjects than longer lenses. What also sets this lens apart is its fast f/2.8 maximum aperture. Great for very low-light situations and for shallow depth of field.

This is the main lens I keep on my Canon body.

Hmmm
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I have one of these lenses andf it’s either faulty at point of purchase or it’s jut not as sharp as it sould be, specially for the price!

Wonderful lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After using this lens, I have found it to be my favorite. It is versatile and sturdy. Some say it is too heavy and I don’t find that to be the case. It does weigh some but not enough to offset me using it.

Great lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve been an avid amateur photographer, using Canon equipment for thirty years, but this is the first pro quality lens I’ve ever bought. I ordered this lens several weeks ago, and it arrived within days, in perfect condition. The first time I took it out to use for street photography, I fell in love with it. It’s solidly constructed, versatile in range, and not only doesn’t eat light, it seems to create its own. I’ve gotten shots I otherwise couldn’t have tried, in dim light, late dusk, and even at night under streetlights without flash at a 1600 iso setting. I took over 400 shots during a one day street festival and got great results. I won’t be using this for wildlife photography and distant applications, but for photojournalism, event, and portrait photography, this is a joy to own, and worth every penny. Highly recommended!

A must have lens for those who…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a must-have lens for those who appreciate great quality photos and the fixed f2.8. It could also be useful for photographers working on their biceps considering how heavy it is.

Absolutely The Best Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It you decided on purchasing a Canon DSLR because you wanted high-quality digital photos and now are looking for the perfect lens to purchase with it, this is it. It will give you the highest quality images that your camera can produce. This lens is on my camera 95% of the time. If you are starting out with only one lens, this is the best choice in lenses.

Canon EF 24-70mm vs. 24-105mm IS: Read this if you are a hobbyist
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I am a hobbyist and this review is for people like me. What I mean by that is that I take pictures for fun and nobody buys my pictures. I mostly shoot landscape, nature, and portraits of family, friends, and relatives. I will refer to 24-70mm as the 70, and the 24-105mm IS as the 105. I first made the mistake of buying the 70, then I returned it with a hefty restocking fee and bought the 105 – I don’t have the slightest regret and I could not be happier. I’m taking my time to write this review so that you can spend your hard earned money wisely. Let’s analyze the trade-off between the two:

* Both lenses have excellent build and image quality. So these are not differentiating factors.

* The one and only advantage of the 70 is the one smaller f-stop. For me, this means more blur when I shoot portraits, so this is all good.

* The advantage of 105 over the 70 are as follows:

– You get an extra 35mm, which is 50% more zoom. I like this.

– You get a 3-stop IS. For me, this is a great advantage, because I rarely use tripods and IS saves the day. I would choose the 105 over 70 for the IS alone.

– The 105 is 10 ounces lighter and close to half an inch shorter.

The last part is the most important part: that additional 10 ounces make a heavy lens TOO HEAVY, and that extra length makes a big lens TOO BIG. Carrying the 70 on my 50D was a pain. I can assure you, the 70 is just too heavy to walk around and take pictures for fun. The keyword here is “fun”. The 70 is a pain, the 105 is fun. The 105 is still heavy, but not too heavy. It’s still big, but not too big. After having the 70 for a few weeks, I lost all my joy for shooting. It just made me very uncomfortable (and I’m 6-foot 2). When I replaced it with the 105, it did make a difference. I enjoy taking pictures now, once again. Pros might like the 70 because they need it for their professional work. But if you’re shooting just for fun, stay away from the 70. Again, this is from my point of view as a hobbyist, and this is why I gave the 70 one star.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is awesome. Great all around lens, fast focusing, sharp as a tack, super clarity, I highly recommend this lens.

Dave

Not very sharp
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve heard great things about this lens so I spent the $$$ on it. To my disappointment it wasn’t very sharp. I’m not sure if I had a bad lens or what but I would think spending that much money it whould at least be a little sharp. I posted a few orginals on some photography sites and the most comments I got was “its very soft” and “not very sharp”. I’m a die hard Canon person but I’ll have to say that I’m not very happy with this lens.

Flawless lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is a workhorse. I use it for landscape, portrait, and photojournalism-type work. It is a lens with great optics and that is built to withstand abuse.

I actually had this lens and an EOS 5D fall off of a tripod at a photo shoot, and the lens and camera withstood the fall from about four feet onto a hard surface better than I could have imagined. I sent the lens to Canon to have it checked out and to have the mount re-attached, and with just a simple mount replacement the lens is functioning perfectly again. This fall would have destroyed a lesser lens and camera.

This lens, matched with the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS, make the perfect package of quality and convenience.

Fast, Sharp, Well-built L Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
There are plenty of good reviews so this one will be a (repeat) short summary:

Pros:

- Sharp images accross zoom range

- Fast, precise USM autofocus

- Built tough with moisture and dust seal

Cons:

- A little on the pricey side

Other:

- Interesting “reverse” zoom mechanism: lens fully extended at 24mm, retracted at 70mm

- Comes with hood and soft (fabric/leather) storage case

This is the One!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Yeah, if you only had one body and had to live with one lense, then this would be the one. It goes down to 24mm, which is wide enough for just about anybody and up to 70mm, which can deliver darned good portraits. Yes it’s a little heavier than the competition, but holy moly, holy cow and holy anything else, the competition has nothing that can serve up the crisp and sharp photos you’ll get with this baby.

This is one of my gal pal Sara’s walking around lenses (she never leaves the house without a couple cameras). She swears by it. Shoots just about everything with it, from the deep blue sea at dawn to fever trees on the Kenyan plain just before sunset. She’s done thousands of baby pictures, horse photos and barnyard shots. She’s a shooting Madonna and she only shoots with Canon “L” lenses (well she does have a Sigma 600mm mirror lense she sometimes uses, but don’t tell anyone.)

Highly recommended
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Prior to this lens, I had only used a kit lens for my SLR. I bought this lens when I bought a Canon Rebel XSi, my first DSLR. I decided not to buy the kit lens that comes with the camera because I figured that I could use the kit lens from my SLR interchangeably. I also thought that it was time for me to try a better quality lens. I had already read reviews about how this was a great general purpose lens, and now that I am using it, I know that this lens is exactly what I needed. I have been able to take photos in just about every situation and every type of lighting, as the image quality remains sharp. I recently brought this lens with me while on a trip, and it is especially convenient since it can be quite heavy to lug around more than one lens.

Do not wait longer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Hi Canon Lover,

It is perfect and professional for users who love to capture excellent image. Do not wait longer buy as soon as you can and you will not lose anything.

Keep it up and have a wonderful day with Canon products

Best wishes,

Appreciation Canon products

Beware focus isn’t accurate
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought my lens after years of unsatisfying results with dedicated non-Canon lenses.

The main attraction to this was the environmental seal, designed to keep out dust particles. However, after one year of use the lens has several permanent dust particles deep inside (which have to be digitally removed from the photo on a computer), although admittedly unsealed lenses were a lot worse.

The primary problem with this lens is that it doesn’t focus accurately at the 24mm setting. You have to zoom in to 70mm, adjust the focus, then zoom back out for the wider angle. This is infuriating if you need to work quickly – which in my case is taking live action news-related or entertainment photos. I wouldn’t buy this product again; it’s overpriced and produces images that aren’t pin-sharp anyway.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought this lens because I was so disappointed with pictures using the standard lens on my Digital Rebel. This lens is fantastic! All pictures are very sharp (the std lens was a little soft)in all lighting conditions. I highly recommend the lens.

Simply Amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is the lens the produces the quality of results you see from the likes of National Geographic. The images are amazingly sharp and crisp, simply put, this is my go-to lens. I use this lens on an EOS 50D, and the results are just spectacular. Stunning. Amazing. I’m still blown away by the pictures when I see them. The zoom moves nicely with enough resistance, and generally doesn’t droop when you angle the lens down unlike the 28-135IS. I have often put an extension ring in front of it and used it as a macro lens, where it takes incredible shots using manual focus. Autofocus is fast an spot-on, mounting is clean and easy, everything you would expect from an L-Series lens. I own just two L-series lenses, because honestly, I find that these two cover 90% of the regular photos I want to take. If was to offer any criticism, it is that this lens is HEAVY. You can’t stick it on a camera and just wander around for a day. Also f/2.8 is great for a zoom lens, but sometimes a shot calls for a wider aperture, and you have to switch to a prime lens. Mostly the only lenses in my bag are this one, the 100-400mm and the Sigma 10-20mm which has been a bit disappointing. Add an extension tube, some flash guns and a cable release, and you are ready for almost any photo.

a must for Canon 5D
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use this lens mainly for weddings and portraits. People think that the results look professional.The 5D demands good glass and this lens provides it.

Beautiful Bokeh, horrible focusing
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m going to put two sections, positive and negative and a description of both. Negatives will come first since everyone is always harping on how great it is– I’m sure if your here you may want to know the bad things.

Negatives:

Weight: It is gigantic and weighs a lot. I’m a big lady and after using this lens on my 5D Mark II for 9 hours my hand and wrist had taken a beating. I also work with an attatched flash as well so that adds to the weight but on previous fixed focal length lenses I never had soreness. I use a wrist gaurd now to help support the weight of the camera when I am doing my wedding photography. While the weight is difficult, it is easily remedied by doing as I have done– and I am grateful for the weight. The build quality in this lens is superior then any lens I have seen yet, and by the weight alone you can feel the quality in it. A heavier weight is a fair trade off, I think, to providing my clients better images.

Auto Focus: This is something that I have a honest complaint. I usually like to auto focus my work, but on some occassions I like to rely on the camera’s ability to auto focus so that I can be sure to capture an image quickly– this lens does not work that way. I have found, personally, that the auto focus is incredibly slow and often back focuses (focuses on the background and not the subject). It is absolutely vital for this function to work– and it is practically useless in very low light. You will be standing there for 30 minutes waiting for the camera to lock focus– this is not a problem I have with my other lenses and it disturbs me that after spending $1300 that I cannot have my cake and eat it too– or that the auto focus in my camera could be so slow. I’ll have to play with it some more to make my final decision but for now I’ll be relying on my natural ability to manually focus (which in 95% of cases is better)

No IS: Everyone is harping on it, so I won’t go far into it. It’s really helpful to have the IS when you are trying to handhold your equipment. Just somethng that would have been nice.

Positives:

Image Sharpness: When focusing manually, looks absolutely STUNNING…. if you get it right. This is not something that you can just pick up and do– you have to be very precise with your focussing otherwise you will have a soft picture or it will just be out of focus. I have had no luck with the Auto-focus aspect of this camera (unless it is in bright light) and to really achieve the beauty that this lens can create– you have to be good yourself. This lens will not make you a good photographer– it demands knowledge and expierence to back up the user while shooting.

Color Saturation: Although some people say that this lens is slightly less warm then other lens– I have found that, when the lens hood is applied (I shoot with it 98% of the time) the color saturation is gorgeous as well. I find very minimal times, except in bright light, where contrast and saturation need to be editted, it is just that good.

