Sending back the 24-70 f/2.8L

keith204

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Yep, not many do this. I have the 24-105 f/4L IS that came with my camera, and for the sake of 2.8 bought the 24-70 to replace it. However, all weekend, I ended up going back to the 24-105. So, though the 24-70 is "the" lens, it's not the lens for me.

*IS is very, very nice with video, and this is the typical video range for all the family stuff
*zoom ring on 24-70 is very stiff compared to 24-105
*though I usually don't mind heavy lenses, the 24-70 seemed unreasonable for its size
 
I think a lot of people wish that either the 24-105 had f2.8 or that the 24-70 had IS ;)
 
I think a lot of people wish that either the 24-105 had f2.8 or that the 24-70 had IS
Amen. I'm baffled as to why Canon hasn't created either of those...even if it cost $2000, plenty of people would buy it.

I'm wondering how many people will be content with F4 lenses, now that ISO 1600 and 3200 is perfectly usable on the new cameras.
 
I was actually looking at the 24-70 f2.8 as a future lens purchase. Although I'm on a crop sensor XSI, I'm trying to keep in a mind a future camera upgrade and ensuring I get good quality glass right now.

I'll definatly keep your points of view in mind, thanks for the update
 
personally I see the 24-105mm as a more generalist lens - good for walking around with whilst the 24-70 is a bit more specialist (no IS and shorter focal length) but the lack of f2.8 on the longer lens really hampers it as a generalist lens once the light starts to go - all the IS in the world won't freeze action.
 
Amen. I'm baffled as to why Canon hasn't created either of those...even if it cost $2000, plenty of people would buy it.

I'm wondering how many people will be content with F4 lenses, now that ISO 1600 and 3200 is perfectly usable on the new cameras.


High ISO is no substitue for good fast glass. Even though it's clean, faster glass is always a better option IMHO...
 
I thought you might go this way,.. my experience was similar, but I do hope to eventually be able to reach for either lens.

BTW - The zoom ring loosens up over time, and the stiffness keeps it from drifting while the lens is sloping downwards.

Oddly I have not yet shot with the 24-105 in good lighting or a studio, but I would sure like to evaluate the sharpness & IQ under those conditions, similar to what you did with the 100mm.

Thanks for the update.

-Shea
 
Amen. I'm baffled as to why Canon hasn't created either of those...even if it cost $2000, plenty of people would buy it.

Probably the increased complexity of the optics, increased weight, cost, and market. Two different lenses with two different purposes neither benefiting from "absorbing" the function of the other.

A 24-70L IS wouldn't interest me because it would just be even heavier and IS wouldn't be an advantage for what people use this lens for... faster shutter in low light. If you have a shutter speed fast enough to stop motion, more than likely blur from handshake is a non-issue.... especially at the short focal lengths of the 24-70.

A 24-105 f/2.8L IS wouldn't interest me because it would just be heavier. The extra stops (and weight) wouldn't be an advantage for what people use this lens for... excellent walk around lens (someone said "generalists" up there).


If I wanted Canon to invest some R&D money in some lens, it would be to update the 100-400L. Common Canon! It was one of the first lenses to have IS and was introduced in 1998!!! At the very least, update the IS to the current version for more stops. Still... the 100-400L was the one long zoom that I kept.
 
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Yep, not many do this.

You'd be surprised.... many 28-70 f/2.8L, 28-135 IS, and some 24-70 /f2.8L have been traded in when the 24-105L was released. It didn't seem like it when Canon first released the 24-105L but I think there was a hole in their lens lineup that they filled. I too made the same the decision as you.

I have the 24-105 f/4L IS that came with my camera, and for the sake of 2.8 bought the 24-70 to replace it. However, all weekend, I ended up going back to the 24-105. So, though the 24-70 is "the" lens, it's not the lens for me.

That's what makes photography such a freakin expensive hobby... you never really know if something "fits" you until you try it. :lol:

though I usually don't mind heavy lenses, the 24-70 seemed unreasonable for its size

That was my primary reason.... I simply pack a 50mm f/1.4 along with my 24-105L.
 
I'm wondering how many people will be content with F4 lenses, now that ISO 1600 and 3200 is perfectly usable on the new cameras.

Not me... and the reason is (besides the faster F/2.8), superior bokeh and thats on a camera with excellent ISO 6400. :)

Granted, I love my 24-70 and use the camera for pictures only (my 2nd favorite portrait lens and who needs IS or VR at these focal lengths?). If I was using it for video, I may feel differently, but I am not missing it... I have a dedicated Sony HD video recorder with an integrated 100GB hard drive and a couple 4 hour batteries for my video, so having this in my D700 would be useless to me. Having a video camera with a fast, accurate and continual auto-focus does have it's benefits too. ;)

It is the latest thing to put video into cameras... and today I spent 2 hours with a D90 (nice, but it's not a Canon 5D mkII, let me tell you!), but I walked away with a good feeling that my decision was the best one for me and my needs. I enjoy videography and photography... but I love it better when I have separated my worlds in this way. At least I can take videos of my D700... and pictures of my Sony video camera! :lol:
 
That was my primary reason.... I simply pack a 50mm f/1.4 along with my 24-105L.

Yep my enjoyment from the 50 f/1.4, and excellent field of view now on FF, was enough for me to count the 2.8 part of the 24-70 as a terribly insignificant reason to lug around such a heavy chunk of glass.
 
I think a lot of people wish that either the 24-105 had f2.8 or that the 24-70 had IS ;)

We would all turn a million shades of blue holding our breathe for this to happen. Why? Who the hell knows. I would snatch either up in a heartbeat. Package a 5D Mark Ii with a EF 24-105 f/2.8L IS for $4500 and people will still buy it IMO.

Though the high ISO performance is much better in the 5D Mark II, as Jerry stated, the bokeh and DOF on the 24-70 f/2.8L is sweet.
 

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