Newbie question: Canon 24-105mm F/4 L vs Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

Hi,

I have a 7D body, which has crop sensor.

I know that we shouldn't be comparing L Series Lens with Standard Zoom Kit Lens, but I couldn't figure out what would be the advantage of 24-105mm F/4 L compared to Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM.

Apart from the aperture which constant on F4 on L Lens, is there any other advantage? Zoom wise, they are almost the same, even I think the non L lens have much wider view @ 18mm and can zoom even further @ 135mm.

People keep saying the L Lens has better glass quality, but what does that really mean to image quality? If shot properly, will this L Lens dramatically increase the sharpness of the image?

At the moment I have Sigma 50mm 1.4 and thinking to replace my zoom kit lens with this L lens but still considering whether I should be getting one.

I so look forward hearing any input that you may have. Thanks guys

The 24-105 is weather-sealed and the 18-135 is not, also the 18-135 is VERY soft compared to the 24-105.

Putting the 18-135 on your weather sealed 7d is like putting a Honda Civic 4-cylinder in your Ferrari 458 Italia, and not even a nice 4-cyl like a K20a3.

I have a 24-105 on my 5d classic. If you go full frame or 35mm, your 18-135 is no good. If you have to use kit glass, use the 18-55 IS and 55-250 IS, both are much sharper than their predecessors and comprehensively annihilate the 18-135. Typically any lens with more than 3x zoom is trash, except the 24-105 L or the 28-105 f3.5-4.5 7-blade aperture, and the 28-135 IS.

Save for the 24-105. Or get the 18-55 IS, 55-250 IS.

Yes, the image quality will be better with 24-105.

However, is the image quality of your current lens a limitation for you? Also, how often do you shoot wide angle because the loss of 18-23mm may be a problem if you do a lot of wide angle.

Before buying a new lens I would ask myself what is wrong with one I currently have and then find a lens that solves that problem.

24-105mm will be my pick between the two. IMO, i won't go either of them, 24-70mm will be my choice.

24-70mm f/2.8 > 70-200mm f/4 IS USM....then you won't overlap your range, and you got two excellent lens with you. Both of them can be used if you upgrade to FF later.

If you want wide angle for landscape: Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5, canon 17-40 f/4 L will be my pick.

Are you just a newbie on the Forum, or a newbie to photography?

The 24-105 is a great lens, if it is what you need and can afford. It also weighs 40% more, costs 4 times as much (used), and doesn't have the range of an 18-135. It isn't wide enough on a crop for me. Many people are very happy with their 18-135s and it is a good carry around lens.

I also recommend looking at the 15-85 ...

thanks j-dogg.

@dalto: considering i have my prime 50mm which covers the portrait space, the zoom lens will be used mainly for wide angle. as for the image quality of my zoom kit lens, i couldn't say happy with it or dissapointed, but now i know the image quality is better and very soft with the 24-105, makes me think of selling the kit lens and replacing it with the L lens.

i photographed a lot of pre-wedding pictures, which not only focuses on the zoom-in of the couple faces but also covering the landscape. if i wanted to get their expression with very bokeh background, i can use my Sigma 50mm 1.4. Please let me know if this mind set is correct or not?

If you are going to use it mainly for the wide angle I would take a hard look at the 17-55mm 2.8 IS.

wilerty wrote in post #12582477
Are you just a newbie on the Forum, or a newbie to photography?

The 24-105 is a great lens, if it is what you need and can afford. It also weighs 40% more, costs 4 times as much (used), and doesn't have the range of an 18-135. It isn't wide enough on a crop for me. Many people are very happy with their 18-135s and it is a good carry around lens.

I also recommend looking at the 15-85 ...

relatively noobs on forum but not so much on photography. but still, i know sky is the limit and many people have more knowledge and experience than me, which i hope can lead me to the information and help me to consider which lens is the best to replace my 18-135 zoom kit lens. Thanks for your input wilerty, much appreciated

You have a great camera. It should be complemented with a great lens which 24-105 is.

Stepping down the 18-135 to F/8 would be what 24-105L can do wide open. So if you have good light and don't need print a poster, 18-135 will work very well. Of course there will be no shallow DOF for that though.

Also need to do a little more post processing as well on 18-135 but not that big of a deal.

You would have to pry my 24-105 out of my cold dead hands. Perfect all arounder for me. Your mileage may vary.

Thank you guys, I have decided not to get the 24-105 lens because for my crop sensor camera, 24 is not wide enough. <20 mm is the good one i think.