Mechanics and Ease of Use: I love the larger focussing ring– it is so wonderful when manually focusing.

And that is all the positives I am going to report on. There are so many great things to say about this lens that it’s hard to write them all down. Just know that this lens requires skill to use it properly. Spending a ton of money on your lenses and bodies will only produce the same quality images that you are capable to produce. It does not make you better but it may make you work to BE better.

Hope that helps

Great All-Around lense
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I use this lense on my Canon 5D and it is spectacular. I have used it for weddings and parties. Not a single complaint.

A Great Piece of Glass
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have had this lens for almost a month now, it was my Christmas gift from my wife (bought a few weeks early for use during the holidays) and it has become very quickly my standard lens. I use it with a Rebel XSI and was concerned that it would not be wide enough at the low end with the 1.6 crop factor but that has not been an issue. I have 2 young kids and a new puppy and so the f/2.8 is great – allows fast enough shutter to stop them in their tracks. I took it out to a field just before the holiday with the new puppy and I don’t think there is one blurry shot even with the dog running full tilt.

You do have to respect the f/2.8 for what it allows you to do and also what it does not do. If the lens is wide open sometimes the depth of field for close objects is so narrow that a subject’s nose and eyes are in focus but ears are blurred (or vice versa) – of course one simply stops down the lens to widen the DOF, but I was surprised that the effect was so dramatic there and was very happy that I had a couple weeks to play with the lens and learn to use it properly before the actual holiday.

I also have the 70-200 mm f/2.8 IS (my only other “L” glass) and this one is much more versatile. I got that one mostly for closeups (obviously) and to take shots at school programs without the annoying flash. As such, the IS feature is very important for that lens but less so for this one since shake is so much more obvious at the longer focal lengths. That said, it would be nice to have IS and I almost waited to see if an IS version would be released as rumors of that circulate. I can now honestly say that even if an IS version is released tomorrow I would have no regrets about this purchase (and in fact would buy the this same lens since IS will likely add ~$300 to the price tag).

The bottom line is this is a great lens, one that will hold its value and provide you with a lifetime of great pictures. Buy it without a second thought if you have the coin.

Equal to prime lenses?
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I normally buy prime lenses for higher performance compared to zooms, but purchased the 24-70 based on recommendations and hands on checkout in the store. I have to admit it surprised me, after 35 years of shooting with both types of lenses this is the first zoom to come close and in some cases equal my prime lenses. Yes, it is heavy, but so are carrying 4 prime lenses to replace it. Bottomline this is the last lens I will let go of, out of all the Canon and Nikon lenses I own. It is that good. I find it useful for travel, portraits and weddings where I cannot always back away or get closer to compose the frame, this is where the 24-70 shines. The AF is fast and quiet, with on demand manual focus override for those times where AF doesn’t select the proper subject. Only the newest lens out from Canon with Image stabilization might better this one.

Canon 24-70 2,8 very good linse
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
very good linse and the package arrived in a few days. alot cheeper than in sweden.

Extremely Satisfied
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you have read the 22 or so reviews below this one and are still teetering on the fence whether or not to purchase this lens, allow me to try and give you the final push. I can honestly say that this is one of the only peices of equipment I own that I enjoy and appreciate using MORE every time I use it. Holding this lens literally brings a smile to my face.

I’ve owned this lens for about six months now and have shot ~1500 exposures with it. The first thing you will notice taking it out of the box is the weight and build quality. Holding it in your hand, you will FEEL the value of the lens. Needless to say, this lens excels in the realm of sharpness, contrast, color, and versatility.

The weight seems to be an issue to some, but to me it is perfect. It’s just heavy enough to give you stability in slow shutter speeds, yet not too heavy that your arms tire out. I have acheived sharp 1/15th F/2.8 exposures handheld, for which I give credit to the weight.

Something not many people mention in these reviews is the bonus of Macro in this lens. It is capable of a 0.29 magnification, which for someone who is casually interested in macro like me, produces a capability for some very interesting composures. The lens does very well in commercial product photography.

It seems that the AF nails perfect exposure about 40%-60% of the time at longer range shots (95% at ranges within 15 feet). When it misses absolute focus, you still get incredible pictures with no complaints. However, when it does acheive that perfect focus, the shot will rival the 135mm F/2 in terms of sharpness.

Note that the lens utilizes a reverse-zoom extension. i.e., when you zoom out to 24mm, the lens extends another three or so inches. This has never been a problem for me.

The built-in flash of the 300D, 350D, 10D, and 20D simply will not do with this lens (try it and you will se why). You will have to order a speedlite to overscome the inherent length of the lens + hood.

Order this lens with a B+W 77mm UV filter. Get no filters below this quality. I tried to skimp, and suffered a loss of saturation, contrast, and increased flaring.

Highest Quality Zoom Lens in the World
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Yes this lens is expensive (more than my XTi camera body) but look at what you’re getting. An incredibly fast lense capable of shooting in low light conditions without flash. The photos you’ll take with this lens are as sharp as reality itself. You’ll be especially impressed with the macro capabilities, you can get really close and capture incredible fine details that you might not even notice with your naked eye. The lense is a little heavy but it feels great in the hand and the heft lends to your confidence and steadiness while shooting. I call my lense “The bomb” because it takes photos that are an explosion of color, detail and beauty. My recommendation is to spend the money even if you are a simple photo hobbiest like me. You’ll be taking pictures that will be noticed by yourself and others as the best.

a lens to cary every day
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Sure this lens is back breakingly heavy, but this lens will be the one lens you will use most offen. This lens is built like a tank. It will take all that you can dish out. It is weather and dust sealed. It also covers a fantastic range, and dove tails perfectly into the 70-200. Now I have heard people say that it does not have IS and they did not want it because of that. Some people say that the 24-105 F4 L IS is a better lens because of the IS. that might be true. It is definatly lighter and it super sharp. However, IS does not fix everything about the F4 apature. Sure you can bring down the shutter speed, this does not allow you to stop motion. The F4 aperature does not allow you to control Depth of Field like the F2.8. The 24-105 is lighter and has longer reach. It works great for traveling. However in the end the fantastic optics, depth of field, and the fast 2.8 win out and make this lens a fantastic lens! Once this lens is on your camera, especialy a full framed 5D or 1Ds, you will not want to take it off!!

Fast, Solid, Incredible Build Quality. Takes Fantastic Pictures!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I now own 4 “L” lenses (see below). I can’t think of a single downside to this lens. It is fast, quiet, and the 24-70mm is a great range. On my 40D with a crop factor of 1.6 the lens has a 35mm equivalent of 38.4-112mm. A really nice range. The lens is great for portraits but does so much more. Highly recommended.

Canon Digital EOS 40D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

Canon EF 1.4X II Extender

greatest lens alive !!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens after i burrowed it from a friend and saw the big advantage over the 17-85 and 28-135. Its more expensive but if you can afford it, its worth the extra money.

Quality
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
After deliberation between this and the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras as a professional quality standard zoom, I chose this one. Besides the obvious reason – having that extra stop of light to freeze action and give more flexible depth-of-field – after playing with both lenses, my reasoning for choosing the 24-70 was:

1) Color saturation is better. Pictures come straight out of the camera with the most amazingly rich colors. In 2 years I have never once had to enhance colors in post-production.

2) Bokeh quality. While this is subjective, I have yet to see another zoom lens match the silky smooth out-of-focus areas that one gets from the 24-70.

3) Tough and weatherproof. It seemed tougher than the other, with the lens hood covering the extension mechanism. Since purchasing, this lens has been through heavy rainstorms, through dust and wind, and never been any worse for the wear afterwards.

Yes it is big and heavy, but if you want these features you have to pay the price.

Why didn’t I give it 5 stars? Because my copy was slightly soft on the wide end. I know it can be calibrated by Canon but I would expect when buying a professional lens that it should be pre-calibrated at the factory and designed to stay that way.

(As an aside: If you’re looking for a standard / walkaround zoom for a cropped-body camera like the 40D/400D, the 24-70mm is not wide-angle enough. For my 40D I ended up buying the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras instead, which is far better suited to those cameras.)

Seems to be a great lens!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We already have the Canon 24-105 f4L (great lens), but wanted to see what kind of a difference the 2.8 of the 24-70 made. We always seem to be taking pictures of our kids in low light. Since they never seem to remain still for very long (2 1/2 and 9 months), we wanted to see if the faster lens will help improve the low light shots of the always moving kids.

I purchased this lens in late December 2008 for my wife’s next birthday this summer. I decided to take the plunge and get the lens before the Canon rebate on the lens at the time expired. The rebate plus Amazon’s Gold Box discount made the offer too good to pass up. That said, my wife knows nothing about the lens and will not see it until this summer. She is the photographer in the family, so I will have her add a review once she has had time to use it.

As for me, I’ve taken the Canon 24-105m and 24-70mm lenses around with a Canon 30D to compare the two. I have not spent days comparing the two, but both are great lenses. As for which one to buy, I think that will depend on the types of pictures you like to take. If most of your pictures are outside, in bright daylight, and of subjects that don’t move around a lot, the Canon 24-105mm might be the way to go.

The 24-105mm is lighter and has image stabilization which tends to come in very handy if your hand shake a little like mine do. The extra reach on the 24-105mm for walk around use really does make a difference. There are times when using the 24-70mm that I find myself wishing I could zoom in just a little bit farther to get the shot I want. When comparing images taken at various lengths outside and in good light, the image quality is comparable. The results are similar as well indoors with a flash if the subject is not moving much.

However, if you take the majority of your pictures indoors, in low light, or of moving objects, you will probably want the 24-70mm. The lens takes great pictures, but I do miss the extra length of the 24-105mm as mentioned above. That said, in low light conditions, and with moving toddlers, this 2.8 zoom really shines. The bokeh is also truly excellent. The lens is heavy, but not much more than the 24-105mm (at least it does not seem like it). If you are moving from a cheaper kit lens, or use it on a Rebel, it might seem gigantic. If you already have a larger lens it probably won’t be a huge issue for you. I guess the larger lens is the price we pay for the 2.8.

I read where people go back and forth on the two lenses and I don’t have a definite answer as to which one to get either. Before buying the 24-105mm I spent hours researching the lens before I bought. I think it was the price difference, the smaller size, the extra reach, and the image stabilization that swayed me to begin with. However, I wondered a lot if I had made the right choice especially after looking at way too many blurry pictures taken with just the Christmas tree lights on Christmas morning.

Ultimately, I decided to get the 24-70mm as well. Yes it is overkill and for everyday use with the pictures we take, the 24-105mm will get used a lot. But it is nice to know that the 24-70mm is there as well for those wedding pictures, sporting events, or indoor pictures of the kids that always seem to turn out blurry on anything above 2.8 if anyone moves. The overall quality edge probably goes to the 24-70mm, but the 24-105mm makes up for that in a lot of ways with the extra features that the 24-70mm does not have. All Canon needs to do is combine the two and they will have a perfect lens (2.8 and IS).

takes great photos but it’s too big and heavy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought a Canon 70-200mm L series lens and loved it so much I thought there was no point in using non-L lenses anymore (assuming you can afford the L lenses). And this lens is also very sharp, although not as reliably so as the 70-200.

