Question: 24-105mm f/4 L IS

I am looking to get a 24-105mm f/4 L IS lens for my T3. Reasoning for this is because I plan on getting a better body in the future and would like to get better lenses now that I can use with this next body.

Now, I currently have a Tamron 70-300 VC, so I really don't feel that I need a lens going all the way to 105mm, as when I get my next camera (most likely full frame), I can just upgrade my Tamron since it will be a while down the line.

Is there another Canon IS L lens that is a little shorter in that zoom range, still starting around 24mm or lower, that may only go to like 60-80mm?

I still would really like to keep the IS and L lenses obviously with going to full-frame in the future. Possibly looking to buy a nice used copy as well to keep fees low.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Well the only problem is that there isn't a lens you really want. Something both wide and tele for a crop and still be good for a FF.

What you are asking is something like 15-85 for crop but also fit a FF. That is the 24-105, but its not suited for your needs on crop. So I suggest not going too far ahead and force yourself to buy 2 lenses (wide and normal) for your T3, and buy the 15-85 or 18-135 STM. They don't cost too much and they have decent resell value once you decided (if) to go to FF.
Both have as good optics as the 24-105 (which isn't a top L lens in the line up) and they have IS and are good enough for almost every need.

There are several choices. Current Canon lens options would be the 24-70 f/2.8L II, the 24-70 f/4L IS and the 24-105 f/4L IS. There is also the older Canon 24-70 f/2.8 (first version) which is a lot cheaper than the version II.

Depending on what you shoot and how you work, having overlap in zoom lenses is not necessarily a problem. I have the Canon 24-105L as well as several prime lenses (24mm, 50mm and 85mm) that are within its zoom range.

But I still have and like the 24-105L, mainly as a single lens that I carry around as the only lens in my bag for times when I am not interested in carrying several lenses.

One last note, you should check and be sure that 24mm as a wide end suits your own particular needs if this will be your widest lens on the T3. I personally love the 24-105L as my travel lens on a FF camera because 24mm offers such a wide field of view, but I would not like it nearly so much on a 1.6X format camera. If I had a 1.6X format camera I would probably own the Canon 15-85 IS lens.

What he said....

I shoot that lens all the time (like I probably wear one out a year (slight exaggeration)...

Great lens, much better than a 24-70 2.8 (that should start something here, but its true)

2 Things...

1. On a 1.6 crop, its not wide and its not telephoto. Its kind of mid... Works great for air to air shooting on the 1.3 crop 1D4... On a 1.6 crop normal shooting its not a good choice.

2. On a plastic body, camera is WAY out of balance and wants to fall out of your hands because its so lens heavy. Not a good choice...

NOW, if you want to spend a bit more, get a used 5D2 or even a "classic" 5D and use it on that. It may not have all the mega pixels you want but it will give you some amazing shots. Some of the best I did were early on and with a 5D Classic and a 24-105.....

Mark H

Thanks for the input guys.

Do you think it will produce bad images with a T3?

I'm a bigger guy, so to be honest, the weight doesn't really bother me as I've shot with 400mm primes before by hand without an issue.

Again, this will probably just be a lens to carry for 1-2 years before I get something full-frame, but I want something better than my kit 18-55 lens that I can use on my next camera as well.

The 24mm isn't going to be a bother for me, as I generally use my 18-55 and I don't think I've ever used it at 18mm, generally more around 30+mm if I'm even using that lens, I generally resort to my Tamron, because I don't like the 18-55mm picture quality compared to the Tamron.

I don't care for my 24-105 on my 50D but it's great on my 5D. When I need a standard zoom for my 50D, I grab my 17-85. 24mm is not wide enough.

Mitch, you never stated what types of photos you like to take. Sports, landscapes, portraits, wildlife? Indoors or outdoors? Might help folks steer you in the right direction.

The 24 105 f4l is one I have my eye on. Great value compared to the 24 70 f4l because a lot of folks got them in a bundle and are selling the 24 105 for $600 - 650. The 24 70 was just on sale for 879 after a $300 rebate.

Rush, why don't you like it on your 50D?

Mike, to be honest I take a LOT of photos. Here are a couple examples of my favorite shots that I've taken to give you an idea:

Lots of all that you stated, inside and out:

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …92077288@N02/11​015237803/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …92077288@N02/11​015003355/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …92077288@N02/11​014990345/

trewyn15 wrote in post #16474617
As you can tell I kind of prefer to do cars, but I do nature as well. I haven't done much sports, but I have done some. I'm fairly new to photography, but I can see the limitations of the lenses already, especially the kit lenses.

It would be helpful to know what the limitations of the kit lens are for you. Is it too slow? Not weatherproofed? Focuses too slowly? Not a fixed aperture? Also, given the shots you posted, I'm a bit surprised you don't want a lens wider than 24 mm; I'd have thought wider angle capability would have been something you wanted, especially for the car shots (which are great, by the way!).

There are several possible replacements for your 18-55, but none of them will automatically produce a huge improvement in image quality. The "L" lenses usually offer better build, weatherproofing (although not always), faster focusing and better colour/contrast rendition. But the difference isn't always easy to spot in the final image. Until recently, I owned a $150 Canon 55-250 and a $1000 Canon 70-200 f4 IS. I could show you my processed images taken with both lenses, and you'd find it hard to say which image came from which lens. What is different is my keeper rate (the 70-200 focuses much more quickly and I get far more usable shots of moving subjects - the reason I bought it), and the conditions in which I'm able to shoot. I also enjoy the fixed aperture of the "L". Bottom line, if you're choosing an "L" lens just for the image quality, you might be disappointed.

