24-105 f4 or 50mm 1.4 USM for 70D

[xFireSoul]

Ok, so next week I am buying my new camera - the 70D, but I am still not quiet sure which lens to get with it.
The lens will be second hand, and so far, I was thinking only about the 24-105 f4, but today, I found out that the 50mm 1.4 USM will be pretty good too. I am mostly shooting portraits, walk-around and will shoot video (thats why i get the 1.4 usm version, not 1.8).
I heard that the 24-105 won't be that rewarding on crop camera, and the 50mm will give even better result?

So both lenses are second handed, but no-damaged. like brand new.
prices go 24-105 for 660$
50mm 1.4 USM ~340$

 

[bobandcar]

Assuming your not getting a kit lens with the camera, I would do the 24-105.
I used it on a t3i crop and it didn't come off as my walk around lens. Sometimes not wide enough and sometimes not long enough. BUT between those 2 lenses I'd go for the flexibility in what is also a great lens

 

[Bo4key]

I agree. If you are using it a general purpose lens, I would start with the 24-105mm. It seems like you will be shooting a wide variety of things and limiting yourself to one focal length will most likely be frustrating.

Plus, you can always add a prime lens as the second lens in your kit when the time comes.

 

[andylucian]

If it's your only lens, then definitely the 24-105. On the 70D it would be a 38-168 equivalent. So not very wide, but would give you the range of 35mm ish environmental portraits and all the way to tele for compressed headshots. If you can afford it and find a good deal on fleebay, then I would go for the Sigma 24-105 F4. Its reviews all put it above the Canon and Nikon equivalents for sharpness. Plus it has optical stabilization which would be ideal for video work.

 

[bratkinson]

When I upgraded from a Canon G-5 to a 30D DSLR, my first lens was an EF-S 18-135 f3.5-5.6. The 18 end was wide enough for my indoor shots and the 135 long enough when I wanted to zoom in. I later added a EF-S 55-250 for longer telephoto, but discovered I used it very little.

Knowing I would one day move to a full-frame camera, I replaced that with a EF 24-105 f4L. Overall, I found it a great lens on the 30D...and still do, on my 5Diii. However, on the 30D (and later, 60D), the 24 end wasn't "wide enough" for some indoor shots, given its' effective field of view is that of a 38mm lens on a full-frame. The 18 end of the 18-135 gave me a FOV of a 29mm lens on an FF body. So, I ended up getting a 'wider' zoom lens, an EF 16-35 f2.8L.

For a single lens solution, I think I'd go with an 18-135 on your 70D. I don't know about the current USM version of that lens, but the minor barrel distortion my pre-USM version had was easily corrected in Lightroom. However...the limitation of the 18-135 is it goes from f3.5 to f5.6 'quickly' as one zooms from 18mm to 135mm. The result is that for low light shooting, an external flash is frequently required. However, ISO speeds of 3200 or so should still give good, low noise results on the 70D allowing some low light situations without the use of a flash.

I still love my 24-105, though. I used it for at least 75% of my shots on the 30D & 60D and perhaps slightly more on the 5Diii. As a walk-around on the 30D & 60D, it worked quite well for my outdoor and downtown 'city shots'. Some may say that f4 is too slow, but the IS makes up for at least a stop or two, and higher ISO can handle some of the difference. Some may pooh-pooh the 24-105 as not being the sharpest L lens in the lineup, but once I performed MFA on it with my 5Diii, it's "right up there" with my other L lenses. In short, regardless of what lens the OP purchases, I'd definitely perform Micro Focus Adjustment on the 70D with it. Here's a video of how to do it

 

[jaomul]

24-105mm is more versatile. It also holds focus when zooming (not sure the terminology here for this sort of lens) which is good for video

 

[xFireSoul]

Cool!
And also, my concerns were about having the full ability to create awesome portraits

 

[Geekxin]

I've been using the 24-105 F4 L lens on my first DSLR (XSi) as my only lens for more than 6 years now. While there are a a lot of positives about this lens, I'd like to highlight a few negatives.
* Since this was the only lens I had it was hardly wide enough for landscapes, specially on a crop sensor. I missed the width most of the times.
* The lens is a little large and heavy to carry around. With the hood on its almost enormous and attracts too much attention at times.
* F4 is good, but if I am shooting indoors and in low light I wish I had a wider aperture.

I have since decided to move on.. and getting a 70D as well with the following lens
* Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
* Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM
I might get a decent zoom later on.

 

[Didereaux]

Asking which to buy the 50mm 1.4 or the 24-105mm is kind of like asking if you should buy the 'vette, or the pickup and you live on a farm.

 

[qleak]

24-105mm is more versatile. It also holds focus when zooming (not sure the terminology here for this sort of lens) which is good for video

That's parfocal If the lens keeps the same focus throughout the zoom range.

This is somewhat more important for video.

 

[weepete]

I picked up a sigma 17-70 f2.8-4 DC HSM C recently for my 7D. It may be worth a look as its a good compromise between fast, wide and telephoto.

I used an old 28-105 for years but its just not wide enough on a crop sensor for general use.

 

[matthias bader]

I think for video the 24-105mm would be better. Just because of the zoom, which should give you a better image then walking? I don't know much about video, so I could be wrong.

But anyway the 24-105mm is more versatile like many before me wrote. I use it on my 5D and totally happy with it. Could have a better aperture but by bumping the ISO up - which for the 70D shouldn't be much of a deal - there's no reason to worry about. Beside it's not very wide on the Crop-Sensor, i would choose it over the 50mm.