The main drawback is this lens is a lot bigger and heavier than the 70-200mm one and as an every day lens it’s just too big and bulky. It barely fit in my bag and I found myself not using the camera nearly as often once I put this lens on it. That’s the sad truth.

In the end I decided to get two non-L series lenses from Canon: the 50mm F/1.8 II and the 28-105mm zoom. Now I am back to using my camera again. I love both lenses because they are small, but the 50mm lens is hard to resist, working on indoor shots without a flash in ways I had hoped my F/2.8 L lens would have. With the Rebel Xt 1.6x factor, I am now considering a 28mm or 25mm Canon lens as well. I love quick lenses: it changes everything for indoor shots.

My first pick for best all-around lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is an impressively high performing zoom lens. I regard it as one of the best general purpose lens available. It’s very sharp for a zoom lens. The 24-70 L is sharp in the center at f/2.8 at all focal lengths. A fixed f/2.8 minimum aperture makes this lens as fast as any Canon EF zoom lens made. The wide 8-blade aperture produces a nice background blur. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens’ 77mm filter diameter makes sharing filters (such as a circular polarizer filter) with most of Canon’s other L-Series zoom lenses easy and, obviously, more affordable. This lens is ideal for weddings, photojournalism, portraits and macro too.

Amazing Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Possibly the best lens I’ve ever used. Definitely the best all-around performer in my bag. I’m using it with a 1.6x sensor and I love the focal range you get with this lens. Excellently sharp and detailed images with full saturation that require practically no retouching on your computer. Consider it an investment because you’ll save time otherwise spent touching up image quality from lesser lenses. It’s a bit heavy, but once you get used to it there’s no going back. I love it!

I’m impressed!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This was my first L lens, and I wondered whether the reviews about the superiority of the L series lenses, and this lens in particular, were true. Four days of shooting everything from portraits to landscapes at ISO 100 to 800 and f-stops 2.8 to 22 on my Rebel XT, and I am a believer. This lens certainly is not the most convenient one I own. It is big and heavy. Put the lens hood on it and people stare at you because you look like you’re carrying a “cannon.” And lots of the pics I’ve taken have come out of the camera crying for adjustment in Photoshop. However, I’ve been repeatedly impressed with the amount of detail and color accuracy you can draw out with a little processing. I’m also impressed with this lens’s consistency. Shot after shot, this lens captures fine detail and subtle tones. Be wary of very shallow depth of field at low f-stops. You will need a tripod to unleash the full potential of this lens, unless you have enough light for high shutter speed. But if you can keep it steady, this lens will put every pixel to good use. I have no regrets, despite the price. I wanted something sharper than my 17-85 EF-S IS (which is still awfully nice), and that’s what this lens gives me.

hardly ever take it off
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For some perpective, I use a 5D and other lenses I own and use are: 15mm fisheye, 70-200 2.8 non IS, 17-40, 50 1.4, 85 1.8, 135 f2. I owned for some time the 24-105 f4 IS concurrently with the 24-70. I have recently sold the 24-105. I prefer the 2.8 and to me, it seems to you have to work harder to get good, sharp images from the 24-105. Again, I don’t think you can compare the 2, but I hardly used the 24-105 which is why I sold it. IS or no. the f4 is what did it for me. After using both lenses, I have come to the conclusion that my preference is to have 2.8 without IS than f4 with IS. this lens is NOT that heavy. If you’ve used the 70-200 then this should not be any heavier. If it is, either get a neoprene strap or you’re purchasing the wrong class of equipment for your needs. Good glass, esp those with fast apertures, are large. The front element needs to be large. Add to that zoom and it gets larger still. I have owned this lens since using a 20D (crop body).

When I buy equipment, the weight does not factor. If it provides great images, then that’s my criteria. Obviously if we’re talking about shooting pictures of the moon, then stability is an issue, but for wide to medium or 200-400 focal lengths, why even look at the weight? Again, if that’s important, then this may not be the lens for you. But then neither is the 70-200 2.8 series. Or a 1D body. Or carrying extra batteries. Or a tripod on your back or shoulder. Know what I mean?

I rented this lens before (and the rental store takes care of their equipment) — it was made in 2004 I think? It was terrible. At any aperture or focal length. So I was hesitant to purchase, but it seems the newer ones are all sharp. Perhaps the question “Is yours a sharp copy?” no longer applies.

On a full frame, the wide to medium tele are perfect for capturing just about anything. It focuses a little slower than say a 70-200 but it has a different focal range and focuses much closer so it’s understandable.

I want lenses that are sharp wide open (or near wide open if it’s cheap enough). Otherwise, why pay $1000+ for a lens you need to stop down? This fits the bill. Sharp at 2.8, color, contrast are all there. Vignetting to me is also a non-issue. Many times desirable, fixable in software when it’s not.

Great lens for crop or full frame, wide is great on a full frame.

Buy this lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I cant speak for the 24-105, but you will NOT be disappointed if you decide to go with this lens. I put it on my camera and drained the battery in a hour b/c i could not stop shooting random things around the house. The weight isnt really that big of an issue on my 40d, you wont care how heavy it is once you see the results. If you can afford it, dont hesitate in buying it.

Simply the Best lens for my XTi
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my second L series lens (my other one is the 70-200 4L IS). I use both lenses on an XTi. I love both of them, even though they are big investments. I keep the 24-70 f/2.8 L mounted on my XTi most of the time. When I need the extra reach, I mount the 70-200 (and sometimes I use the 1.4 extender with it, successfully!). When I mounted the 24-70 f/2.8 L lens on my XTi and began taking pictures I was amazed at the high quality this lens produces, very sharp. I am completely impressed and satisfied with this lens. The 24-70 f/2.8 L lens really surprised me at first, because it is a heavy and big lens, but when I got used to that I found it is not overwhelmingly big or heavy (but I notice that it does attract attention that you may not expect!). The pictures are simply the best I have ever taken, even hand held without IS (IS would be nice though)! I was astonished at the pictures from this lens mounted on my XTi, even the ones I half-heartily took. I highly recommend this lens. It is excellent! My two L series lens’ do produce excellent quality exposures on the XTi. The XTi APS-C 1.6 form factor is great on the long end but of course limiting on the wide end, which can affect the desired exposure. But this is true for any lens used with the APS-C size CMOS sensor. One can easily deal with that, especially given the great exposures of the L series lens on the XTi, though the Canon 5D may be more appropriate to avoid this problem. Note: There are some very good lenses specifically designed for APS-C sensor, but they are not L build quality lenses, even though at least one of them (EFS 17-55 2.8 IS) produces L series sharpness, they do not have the build quality of the L series lens. The XTi works very well with the 24-70 f/2.8 L series lens, producing excellent quality photos that are very sharp. Yes, one can get by nicely using the XTi with the 70-300 and the 28-135 or similar lenses, but the build quality of the L series lens and the exceedingly high quality output of the L series lens is worth the extra investment for me (even though a big investment!) on my XTi. I say, if you have the money then go for the L series lens, even to use with the XTi. The XTi is a very good camera that works well with these lenses. Yes, canon makes higher quality DSLR cameras that work even better with the L series lens (and I am buying the new version of the 5D when and if it arrives). But, the XTi is a great camera that works very well with the L series lens.

incredible lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Yes, it is true, as others have documented, it is heavy, but that is what you get with a 2.8 lens that has an extremely functional focal length,incredible sharpness and color rendition. The weight is a small price to pay for what this lens delivers.

too heavy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s very sharp and fast, and AF is also fast and low noise. the only problem is that it’s too heavy, feels like a brick on your neck…

I am very please.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After a long time of talking myself out of dropping the large amount for an L series lens, I finally decided to bite the bullet and pick up the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens. I am very impressed with the image quality that this lens constantly produces and am rather disapointed I didn’t purchase this years ago.

IT weighs significantly more then my non-profesional lenses, but is not awkward to carry or shoot by any means.

It’s true that you get what you pay for, and in this case, you are getting a really nice lens.

Awesome lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was increasing disappointed with the quality of my pictures from my 30D and the 18-55 non-IS kit lens. I shot RAW only and had to adjust every picture to get close to what I wanted but could never seem to get what I expected.

I have now had the 24-70/2.8L for several months and I’m loving it. Contrasts are so well handled. I don’t have to fight my pics on the computer; now I can only minor touch up some levels and my pics come out awesome.

It is a bit heavy (making the whole thing especially heavy with the extra grip) for which my wife complains about (at least I don’t have to worry about her taking over my camera). I don’t mind the heaviness at all. It isn’t any more difficult to lug around than it was before with the kit lens.

I do miss the 18mm-24mm side but not very often. I think the extra on the long end and the f2.8 more than make up for it. I’m hoping to go for a 5Dmark? someday down the road so that tipped me over on my decision of what lens to buy and I’m very glad I went with the 24-70.

Only problem I had with buying this lens, I paid for overnight delivery but my credit card blocked the purchase since it was online and so expensive. Had to call them (Amazon Chase Visa) and allow purchase so I had to wait another day to get it (it about missed a vacation trip).

Awesome!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
LOVE, LOVE this lens!!!!! It produces beautiful, SHARP images! It is a must have!!!

Here’s some advice from a photographer…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If I had to have only one lens, this would be it. It is not my favorite (that’s the 85L 1.2), but it is certainly the most versatile and most used.

If you are considering the 24-105L 4.0, let me help. 4.0 is too slow for an L lens. My partner owns it and it doesn’t get much use. Having a stabilizer is great to handhold a shot of something that isn’t moving, but to keep people from being blurry, the 2.8 goes a long way.

Fantastic Lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is absolutely fantastic in pretty much every way possible. The lens is sharp wide-open, and also produces gorgeous colors with good contrast and saturation. The range is fantastic on a full-frame sensor, and still great on a crop-sensor camera (35mm equivalent: 38-112mm). The build quality is top-notch – silky-smooth focus (USM + full-time manual focus). The zoom lens is at the longest focal length when the lens is at its most compact; 24mm will extend the front elements out by a few inches. While initially a little “odd”, it actually works to the lens’ advantage by ensuring proper distance from the hood at all focal lengths. (This because the hood attaches below the front element, and thus does not move during zooming.)

Aside from the price, there are only two possible quibbles. One is weight; this thing weighs a fair amount. But use it enough and you’ll get used to that. The other is the lack of image stabilization. It would be nice to have IS, but that would add both to the price and the weight, and once you get to the lower end of the focal scale, it starts to have less value. Still, it would be nice to have for the very dimmest of situations shooting hand-held.