So before spending the money, it's important to know exactly what you expect. Also, a couple of years seems like a long time to use a lens that isn't exactly what you want on your current camera. You're going to buy used, so you could easily get a lens that will do the job for you now, then exchange it for something else if or when you eventually change cameras.

In any case, good luck with your choice, and enjoy!

I bought about $3k worth of lenses before getting rid of the kit lens on my t1i, but I was mostly shooting landscapes.

But if you want much better that is wide on a crop, you'll not get that in an EF lens (maybe 16-35 f2.8, but no IS on that).

I suggest NOT getting lenses for future bodies unless you are planning to upgrade within the next half-year or so. If you do, you are just going to be stuck with a lens that is not quite what you want/need. The zoom range will be annoying or frustrating at times, and you will be missing out on some great lenses (15-85, 17-55, 10-22 for example).

Instead, buy lenses that can do exactly what you want now, then sell them later on when you do upgrade bodies. If you buy used, you lose next to nothing when you sell them off again, and the minor hassle of selling off used lenses is far better than the constant frustration of having the wrong lens with you at all times.

Also, the fact that you're a big guy has nothing to do with it. Its about balance, not weight.

ceegee wrote in post #16474698
It would be helpful to know what the limitations of the kit lens are for you. Is it too slow? Not weatherproofed? Focuses too slowly? Not a fixed aperture? Also, given the shots you posted, I'm a bit surprised you don't want a lens wider than 24 mm; I'd have thought wider angle capability would have been something you wanted, especially for the car shots (which are great, by the way!).

There are several possible replacements for your 18-55, but none of them will automatically produce a huge improvement in image quality. The "L" lenses usually offer better build, weatherproofing (although not always), faster focusing and better colour/contrast rendition. But the difference isn't always easy to spot in the final image. Until recently, I owned a $150 Canon 55-250 and a $1000 Canon 70-200 f4 IS. I could show you my processed images taken with both lenses, and you'd find it hard to say which image came from which lens. What is different is my keeper rate (the 70-200 focuses much more quickly and I get far more usable shots of moving subjects - the reason I bought it), and the conditions in which I'm able to shoot. I also enjoy the fixed aperture of the "L". Bottom line, if you're choosing an "L" lens just for the image quality, you might be disappointed.

So before spending the money, it's important to know exactly what you expect. Also, a couple of years seems like a long time to use a lens that isn't exactly what you want on your current camera. You're going to buy used, so you could easily get a lens that will do the job for you now, then exchange it for something else if or when you eventually change cameras.

In any case, good luck with your choice, and enjoy!

Thank you a ton for the input and the compliment!

I really would like a faster lens, limitations in stepping down on the f-stop is really troublesome sometimes.

The weatherproofing isn't something that bothers me, I try to keep my stuff out of the rain regardless to be honest and any other weather for that matter.

ejenner wrote in post #16474968
I bought about $3k worth of lenses before getting rid of the kit lens on my t1i, but I was mostly shooting landscapes.

But if you want much better that is wide on a crop, you'll not get that in an EF lens (maybe 16-35 f2.8, but no IS on that).

Sirrith wrote in post #16475067
I suggest NOT getting lenses for future bodies unless you are planning to upgrade within the next half-year or so. If you do, you are just going to be stuck with a lens that is not quite what you want/need. The zoom range will be annoying or frustrating at times, and you will be missing out on some great lenses (15-85, 17-55, 10-22 for example).

Instead, buy lenses that can do exactly what you want now, then sell them later on when you do upgrade bodies. If you buy used, you lose next to nothing when you sell them off again, and the minor hassle of selling off used lenses is far better than the constant frustration of having the wrong lens with you at all times.

Also, the fact that you're a big guy has nothing to do with it. Its about balance, not weight.

thank you guys for the input

I think you guys have convinced me to stay away from an L series, solely because it's not quite what I need right now with the body and such and good point on the resale!

My point of saying I'm a big guy was more of a way of me saying that even though the weight balance is off, I've never really had a hard time balancing the lens and cameras themselves when shooting. Sure it's a bit annoying, but it's doable.

Any suggestions on other lenses that may be better options for the range that i'm looking for that's a bit faster with IS or VC but not an L series lens? I'm extremely happy with the quality and all of my Tamron as compared to my kit lenses.

VC also seems to work a bit better than IS in my opinion and it focuses a bit quicker.

Here's the one that I was looking at from Tamron, will have to look at sample pics.

Not sure if there's a better Canon equivalent that isn't an L series?

I would check out the Tamron lenses. I just got the 70-200 and compared to the Canon version there was little to no difference in IQ. I saved a thousand bucks going with the Tamron. I'm going look into the 24-70 Tamron as I hear that is an excellent lens as well at a considerable savings over the Canon.

Lucy Brown wrote in post #16475236
I would check out the Tamron lenses. look into the 24-70 Tamron

this

http://imaging.nikon.c​om …/lens/simulator​/index.htm

loads a little slow, but check out different lenses and what they would look like on a cropped body as well as fullframe

Wow... Your 24-105 is a deal and a half.... Too bad I don't need another one.....

Mark H