Canon EF 24-70mm f/4.0L IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

This lens is absolutely amazing. Its exactly the high quality you expect from Canon. With the Canon EOS 6Ds built-in list of lenses, I was able to correct for the silhouetting for snapshot-style pics in JPG format and they look great. But its working with the RAW images that tells the tale of how good this lens is. Perfectly clear, amazing detail, and the perfect range for the zoom to function as my everyday lens. Dont forget to pick up a 77mm UV filter as well... you dont want to take a chance on scratching this flawless lens! Its worth every penny!

Show more

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 dont 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 subjects 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.

Show more

Normally I write reviews almost immediately after getting the item. The lens came REALLY fast, three days BEFORE it was supposed to arrive. However, it was gloomy, dark and raining! After work I donned raincoat and boots and went out shooting my dogs playing in the field. The photos were very good, but I couldnt call them great. I was certainly hoping it was the weather so I decided to do some testing the second evening, still rainy, dark and gloomy. I used this lens as well as a "decent" zoom with the same range. When I looked at these photos, I was feeling better. Today it finally stopped raining and got much brighter. Again, I took an assortment of lenses with me, tried them all and I can now say I LOVE this lens!!! I already have the 70mm - 300mm 1:4-5.6 L lens and BOTH lenses gave me super photos... clarity, sharpness, great action shots, and the DOF is fantastic! I did have to play with the lighting post shooting, but it was hard to tell if the greenery was off because of the lens OR because we have had more than a week of rain and gloom during the Spring growth! I have a Canon Rebel T2i, and I NEVER use the video because I hate the results... I tried it with this lens and it was really great! Later the sun actually came out and I went flower shooting in my garden. Even with a breeze and handheld, I got the most amazing shots! Colors and sharpness are right on. I am a hobby photographer, shooting mostly action shots of my dogs playing, some macro shots of my gardens, and nature shots while camping and kayaking. I absolutely HATE to get home and look at my photos and find they are just missing something. After getting the 200 L lens, I had to move up with my zooms as well and I am not sorry at all!!! Once you use these L lenses you cannot go back!!! This lens IS heavy, but not a problem to handhold and carry for any length of time. It is quiet, quick to focus and even with the poor lighting, was not hunting all over the place trying to focus. It is a perfect range to keep on the camera most of the time. I guess I now have some "regular" zoom lenses for sale, LOL!

Show more

I had this lens for over a year. I purchased it for my 40D looking for an upgrade in image quality and low light performance as well as looking to a standard zoom for the upgrade to full frame that I was hoping to make. Image quality was nothing short of fantastic and when I got my 5D Mark II, this was my standard zoom. There is a reason that this is one of the lenses that most pros use. Its built like a tank, weather sealed, and nI never had any problems with it. The only downside to this lens is probably the weight. It didnt bother me too much most of the time. However, anytime somebody picked up my camera they would invariably comment on how heavy it was. For some people that me be a problem but overall, I just figured that was the price to pay for having an f/2.8 zoom. A few months ago I bought a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 to try out and I found myself using the prime more and more than the zoom. It was lighter, sharper, and lets in 4x the light. Eventually, I found that for my style of shooting, having a fixed focal length wasnt a problem. Rather than keeping the 24-70 just in case, I sold it and picked up an EF 28mm 1.8 for the times I want something wider than 50mm and banked a nice little chunk of change. The good thing about L lenses is that they hold their value so the small difference in what I bought it for vs what I sold it for made for a very inexpensive rental. Overall, this is a fantastic lens. If you need a standard zoom this is as good as it gets for a Canon.

Show more

I write martial arts books. Its a niche market, one thats not horribly lucrative, but that requires a lot of high-quality photos. After spending way too much to have a professional take the pix for my first couple books I decided Id get a lot more bang for my hard-earned bucks to get some high-end equipment and do it myself. Shots include both fixed poses and "live action." After agonizing on this a bit, I decided to go with two lenses, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto and this one, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Together they cover the vast range of angles and distances I need. I went with this one over the EF 24-105m f/4L IS due to the f2.8 which works extraordinarily well in low light, so well that I rarely need to use a flash or light stands. Lack of IS isnt a problem; I picked up a quality tripod for studio shots and monopod for field work. Again, much better bang for the buck. Even handheld I havent had any problems, though as a lifelong firearms enthusiast and onetime competitive shooter I may have steadier hands than most. YMMV. Im very impressed by the quality of this lens. Autofocus is silent and spot on; I dont use manual focus much, but its intuitive and easy to use. Overall the lens is solidly built and delivers awesome quality results. It truly excels at fast motion, low light shots. Dont regret buying it for a second.

Show more

Ok, this review may be a little misleading only because I upgraded both Camera and Lens from a 10D with a 28-200mm 3.5-5.6 Lens (no longer in canons lineup) to a 5D Mark II and this 24-70mm f/2.8L at the same time. My photography hobby ranges from Railroad and Industrial to Landscapes and Waterfalls. I chose this lens first over the 70-200mm f/2.8 because of a planned Wedding event, so have been taking advantage of all the waterfalls I have near me (the telephoto is more suited to my railroad hobby). Many shots are very tight and in dark places, and this Lens has performed beautifully. I have turned gloomy damp visuals into beautiful, bright and contrasty settings. When shooting my time exposure waterfalls at f/16, as long as my tripod is secure, I get sharp images corner to corner. Even at 100% on Photoshop you can see the detail in twigs and small branches on trees well out of the prime focal plane. I have had no focal or blur issues without knowing why it happened (ie shooting 1/3 Sec with tripod shake, I need to upgrade from my walmart one). A few test portraits turned out very well, sharp subject, blurred background at f/2.8. I think the wedding pictures will turn out great when it comes around. I even tried my hand at the basic macro focus range on this lens and was rather amused as I have never been able to focus on an object like this before. I have uploaded a Waterfall Scene, and a Macro shot to the images section of this lens page. for reference, on a 5D body, 70mm is about what your eye sees for range without the camera there. Considering the huge leap in my upgrade, my review may be very biased, but the quality is superb, and the weight of the lens is not too much at all. I love the hood this one ships with. On the 5D Mark II it is superb for Half of my hobby, shots that a 1.6x body would still be too tight for. I will invest in a good Telephoto Zoom or Prime Telephoto next to re-pursue my railroad and crazy telephoto setup shots. Tom Carello

Show more

There is no question about it, this Canon 24-70mm f/4.0L IS USM lens is outstanding in every way. It is sharp, easy to use, and it can also be used in a "Macro" mode. While this lens is made more specifically for full frame cameras, I have found that it gives very useful focal range on 1.6 sensor cameras...about 38 to 105 mm equivalent. As person who shoots with a Canon 70D 1.6 sensor camera, I am using this lens as my normal lens almost all of the time. It is expensive and somewhat heavy, but I would not hesitate to invest in one if you are a Canon shooter.

Show more

I shoot real estate, I usually use the 16-35 but I find this lens useful when I need just a bit more length. There is not a great deal of spherical distorition and all my shots are sharp. I think this is a great lens to use for family pictures as well because you can get a group or push in a bit to grab more intimate shots.

Show more

this lens is awsome it is all around a perfect lens for me i am a landscape/urban photographer and this lens preforms great in both conditions, if you want a lens that has wide angle while also getting some zoom then this lens is perfect I use this lens for everything and honestly i dont use anything else at the moment other than this lens

Show more

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 didnt 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 dont 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 cant afford or dont 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.

Show more