PROS: Sharp images wide-open, sharper stopped down. Gorgeous color, saturation, and contrast. Great build quality (typical of “L” lenses). USM + FTM makes focusing a joy. Bokeh is quite nice. Capable for some macro photography as well.

CONS: Price is a tad expensive. Heavy. No Image Stabilization. (I can live with all three.)

CONCLUSION: Get this lens. You won’t regret it. The range can be used everywhere — from indoors to outdoors. It can shoot in low light (f/2.8), and has good bokeh. Unless you need more reach or IS, get it. (If you need more reach or IS, consider the 24-105mm F/4L IS USM lens.)

“L” Lens Believer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first L series lens. I am amazed at the quality of photos it produces. I am in the market to upgrade my Canon 10D. I wanted to get a start on some quality glass before I get a 40D, 50D, or a 5D. After seeing the results, I’m probably closer to upgrading than I thought.

I was a little surprised when I felt the weight of this lens. It was double of what I expected. However, I use a tripod for most of my work. I don’t think it would be too heavy for intermittant work. However, I would not won’t to lug it around for several hours on a neck strap.

Overall, I think it was worth the investment.

Awesome pictures
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens together with my 1D Mark III about a month ago. I’ve shot 3 weddings,1 engagement, 1 Official School Athletic Meet, Birthdays etc etc. I have taken more than few thousand pictures the last five weeks with no problems with the Lens or the Camera. I have noticed some of the reviewers complaining the pictures being soft, quality etc. I can assure at the professional level, pictures turn out just fine. This is an awesome lens only in good/experienced hands. If you are an amateur or pro level photgrapher, you will appreciate what this lens can do for you.

Best portrait, modeling, wedding lens period!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars

I have had my 24-70 lens for some time now and every time I shoot with this lens I am amazed. The pictures come out so clear and sharp. Like a number of other Canon L lenses, when you put thie lens on your camera, people know you mean business.

The lens has a little weight to it but feels good in my hands. This combined with my 20d camera makes an awesome combination that takes marvelous pictures.

Highly recommend for the professional shooter that does not want to compromise on image quality. This lens and the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS are IMO two of the best lenses Canon makes..

the needle in the haystack
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A lot of people who buy this lens have to return it because they get a bum copy; when reading forums or other sites, it’s likely some people will downplay this lens’ superiority for this quality flaw.

Regardless, returns are possible and nothing great comes easy (unless you’re one of the lucky ones who, like me, got a working one right away). This lens is a masterpiece. Solid and striking, it is a tank and multifaceted. In only two days of owning this beauty, I have managed to take close-ups of flowers (in which you can see the pollen on the petal), far away shots of Mt. Rainer (from across the ocean), and standard portraits of people. Not a single shot disappointed, not a single shot lacked.

If you have a kit lens, or a Sigma/Tamron/Lower Canon lens covering this focal length, but aren’t always satisfied with your shots, you may want to consider splurging on this lens. I am doubtful I will need another lens unless I get into astrophotography given this lens’ verstality. It feels like several lens put into one and works like a dream; its focusing is fast and silent, its details sharp and stunning even at 3000+ pixels, and I could not be a happier girl with this lens in my hands.

Super Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The 24-70mm f 2.8L USM is a superb Lens. Its one that every serious photographer must have in his armoury. In fact together with the 70-200 f 2.8L IS USM, they make a pair of the most useful lenses a Canon Photographer could possibly want in most situations. For one on the move, these 2 lenses will cover most requirements. Yes they are heavy; but when you want quality glass, they will weigh! With time you will easily learn to handle their weight.

Excellent Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned this lens since February 2009. It is a perfect compliment to my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS. Must have for any professional wedding photographer.

Very sharp on the narrow end 40 to 70mm but heavy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens as a backup to my Canon EF-S 17-55 IS for wedding photography. I will be using it when my daughter is photographing a wedding with me and she will be using the EF-S lens and myself the 24-70mm on my Canon 5D Mark II. I performed some tests back to back and both lens are amazingly sharp at normal distances. Plus it’s a good compliment to the other lens because of a slightly different reach. I also found the 24-70 to be better at macro photography as it can blow the subject up larger and seems sharper at very closes ranges. And the 24-70 seemed to have a little better contrast and colors. The 24-70 is much heavier then the EF-S and does not have IS. But it does have a little more reach and is weather sealed.

I was disappointed that my copy of the 24-70 has the same poor grabby zoom feel as the EF-S lens. All my other Canon L zooms have buttery smooth zoom action especially my 17-40 F/4 L. The 24-70 is sharper then the 17-40 F4 L on the long end at 40mm but surprise of surprises the 17-40 is sharper then the 24-70 at 24mm towards the wide end. But Surprise after sending my 24-70 in for repairs the zoom is much better and it’s actually sharper then the 17-40 at all settings now.

Also the long length of this lens blocks the built in flash for 40D and Rebels in bottom part of photos. This should not be a problem for most people in this budget range as the cost of a Canon Speedlite is not that high and completely solves the problem.

Bottom line though is the color, saturation and sharpness of this lens are simply second to none in the Canon wide angle zoom arena.

Pros:

Very sharp stopped down

Weather sealed

Great lens hood included

Great colors and contrast

Great USM super fast auto focus

That little red ring around the end of the lens!

Length does not change when zoomed if lens hood is mounted

This lens has Auto Lens Vignetting correction using peripheral Illumination control see Auto Vignetting comments below:

Cons:

Cost

Size

Heavy

Repair prone, the most likely to need repair lens I have (see below)

Very soft wide open (sent back to Canon for Calibration and they fixed it see update 10-6-2008 below)

Wide angle a little narrow on cropped sensor cameras

Blocks built in flash for 40D and Rebels in bottom part of photos

Zoom action was poor and grabby when new but later went smooth after a few hundred photos

Would be nice if it had Image Stabilization IS (Canon does not have a single IS wide angle L lens)

8-6-08 Update

I find myself mainly using this lens during weddings when my daughter is using my Canon EF-S 17-55 F/2.8 IS lens. Over the zoom range the 17-55 is sharper and the contrast is very similar but the big difference is the 17-55 has Image Stablization (IS) and is much lighter and can go much wider when needed. The IS makes a huge difference in a very dark location like inside a church lit by candle light when you may already be at 3200 ISO just to get the shot. There are times I can use the extra reach of the 24-70 but more and more if I am free to move about and approach the bride and groom during the ceremony this makes the extra reach of the 24-70 unncessary. Still I am keeping the 24-70 for use on a full frame camera like the new 6D whenever it comes out.

For the most part the EF-S 17-55 IS F/2.8 is THE lens I have on my 40D most of the time. If I wasn’t shooting weddings and wasn’t going to be adding a full frame camera to my arsnel I would suggest buying just the 17-55 IS F/2.8 and not the 24-70 at all.

9-12-2008 Update Canon EF-S 17-55 F/2.8 IS vs Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L:

I am taking photos tonight of a stage special and again will need to use both my Canon 17-55 F/2.8 IS lens and my Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L lens since my daughter and I will be shooting at the same time. I can’t help comparing the two again. The 17-55 feels much lighter but at the same time feels so much cheaper in the hand between the cheap plastic feel the grabbing in the center of the zoom and the plastic build. The 24-70 feels like a heavy quality jewel that will last two life times or more and it’s weather sealed. Still if you have to carry the 24-70 around for a few hours you wish for the lighter weight of the 17-55. The 17-55 has a wider view but the 24-70 has more reach. The 17-55 seems sharper throughout the range but seems to have just a little less contrast and slightly cooler colors then the 24-70. The zoom on my 24-70 is now almost broken in and feels smooth as silk and totally professional the 17-55 zoom feels like a cheap plastic toy and when you zoom even with a lens hood the front of the lens moves in and out. The 24-70 length does not change as long as you have the lens hood mounted. The 17-55 has image stabilization and the 24-70 does not so I end up using a monopod for most dark shots with the 24-70. The 17-55 is an EF-S and will not fit a full frame camera, the 24-70 will. I’m thinking forward to the future when I will be adding a full frame Canon camera body to my collection and I think the 24-70 will be perfect on that camera.

9-16-2008 Update:

After comparing photos to my friends taken wide open at F/2.8 I’m seeing a problem with the photos being much softer then his. We both have Canon 40D’s and so I have to wonder if there is a back focus or front focus problem. I am going to send in to Canon and see what they say.

Auto Vignetting peripheral illumination control:

Canon has this super sweet Auto Lens Vignetting correction that works with this lens both in camera with JPEG’s and in RAW using peripheral Illumination control in Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) when using newer Canon digital EOS cameras (Canon Rebel XSi, 40D, 5D Mark II etc.) . No more vignetting when shooting wide open!!! When shooting Raw open the file(s) in DPP and click on NR/Lens Lens Aberration Correction / Tune and click on Peripheral illumination. The cameras listed above have already picked up the amount of vignetting based on focusing distance, zoom setting and F stop from the lens and the camera has saved the information with the Raw file. You can then adjust the amount under Peripheral Illumination if you don’t like the amount automatically suggested. If you shot JPEG then you get the auto amount. SWEET!!!

Conclusion: In the end I will just have to keep both of them.

Update 10-6-2008:

I got my Canon 24-70mm F/2.8 L lens back from the Canon repair facility and it is tack sharp at F/2.8 at all zoom settings close up and tack sharp from 35mm to 70mm out near infinity. It’s still a little soft at 24mm at F/2.8 near infinity but much better then it was.

The zoom feels much better.

I’m a very happy camper!!!

Here’s what they said was wrong with it.

“We have examined the lens according to your request, and it was found that the adjustment of the pcb assembly was incorrect the image was blurred. Electrical adjustments were carried out on the pcb assembly. Other electrical adjustments, inspection and cleaning and mechanical adjustments were carried out.

01-01-2009 Update:

Vignetting:

I have noticed on the full framed 5D Mark II my Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L lens with the peripheral illumination correction turned OFF the 5D Mark II images will severely vignette or be dark in the corners when shot wide open (F/2.8). It’s almost like looking through a dark tunnel. It’s especially noticeable shot wide open with the sky as a background.

Canon Auto-correct to the rescue!! With the peripheral illumination correction turned ON it’s almost magical the darkening in the corners for your JPEG images is gone! If you want you can even shoot in Raw mode and adjust the amount of Vignetting or darkness in the corners for effects such as when shooting portraits and you want to emphasis the person in the middle of the photo. Just open the Raw photo in DPP and click on the NR/Lens / ALO tab and select Lens Aberration Correction Tune and adjust the peripheral illumination to suite by dragging the slider or entering and amount. Or select all the photos in a directory and you can correct all your photos at once. This way you can either have no Vignetting or as much as you want.

01-03-2009 Canon 5D Mark II Update:

The 24-70 F/2.8 is great on the 5D Mark II like the 17-40 L and has better reach then the 17-40. But it does not have that uncanny you are there feel of photos taken with the Canon 100-400 IS L zoom lens. Thank GOD for the auto peripheral as this lens is a Vignetting monster when shot wide open on a 5D Mark II, it was not on the 40D. With the Vignetting control built into Digital Photo Professional (DPP) and the on-board 5D Mark II auto control it’s perfect and Vignetting is not a problem. This lens is fragile and has required sending back to Canon for recalibration but is a must have in my arsenal. I’m hoping Canon will come out with an Image Stabilized improved version that has that you are there feel of the 100-400 zoom.

3-18-2009 Update”:

After getting this lens back from Canon repair it’s turned into a better lens mounted on my Canon 5D Mark II at times approaching the look my Canon 17-40 F/4 L. It’s sharp at F/2.8 but then softer until about F/4 for some reason but that’s fine as I either shoot wide open or stopped down to F/5.6 or so. I’m much happier with it now after repair and the zoom action is smoother as well. Still I’m worried that it may need repairs again. I have other lenses I have even dropped onto the floor that are still flawless!!

4-5-2009 Update:

If I could shoot all day with the Canon 85mm F/1.2 II L I would. The Canon 5D Mark II clearly out resolves the Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L lens and that is very disappointing for a lens that costs over a thousand dollars. But at a wedding where you can’t always zoom with your feet I reach for the Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L. Its good on the 5D Mark II but not as good as the 17-40 L but it has better reach then the 17-40. It also does not have that uncanny you are there feel of the 85mm F/1.2 II L or even my Canon 17-40 F/4 L zoom. Thank GOD for the auto peripheral as this lens is a Vignetting monster when shot wide open on a 5D Mark II, it was not on the 40D. With the Vignetting control built into Digital Photo Professional (DPP) and the on-board 5D Mark II auto control it’s perfect and Vignetting is not a problem. This lens is also very fragile and has required sending back to Canon for recalibration but is a must have in my arsenal only because I do weddings. I’m hoping Canon will come out with an Image Stabilized improved version that has that you are there feel of the 100-400 zoom. Once again it seems like this lens may be losing it’s calibration and I am starting to lose my patience. If I could I would change the rating to 3 stars!!!

4-25-2009 Update:

This lens is for sure going out of calibration again. To say I’m ticked off is an understatement! When you pay over a thousand dollars for an L lens you expect better. No other Canon lens I own has gone out of calibration or had to be sent back for repairs. I can hardly wait for the replacement lens to come out and I will try and get what I can out of this lens on e-bay.

4-27-2009 I just got back from photographing the World Premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and once again the 5D Mark II was awesome. I ended up mainly using two lenses the Canon 24-70 F/2.8 L zoom and Canon 100-400 IS L zoom lens. When you have only one chance to get Hugh Jackman riding by on his Harley you want to make sure you have reliable quick focusing equipment. You can see my photos from this shoot at http://www.flickr.com/photos/grantbrummett/sets/72157617413952332/

Lenses I currently own:

Canon EF-S 17-55 F/2.8 IS Ultra sharp, great colors, great low light, poor zoom action

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Rebel XTi Kit lens Muddy, slow, pile of junk

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L Fantastic colors, sharp zoomed 17 to 24mm, ultra smooth zoom action, light weight

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L Fantastic colors and contrast, sharp zoomed 40 to 70mm, zoom a little stiff at first, heavy, repair prone! Disappointing on the Canon 5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good budget portrait lens, light weight, disposable, sharp from F/2.5

Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II The best portrait lens for female and children clients, buttery smooth Bokeh, heavy and expensive it shares sharpness with 135mm

Canon EF 135mm F/2.0 L The best portrait lens for males and tied with Canon 85mm F 1/.2 for sharpest lens I own, buttery smooth Bokeh

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L fantastic colors, sharp for a zoom, very versatile ego boosting and attention getting and heavy! My favorite zoom lens!!!

Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L great IS, super colors, sharp for a zoom, extremely versatile, variable Bokeh, even more ego boosting and attention getting when extended and 400mm reach!!

My next lens purchase I’m saving for right now: _Canon EF 200mm F/2 IS L the finest lens ever

Unbelievable
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A perfect marriage. Canon 1D Mark II N and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM together forever. Just buy this lense. It’s worth every penny.

A great general-purpose lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve owned the 24-70mm for almost a year now. This lens has been a favorite of many since it replaced its well-regarded predecessor, the 28-70mm. It shoots images that are very sharp and have excellent contrast and saturation. It’s sharp wide open and only gets better when stopping down. The USM (Ultrasonic Motor) focuses very fast, and full-time manual focusing is allowed. I’ve thought about buying a 50mm f/1.4, but the results from this lens are so good, I’m having a hard time justifying the purchase. I’ve been nothing but pleased with the pictures I get from the 24-70mm. The constant f/2.8 aperture is great for shooting indoors and produces a very nice bokeh (background blur) when shooting portraits. This lens is much heavier than comparable consumer-grade zooms, but I don’t object to the weight. I actually like the heft and feel of this lens on my 20D. The only feature I wish it had is IS (image stabilization).

The one thing preventing an unqualified recommendation is the recent release of the Canon 24-105mm f/4.0L IS. The latter lens costs about the same and has some noteworthy advantages. It is .7″ shorter, .2mm narrower and .6 lbs. lighter. It has 3rd generation IS that gives you a 3-stop shutter speed advantage when shooting handheld. I know from my 70-200mm f/2.8L IS that image stabilization is a very welcome feature when shooting handheld at slow shutter speeds. And, obviously, the 24-105mm adds an extra 35mm of focal length on the long end.

The 24-70mm bests the 24-105mm in one way: It’s a faster lens. That translates into the following advantages: At f/4.0, the 24-105mm cannot stop subject motion blur as well in low-light situations where the 24-70mm’s f/2.8 can give you a shutter speed that is twice as fast. Note that IS does not have any impact at all on subject motion blur, only on camera shake on your end. If bokeh (background blur) is important to you, the 24-70mm will have a slight advantage over the 24-105mm given its wider aperture. A wider aperture also helps a camera focus a little better in low light.

The first run of the 24-105mm had a flare problem (see Canon’s Web site for more info), and the early production models have been recalled. But the problem has now been fixed. You’ll have to consider your photography priorities when deciding which of these two excellent lenses best suits your needs. You would be well served by either.

Beautiful!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s hard to believe everything they say about the quality and performance of Canon L series lenses, however, once you have tried one of this caliber it’s hard to go back to anything else. This glass lives up to all of those expectations and really spoils you. The image quality, color, contrast and image depth are stunning. I use this for portraiture and also for photographing my oil paintings. Technically, you shouldn’t use a lens like this to shoot paintings because it shouldn’t be able to take pictures as sharp as a prime—however—the sharpness is simply amazing. As for weight it’s not a problem—the 2.8 is worth it. Built tough. I highly recommend this lens!

This is it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Put it on my EOS 450D as my standard lens. Incredibly sharp, bright colors and dimensions better than theSigma lens I used before. Same techniques being used – my pictures look significantly better!

Just buy it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Ive rented this lens several times and now I finally own one. By far in my opinion its the sharpest lens Canon makes. Its the perfect walk around lens. The contrast and sharpness it creates allows for amazingly detailed photographs. If you have to buy only one lens, make sure this is it!

If you could only have one Canon lens, this is it.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my favorite Canon lens. It is sharp at both 24 and 70, and its fast F/2.8 aperture makes for excellent shots in low light, and creamy Bokeh.

The zoom is smooth except for a tiny hitch in its linearity at 24MM. I understand this is due to the shape of the cam in the zoom mechanism. The positive is that the lens doesn’t “creep” like the 24-105 F/4 IS USM. Also – when you are at 24MM, the lens is fully extended; at 70 it is retracted. This makes for a large lens hood, but it blocks flare effectively.

My only con is its heavy weight, but if you are shooting L glass, weight is secondary to picture quality.

If I could only have one Canon lens, this would be it!

Good lens, but watch out for bad copies
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I finally took the plunge and invested in my first L lens. Out of the box, it’s impressive. Very high quality feel. The images, however, left me with mixed emotions.

The 2.8 is great for low light situations – I found myself shooting without a flash in incredibly dark situations, and the background blur was fantastic. The problem was the images were just not sharp. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get crisp images. I ended up mounting it on a tripod and shooting with a shutter release, and comparing that to my friends Nikon D80 with the kit lens under the same setup. The Nikon easily outperformed the L lens in terms of sharpness. (I was shooting on a 30D).

I did some research and hear that Canon has been having some quality control issues, it looks like I might have gotten a bad copy.

don’t let this stop you from getting the lens, as based on it’s other abilities I’m sure that it’s 100% fantastic. Just keep your receipt and start testing it soon so you can replace it if necessary.

I will be sending mine in for recalibration. If that doesn’t fix it, then I might have to switch to Nikon just out of principal…

Third of 3 for 20D
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A fine lens, but I find the 16-35mm more generally useful on a 20D.

This might be my first choice for a 5D or other full frame body,

but for APS-C sensors recommend a 200+ telephoto as second lens before this.

Keep in mind that anything less than f/2.8

compromises autofocus on the 20D or 30D.

This should be everyone’s On Camera – Go To lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
WoW!! That’s what comes to mind first.

This lens is everything they talk about, it’s fast focusing, nearly inaudible, sharp all the way to the edges on a 1.6x format camera. This thing is heavy duty too, you can tell there is a lot of glass in this lens. Surely the heaviest standard zoom lens I’ve owned which may or may not be a plus if you are thinking about carrying this in your hands all day, deffinately lighter than a dedicated super zoom but you’ll start getting fatigued after a while. I compared this to a canon IS lens and two tamron zoom lenses over the same focal length and the proof is in the detail. This lens absolutely captures more fine detail than the others especially in the shadows, highlights were pretty much a draw.

For me, shooting family photo’s and candids this is a great very responsive lens with amazing photo quality, build quality and great color representation. I’d recomend it to anyone willing to fork over the high end $$ for one.

Disappointing at best
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I just received this lens today and of course did some controlled comparative shooting against my other Canon L lenses and a 24-60 sigma. My control tests were with and without a flash on a tripod and wireless shutter release.

I find the images very soft on the ends. From 4.0 to 20, photos were acceptable but not stunning. 5.6 seemed to give the sharpest picture which I find strange.

Needless to say, this will be back in the mail tomorrow and just not in the mood to play swap and shop and praying for a descent copy. I can pull any sigma or any other brand off the shelf and get much better results at 1/4 the cost.

I rated this 2 stars for excellent color and contrast, although this deserves 1 star.

$1000 for this junk? C’mon canon, get real.

Well worth the money
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After years of using low and midrange lenses (primarily because of cost issues), I have now upgraded to Canon’s L-series. Yes, the costs may be a bit disconcerting, but the results are well worth it. (I had also great results with their 16-35 2.8L) Clarity and color rendition are superb, and the advantages of large aperture become readily apparent when shooting in low light conditions without flash (a bonus for weddings, etc.). The bokeh produced from a fast lens like this is a nice bonus as well. As others have noted, there is a macro feature, which enables shooting from a distance of mere inches, a very nice feature.

There is some noticeable distortion at some focal lengths, but that is part of the zoom lens compromise. Also, it can easily be dealt with in Photoshop. Other than that, size may be of a concern to some users, not to mention the weight. Since I am used to hauling gear (compared to the 70-200 2.8 L, this is a lightweight!), that isn’t an issue for me, except when portability is of prime importance.

Because of the overall performance, it is pretty much my standard lens. Whether it is worth the cost is a purely personal decision, but if you want stellar performance in a normal zoom lens, I feel it is a superb value.

Budding Enthusiast’s POV
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I just received this lens. I am moving up from a Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens, which is the lens I bought with the body of my Xsi. This is my first DSLR, and got into it about 6 months ago with the birth of my first child. Since then I have been steadily getting better, fumbling my way into taking better pictures. After six months of taking about 5,000 pictures, I am now confident I can take technically correct pictures ( I learn the hard way). I decided I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with L lenses, also I wanted something with a constant aperture so I didn’t have to mess with my settings every time I zoomed in or out.

After looking over several options I chose the Canon EF 24-70mm. Right out of the box, I knew I wasn’t fooling around any more, the 24-70mm L Lens looks like it ate my EF-S 17-85mm. Heavy. But I am a big strong lad and don’t mind……it is much harder to zoom back in by turning this lens, I assume because I am moving a lot more glass when I twist the ring. Looks to be durable. Happy that it came with the lens hood, I didn’t really want to buy another $40 piece of plastic like I did for the 17-85mm. The lens bag it comes with is also appreciated but doesn’t protect the lens much so I assume it just to keep your lens from getting dusty.

As previously stated by more qualified people then myself, this lens produces some crisp images. After taking the time to set the correct exposure and white balance, I took a few shots and was very pleased with the output. I took the pictures indoors with no flash and at a high ISO, and the pictures were still, to my eye, great. I also have a little anxiety after plunking down a chunk of my hard earned money, I want to feel like I got my money’s worth. I am happy to say this is not a purchase I regret, thus far.

Only downside to this lens is you can’t hide with this thing,for a normal zoom lens its BIG. it draws attention along with bad jokes about your need to compensate for other short comings.

It’s not cheap and it won’t make you a better photographer, but it might let you do more in less then favorable light.

Best All-Around Lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this lens! It’s on my Canon EOS 20D everytime I go take pictures. Auto-focusing is fast. Great for low-light situations where flash isn’t allowed. It isn’t a true wide-angle with the crop factor of a digital camera but it still works fine for me.

Off topic a bit. I ordered this lens and was being shipped to me. The courier had it damaged and Amazon replaced it the next day free of charge! This is why I love shopping here!

The holy grail of standard zoom glass
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my favorite standard zoom lens that Canon makes. For the longest time, I used the EF 24-105mm f/5 L IS USM lens as my daily “beater” lens and it performed very well, but I wanted something a bit faster. This lens was the answer. It wasn’t much more in price than the 24-105 glass, but it much faster.

This lens is tack sharp!

My only gripes about this lens:

- it zooms “backward” compared to any other extending zoom lens I know. At fully contracted, it’s zoomed all the way out (70mm). At full extended, it’s zoomed all the way in (24mm). Can’t figure out why it’s opposite.

- the copy I got had a slightly loose focusing ring and i sent it back under warranty and it was fixed. Canon needs to step up their QA a notch.

UPDATE: I got the lens back from the Canon service center today (not bad for shipping it on December 23rd, huh?!). The fixed the loose focusing ring and also stated that the “mechanical chassis was inoperable”. I never noticed anything wrong with the zoom chassis. Anyway, they fixed it. This lens is so tack sharp! You gotta get it!

image quality disappoints
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
The 24-70 2.8L should be a fantastic piece of glass – it is clear to me that canon has some serious quality control issues with this lens. I cannot find the sweet spot for image quality — I sent the lens back to Canon, they “repaired” it and it came back no better than before. After I wrote their CEO, they replaced the lens under warranty. The new one is slightly sharper — but still disappoints. Images are generally soft when viewed very critically – body is a 50D so it’s not for want of pixels. Do not buy this lens without testing the one you are to purchase !!

My go-to lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this lens. It lives on my Canon 400D. Tack sharp photos. Excellent colors and bokeh. The stunning photographic results far outweigh the high price, size and weight of this hefty jewel. You definitely get what you pay for. Highly recommended. See my on-line photos and judge for yourself.

My “go to” lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this at the same time as my 30D. It’s my “every day – go to” lens. Is it big and bulky..? Tough call… Yeah it’s a bit bigger and heavier than the average mid-zoom but then it’s also a heck of a lot faster. To say nothing about the image quality.

This is the lens that pretty much lives on my camera.

When I bought the 30D I got this, the EF-S 10-22 and the 70-200 2.8L. With just those three I can pretty much handle any shooting situation.

It will probably seem a bit heavy to those that are just moving up to SLR’s (point-n-shoot users) but that’s not enough reason to pass it up. As I’ve been shooting for more than 20 years I didn’t see a need to spend the extra on the “IS” version. I have pretty good hand hold ability…and tripods & monopods if that fails. Besides, that will add even more weight.

Go ahead and get it…you know you want it!

Don’t use with flash on Canon 10D – leaves a shadow
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
It’s a great lens with a terrific picture but when it is extended for the widest angle shots the extended part of the lens blocks part of the built in flash from the Canon EOS cameras. It won’t be a problem if you use an accessory flash like a speedlite but it will be a real problem with the built in flash. Most of my flash photographs have a nice dark arc without light because the lens blocks the flash. If you are going to spend that much for a lens you should know it will be a poor buy for photos with your built in flash.

Great lens with some quirks
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I agree with all the positive reviews of this lens. It’s a great lens, give’s that certain silky smooth bokeh that the 24-105 lacks and gives a nice bright viewfinder.

It does have a couple of quirks though-

-It’s very heavy so be prepared for that. A lens of this quality and high speed will need a lot of glass in there.

-When you zoom out to wide, it actually gets longer which is a bit strange. Sometimes when you are taking a group picture and you need to zoom out a bit to fit everyone in the shot, the subjects see the lens moving towards them and think you are going in for a closeup. This can be partially remedied by using the included hood which masks the lens a bit and is always extended.

Great lens, but is it worth the premium?
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I wanted this lens for a long time and finally bought it. Its a great lens and the other reviewers point out all the great attributes.

But to be honest, I also have a Sigma DC 17-85 F2.8 for my crop sensor 20D. That lens is nearly as sharp at all apertures. Sigma also makes a DG version for full frame cameras and is about $300 to $400 cheaper.

In the end, I’m not sure the Canon L’s price premium justified it because its performance in my experience isn’t that much better than the Sigma DG. Read up on the Amazon reviews on the DG and you will see that the Sigma is also a great lens but 30%+ cheaper.

No regrets, but my next lens may be a Sigma instead. Canon seems to keep increasing their prices with little improvement in product quality to justify those repeated increases.

Lives up to its reputation
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am a serious hobby shooter. This was a big expense for me, but well worth it. This is the lens that is on my camera most of the time. I am very pleased with how well it does in very low light and for close-up shots. Better than I would of ever expected. You never realize how important a fast lens is until you try to shoot moving subjects in low light.

The best canon standard zoom lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens 3 months ago and I’m loving it. There is still slight back focusing issue in some distances condition, but it’s really ignorable. The picture is sharp as knife and L lens reputation does what it suppose to do. Previously I had 18-55mm, 50mm 1.8 and Sigma 18-200mm DC OS, now I sold all of them because this lens deserves every penny I paid. Zoom range is little dissappointing but I heard 3x zoom range is the maximum capability that can bring the best picture quality, which means if the zoom range go more than 3x, the quality degrades.

So for example 18-200mm lens is good for all around purpose which covers 10x zoom from wide angle to super zoom, but the quality isn’t great as lens that zooms 3x or less.

So I’m quite happy with this lens so far. And if I point out one that really bothers me about this lens is its weight. Because after I carry this lens with my 40D on my shoulder for hours, I easily get tired. =P

Everything else is wonderful. You will forgive tireness once you see the quality of the pictures you take with this lens. I highly recommend this lens to all canon users. 5 stars!

Wonderful Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Pros:

- Solid construction

- Outstanding optics (sharpness, contrast, saturation)

- Complementary zoom range if you carry a telephoto lens like the 70-200.

- 2.8 aperture

- Focus is as expected on a USM 2.8, quick

- Lens hood & soft carrying case included*

Cons:

- Heavy, nicknamed “The Brick” (2-3 pounds) for a short lens

- Lack of IS

- Awkward lens hood*

I would like to first say that I recommend this lens – it is outstanding. I fancy this as a good walk-around lens. It is an excellent complement to a telephoto lens (such as a 70-200) which covers the my field needs – except macro and longer zoom.

Just understand what you are purchasing when you buy it. Quality is not a question in this lens and I will not discuss it. The decision is between the 27-70 F/2.8 and the 24-105 f/4 IS as they are very comparable (but not precisely identical in use) quality lenses.

Compare the 24-70 F2.8 and 24-105 F4.0 IS:

- The aperture difference means the 24-70 is superior in motion freezing and to an extent in lower light.

- Camera movement during longer exposures is less of a concern between the 24-70 and 24-105 as the IS and 2.8 tend to offset (remember that IS does NOT resolve subject movement)

- The 24-105 is more versatile by having 50% more zoom.

- I understand the 24-105 is significantly lighter. The 24-70 was disturbingly heavy for such a short lens having never held a 24-105.

- No comment between the 24-70 and 24-105 optics due to not personally encountering a 105. Ratings on the 105 are good, however.

Pay close attention to the fact that the 24-70 2.8 lacks IS and the 24-105 does have IS but at a cost of F/4 – a precarious trade-off situation. That trade-off decision likely determines what lens you should purchase unless low-weight is a major factor.

I chose the 24-70 because I preferred F/2.8 over the 105′s IS – I’ll suffer through my camera jitters as I have done in the past. The weight of the 24-70 was more of a surprise to me than an annoyance.

*: The lens hood functions adequately but attaches to the fixed portion of the barrel. The hood extends 70% of the total lens length when the lens is retracted. You can reverse the hood but it prevents use of the lens controls. This is why I call it “awkward”.

Now to save up for that 70-200 2.8…

Amazing lense for our Canon EOS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
We got this lens as our primary lense for our EOS Rebel T1i and just love it. While it’s not inexpensive by any means, it’s highly flexible and exemplefies the depth of field capability and range you want in a general lens. It’s not small, but it’s just short enough not to interfere with the flash when used without its lens hood.

If you get just one lens for your camera, pick this one.

Amazing lens for all purposes.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens for my Canon DSLR camera about 3 weeks ago, and since then I’ve been using it for many projects and under different conditions. Let’s see all the different aspects of the lens:

1- Build: Really professional and strong build, and that’s what you would expect from an L-series lens. Hard plastic construction with rigid rubber on the focusing and zoom rings. It’s manufactured to be dust and moisture proof (but I personally didn’t test this, and I hope I won’t).

2- Mount: The EF mount for Canon systems that comes with this lens is a perfect fit, once mounted on the camera, it will feel like it was built with the camera.

3- Aperture: With a maximum aperture of 2.8 you would be able to shoot in really dim conditions with no blurry results. Also at this aperture one can achieve really great depth of field effects (great in macro and portrait shooting).

4- Focal Lenght: 24-70mm means a good range for all purposes (check out the lens’ offical link from Canon to see the MTF charts).

5- Weight: It’s a bit heavy, and with a big camera the overall weight would be relatively heavy. But it’s not a big deal when you achieve great imaging results.

6- Included Accessories: Deep hood that will prevent any sun flares, front and rear caps, soft leather bag.

7- Overall: Amazing lens for all purposes and under any situation. A great lens for anyone searching for a one-show lens.

I hope this review was useful.

Ahmed Safer.

prime-quality images in a convenient zoom package
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My all-around favorite lens in the Canon EOS system is the 50/1.4. I find that most of the time, most of the pictures I want to take can be achieved using hte 50mm focal length, and the fast aperture allows me to take photos in low light.

I bought the 24-70/2.8 in hopes of getting high quality images from a zoom lens, as a lot of my pictures weren’t in particularly dark places, and the flexibility to get a little wider or closer sounded appealing.

I was not disappointed.

The image quality produced by the 24-70/2.8 is outstanding. Great color, great sharpness. It might not make images quite as striking as Canon’s 135/2 lens, but they are very good indeed.

Does this lens replace the 50/1.4? No way. The 50 is a lot smaller, weighs a lot less, and is still much better for low light shooting. But for photographing events where you don’t want to lug around several prime lenses or go to extreme lenghts to frame the shot better, the 24-70 can be a great tool.

24-70 mm 2.8L Lens Review
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I’m an amateur photographer with limited skills. I bought this lens to use to shoot waterfalls and other landscapes. I’m very pleased with it.

Never Leaves the Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic lens. It takes crisp, rich photos, has a large apperature that makes for impressive low-light photography, and includes USM technology for lightening-fast focusing. Since I am only a serious hobbyist, I can’t yet afford another quality Canon lens…but for 2 years I have been perfectly happy to leave this lens on the camera (a 10D). Portraits, landscapes, indoor shots with no flash…it can do them all with ease, and the photos look great.

This lens is a little heavy, and combined with my 10D the weight is certainly a consideration. But to me it feels well-balanced on the camera, and I like the substantial feel that the lens-camera combination gives. If you plan to use a flash, remember that this is a big lens and the built-in flash may not clear the barrel (especially on the 10D, before Canon redesigned the pop-up flash)…might want to think about an external flash head for the hot shoe.

There’s a lot of glass on the front of this lens, don’t forget the UV filter for a little extra protection.

If you must start with ONE lens, this is it!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When selecting a “starter” lens for my new 40D, this lens looked perfect, and it is! The quality is superb (typical of Canon’s “L” series), and the zoom range makes it a perfect all-purpose lens. I couldn’t see any point in accepting what Canon (or sellers) thought were “starter lenses” if I was buying a good-quality camera body. I strongly suggest NOT wasting your money on a cheapie lens; this is a great “first” lens! I expect it to remain on my camera 90% of the time. Highly recommended.

Very nice images, but heavy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I picked up this lens along with a 40D for my wife. I did research for months and talked to every one I knew about what lens to buy. I finally settled on the 24-70 2.8L mainly because of the volumes glowing praise for the quality of images it would take.

the good:

The reviews are right, the pics are breath-taking. After just a few weeks of dinking around with the camera my wife is taking shots of our kids on par with what we get at the local semi-pro photographer studio. We also have some nice shots of bugs/flowers, this isnt a macro lens but it does a damn fine job at it if you ask me.

The long and short of it was I wanted 1 lens to use for pretty much all occasions and this delivered just that.

The Bad:

Its freaking huge! I was ready for heavy, and it is a little heavy, but the lens is so big my wife dosent like to take it with her. She complains it makes her stand out in a crowd. With the lens hood attached folks tend to stair making it hard to get candid shots. There is no-chance of blending into the background with this beast stuck to the front of your face.

The conclusion:

Was it worth the 1300 spent? Heavens YES! This is a fantastic chunk of glass. Ive had the chance to shoot some other glass in the last few weeks and I keep going back to it. The only reason for 4/5 stars is the size.

Very disappointing for an “L” lens
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
After much consideration and reading almost every review available for this lens, I dropped the hat a bought one. I was so excited; I could barely wait to get it. Upon my first few shots, I thought I had made the right choice and a good investment (After all $1300 on a camera lens is an investment, right?) Started to notice on anything off of 70mm (60mm-24mm), my subjects seemed blurry and out of focus. Begin the testing. This lens back focused anything but 70mm every after micro adjusting it. For some reason, when I used my 430ex flash and the AF assist on it, it was even worse. BTW I have a 50D. I am not talking barely back focusing…..I am talking feet! Did forum and internet searching and found many, many post about the same issues and how some had been able to correct by having Canon (Adjust it). So I sent it to Canon. Comes back confirming the issue and they replaced the Collar and tested. Well, that is nice, but still did it! Sent the lens back as defective for a replacement. Amazon, BTW was extremely helpful with this. Got my replacement within 2 days. Did side by side comparisons and the replacement was better. Still the issue was there. A few suggestions were to focus at 70mm, then zoom to what I want and shoot. This works! But, call me silly, for $1300 this is BS! I requested to exchange the 24-70L with a 17-55mmIS. Let me tell you how happy I am with it. The WOW factor was instant with it and the sharpness is incredible. I am glad I was able to find a lens that works for me, but the 24-70L absolutely did not. I have heard that this lens works better on a full frame camera, but I have also heard of them having the same issue, even after multiple trips to Canon. Buyer-Beware!

Canon’s Number 1 Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is simply the number one must own lens for any Canon EOS owner. It’s the lens you will use the most, it’s performance is flawless, it’s built like a tank and it’s beautiful glass to look at. If you have EOS and are serious at all about photography – this should be the first lens you own.

Beutiful but Heavy Lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is now my absolute favorite lens in my entire collection. It’s fast, quiet, and takes very crisp and clean shots. Together with a Hoya UV filter, I have yet to take this baby off my camera! Granted, this is also my heaviest lens in the bag, I think the pictures far outweigh (figuratively) the negatives.

Obviously the biggest competitor for this lens is the Canon 24-105mm f/4.0 IS L lens. To me, I considered both before making the decision. My rationale was the fact that I need a faster lens to take indoor sports photography without a flash. You absolutely can’t cut out motion-blur with a f/4.0 even with decent indoor lighting. IS will only help taking photo of friend and family that are not moving.

Jaw-Dropping Results!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I recently purchased this lens as general purpose use. Let me tell you that these pictures come out extremely sharp, and the saturation and contrast are dead on. The 1.6x factor on my 20D doesn’t really make a difference when your shooting group or birthday shots, because it’s still wide enough, believe it or not. It is a bit heavy, but you’ll forget about that as soon as you see your first shot. This lens is high on my recommendation list to anybody that is looking for the best all-around lens. Don’t forget about the f/2.8, so this is exellent in low-light situations too. 6 BIG STARS!!!

Awe-inspiring!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I don’t know where to begin. I use this lens with the Canon EOS 20D and a B+W 77mm Multi-Coated UV Haze filter (a STRONG recommendation: don’t degrade a lens like this with cheap glass in front of it). The color and clarity that come from this lens will put a sparkle in your eye. If you can afford it, buy this lens and you’ll feel like a National Geographic photojournalist every day.

Narrow plane of focus / Not a portrait lens
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I use the Canon 40D as my main camera body, keeping my Rebel as my backup camera.

For several years, my main zoom lens has been the Canon EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS lens.

For family portraits, I typically close up the Canon f/3.5-5.6 IS lens a couple stops to f/6.3 or 7.1.

(A Canon 50 mm f/1.4 is my favorite prime lens.)

My expectations for my first `L’ lens, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens, were so high that my first session indoors making portraits with a flash was a little disappointing.

When I close up this lens a little, to f/3.2, the plane of focus is so narrow that in a group photo, only one person’s face is in focus.

Wide open, at f/2.8 or 3.2, using a flash, at ISO 100, shutter speeds of ¼ sec were common. The long shutter time required I use a tripod, and even when using a tripod, the model’s movement created blur.

So, if you want the eyes of one model to be in focus, while the person standing next to the model is out of focus, this lens is for you. If you want both the mother, and the baby in arms to be in focus, this is more lens than you need.

This f/2.8L lens does capture more light than the f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, but even with this fast lens wide open, I still need to set the ISO to 400 or 800 to get a hand hold-able fast shutter speed.

I still need a f/6.3 to f/8.0 aperture to have everybody in focus during group shots.

I still need to use an ISO of 400 or faster in low light conditions.

A good sharp lens? Yes! But I wanted this lens to work miracles compared to the Canon EF 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, and they didn’t happen.

Very fast lens, sharp & true colors, worth the money.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had become spoiled with the image quality of my Canon 50mm, f/1.4 lens, thinking that only primes would deliver such performance. When I received my 24-70 f/2.8 lens, I was ecstatic to find that the results from my new L Glass zoom were every bit as impressive as from my prime lens. The 24-70 hasn’t left my 40D since I received it. I find it to be a great walk around lens and have found it to be not objectionably heavy, as some have suggested. This lens won’t disappoint. The definition in the photos will really impress you. This lens provides lots of “wow value.” For the results I’ve had with this lens, I don’t think that it is unreasonably priced. I plan to enjoy it for many, many years. Definitely a prideful “keeper.”

lens for canon digital SLR
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
lens mounted without any problems to my canon 20d and has a great manual focus. very satisfied with this product.

Yes – it is that good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased this lens to go with my Canon 20D.

Now, I understand what all the fuss is about. You must use this lens to believe the quality. This lens took my photos to another level. I am making pictures I could only dream of before. The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is well worth the price. When so many serious photographers using Canon equipment recommend the same lens as a must have – BUY IT!!!

Gee, I sound like one of those t.v. infomercials. As you can tell, I am just a little excited about this lens.

most used lens in my bag!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The lens can be found on my camera 80% of the time. As a wedding photographer the range is great for tight spaces where brides get ready and reception shots. The 2.8 aperture is great and where I keep it most of the time.

Why a 4 instead of 5? Does need to be serviced at least once a year to keep focusing sharp. Canon factory repair can service it no problem and then it focus’ beautifully. Before I send it in I notice it back focusing.

Great main lens for Canon full frame cameras
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s all been said here already – but this is a great primary lens for a Canon full frame camera. I just upgraded from the 40D to the 5DMkII, and switched my beloved Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras for this lens. This is clearly an L, with great build and superior optics. It isn’t light, but its fast and wonderful to work with. It will become your main, everyday lens, so it is worth spending a little extra on it, in my opinion.

Great Len.. But get the battery grip with it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great lens that can take great pics in low light. Word of advice, what ever camera you attach this to, get the Battery Grip, (20D = BG-E2.) This should be considered a required piece since it will restore the balance on back to the body of the camera. I had the lens for 3 months without the battery grip, then Santa brought me the grip for XMas and WOW what a world of difference. No need to state what the others have… It is a GREAT LENS. But I will add a word of caution.. once you buy it you will want only “L” series lens, that could get a little expensive.

Simply the best in this focal length range
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this lens to replace the Ef-s 17-85mm on my 20D. That lens is nice especially with the IS, but too darn slow. The 24-70 is an L series lens, which according to Canon means “Luxury”. If being sharp, contrasty and fast means “luxury” then by all means this is just that. I have taken about 400 pics since buying this lens and am just amazed with it. It is heavy, bulky and expensive, but if you want or need the best, this is it.

Flawless lens. The L really is for “Luxury”
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Save your nickels and dimes because this lens is definately worth the dive into your piggy bank. I’ve been shooting with this lens and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS and I have virtually all the focal length I need. If you are shooting on a body with a 1.6x crop factor it might not hurt to add an ultra wide to your arsenal to round things out. The images from this lens are ultra sharp at all focal lenghts. I have zero complaints.

Great lens, but be sure you really need it before buying
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Two reasons you should consider this lens:

1) You make money from photography and every last detail or amount of color saturation matters, or

2) Money is no object.

Remember, it is not the lens, but the photographer, that makes great pictures. That being said, a lens of this caliber can squeeze that extra fraction of vivid detail/color out of many shots. However, unless you are making money from photography or just have money to burn, those improvements are costly and fractional.

It is also very heavy and big…not exactly good for the wife to pick up and use to take kiddie pictures.

I own many lenses that csot much less than this lens and I have many shots I would never part with. Don’t oversell yourself, unless you can justify it using criteria 1 and 2 above.

4 stars b/c it did not impress me on too many shots, for the money I spent on it. Which reinforces the point that it is the photographer, not the lens, that really matters.

Love this lens!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am so happy with this lens! I use it for wedding photography and just in general. It is a real workhorse kind of a lens. It is more expensive than some other lenses, but it is well worth the money!

sweet and flexible lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
awesome pro lens with a great range. gets you that desirable depth of field effect in no time. i can only recommend it.

Best zoom around
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This lens is worth every penny I paid for it. No matter what the settings are, wide-open or not, at the end of the zoom range or not, you will get a sharp and contrasty picture.

However, do not expect it to beat a prime – even the cheap 50mm f1.8 (that I also own) has a (somewhat) better sharpness and contrast, visible only when enlarged though. What you pay big bucks for is convenience.

Great for the professional, but a bit much for the amateur
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a fantastic lens, don’t get me wrong; incredible color, contrast and sharpness, however, it’s very heavy, and is not easy for a woman to carry around – one should definitely have a tri-pod when using this lens. Mine was one of the many I have heard about with “soft images” – that, coupled with the fact I would need to bring so much equipment with me on the field for good shots, made me exchange it for the 28-135 with IS, which is much more portable, takes fantastic shots, better zoom range, and 1/3 the price. Sure, if you blow up the pics 200% you’ll see a difference, but to me, the price, portability and IS make it a much better choice for the amateur.

Best Canon Lens you wont regret
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
You are buying quality not price. I�m amazed with the quality of the pictures I get with my new lens. It seems I changed my camera to a new model… totaly diferent pictures. I have compared to my previous cameras and lenses and WOW… I cant believe I thought I had some great pictures in my collection. I dont want to use my other lenses anymore, I have a new standard in my pictures.

I have to say that it was a “crazy” decision to buy this lens because of the price, but this is an investment that once you have it you will enjoy and will last for many years. If you love photography and really like to go to full detail you wont regret it.

Great Lens for Events
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this lens for over a year and have been very happy with it. I am not sure what the person is talking about who say’s that it is not sharp at 2.8, the parts of the face that I focus on are tack sharp at 2.8, the rest depending on the distance will be soft or blurry. I have quite a few L lens, but this is the one that goes on my 1Ds when photographing events. The camera settings also can influence the sharpness.

L series price tag with good reviews
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
If you would like a list of sites with reviews of all canon lenses email

gumby at dontquotemeonthat dot com

Pros: Build quality, beautiful sharp high contrast images with gorgeous color, f2.8, very fast & quite & accurate focus, ftm focus, great versatility

Cons: This lens is certainly large and heavy if you are used to using a 50mm prime, however, its size and weight are not particularly bothersome to me.

this is taken from fredmiranda dot com

reviews look good, if your a newbie here’s some info

A lens is “fast” when it has a low f-stop… ok so when you have a smaller number the apature is bigger which allows more light through, so this means you can up the shutter speed. and still have enough light reach the sensor.

ok so lets say you have an out door shot if you have say an f/4 lens the shutter speed could be 1/250 of a second and you would get a good exposer. Now this lens can only go f/4

but if you in the same outdoor setting, had an f/2.8 lens you could jump to 1/500 of a second and get the same exposer. and freeze the action mmore effectivly, this i believe is why it’s a “fast” lens.

ok have fun and get it done

I love my Canon 24-70 lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got this lens a month ago, I am so very glad that I did. I had the sigma 24-70- 2.8 and It made good pictures but the canon 24-70 makes much better pictures . Anyone who is seriously into photography should own this lens. Absolutely fantastic image & build quality. I use it on the Canon 50D and will only use canon lenses from now on.

Brick!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This thing is built like a tank. I was a bit reluctant to make the purchase because of the high price tag but it was worth it. I’m using it with a Rebel XTi and it seemed soft in the beginning but it was just my lack of skill. Haha. Still learning and it’s a great lens.

Fantastic all around lens.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Ever since I purchased this lens, it’s become THE lens that I carry with me anytime I’m using my camera. This was the lens that I purchased to replace my Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 and I was happily surprised how noticable the picture quality was compared to the Sigma lens (similar to how surpised the Sigma 18-50 2.8 was better than Canon 28-135mm IS). I’ve brought this to weddings and areas with low light and the pictures come out fantastic and the weight of the lens is very reasonable for what it’s able to achieve. I rarely use my Canon 50mm 1.4 anymore unless I’m in a low light setting with now flash available. The 24-70mm produces images that are almost as good as the prime but adds in the ability to zoom with out having to use my feet . I taken this to indoor evening parties (flash still recommended), outdoor trips in both sunny and drizzly conditions and even in snow and I never worried about it failing on me. I’ve had it for couple of years and I’m confident it’ll be reliable for years to come.

The price tag is pretty hefty but for me it’s been well worth it. Everyone who I’ve lent the lens out to has been impressed with the quality of the pictures and if you can afford it, I sure it will be a permanent piece of any lens set.

Result varies with copies.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I need to confirm that this lens is only average. At this price range, I could not believe Canon would ship soft copies out. Many will blast my comment by saying I could send the lens to Canon for calibration, but that is beyond the point. Each lens should come out of the factory in consistent quality, right? After all, we are paying over $1200 for it.

Other than this lens, I have owned a 10-22mm and a 70-200mm L lens. The 24-70mm L copy I had was comparably softer than my sharp-as-knife 70-200mm L in all aperture ranges. The shots from the 24-70mm are slightly better in colors, however.

Also, I find the 24-70mm range too long for a cropped-frame DSLR. I used the 10-22mm and the 24-70mm L on a three-month backpacking trip. I found myself using the 10-22mm 90% of the time because most shots I took were candid shots – upclose and personal with the object.

If you are fine with fishing for a sharp copy, go for it. I have sold mine to some (un)lucky person after my trip for 20% less than the price I paid.

The most wanted lense
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve used several copies of 24-70mm 2.8L in the last few years. I bought two copies from Amazon. All of them are sharp, fast and accurate focus. It produces high quality images. I like this lense very much and always the first lense in my camera bag.

If you are a frequent traveler and like to do landscape + street photography then this is a good choice. 24-105mm is also a good option, but I prefer 24.70mm because of 2.8 A factor. It will produce nicer colors, bokeh, … Also, from 50-70mm, you can also produce excellent and truly portrait photos.

For indoor photography with natural light (wedding, event photos) then this is a must have lense. I don’t have to say much but most of wedding photographers will use this lense most often.

The best outdoor portrait lens
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very sharp even down to F/2.8.

Solid build

Very very attractive color.

Best mid-range zoom I’ve ever used
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Extremely fast and quiet focus that is spot on target. This lens is a little heavy, but you can feel the quality every time you turn the zoom ring. Usually, you have to wait until you see the final pictures to judge a lens, and this one gives you great pictures. But, what’s amazing is that I can tell a huge difference on this lens, just looking through my camera. Even my friends, pro or amatuer, all say WOW! when they look through my camera for the first time with this lens on it!

I love shooting with it wide open, while trusting the accurate auto-focus. I’ve been looking for this lens’ “sweet spot”, but haven’t found it yet, because ALL the pictures look great, regardless of the focal length or aperature that I choose.

You will not be sorry you bought this!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
In April of 2005 I bought the Canon 20D with the 18-55 kit lens, my first SLR camera. After getting used to properly taking pictures with the camera I bought the 24-70 as a lens upgrade – and what an upgrade it is. All the positive stuff you read about this lens is true … the color, the contrast, the sharpness, it’s unbelievable how well this lens performs compared to a consumer grade lens.

A lot of reviews complain that the 24-70 is too heavy, and it is heavy for a lens, but it’s not “too” heavy to carry around all day. I also regularly use my Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS – that’s a lens that is maybe too heavy for regular use but it’s also A LOT bigger than the 24-70.

A note about debates you’ll find everywhere comparing the 24-70 to the new Canon 24-105 f/4 … These lenses are not built to be an either-or, they are different lenses targeted at different uses. The main complaint I found online about the 24-70 is that it lacks Image Stabilization, a complaint I eventually dismissed as irrelevant. I’ve taken thousands of photographs with this lens and not once did I miss a shot because the lens didn’t have IS. Simply put, this lens isn’t long enough to require IS.

If you’re new to SLR photography be careful when reading product reviews, especially those in discussion forums. Just like any other hobby (like computers), people who are in to photography have very strong opinions and tend to have to have the latest and greatest thing that just came out. If you’re thinking of purchasing a lens this expensive and are unsure if you should get one or the other, try renting one for a few days.

Another reviewer on this page commented on using this lens with the built-in flash on a 10D. If you’re buying an $1,100 lens you should know that Canon didn’t design it specifically so you could use it with the built-in flash. They probably assumed that if you could spend a grand plus on a lens that you could also step-up and buy a real flash. This reviewer gave the lens a 3/5 rating because his camera body didn’t have the right flash, something that has nothing to do with the lens at all.