this lens probably don't exist... or does it?

since i got he 24-105L for my 5D2 as an everyday lens, i've been happy using it outdoor. in indoor situation, i miss the f2.8 and the fast focus like on my 17-55. i'd be the first to admit, i suck at flash photography and try to avoid it as much as possible. 5D2 + 50 f1.4 allows me to shoot indoor with just natural light or whatever ambient light is available. likewise on my 30D + 17-55, it give me both the range and the ability to shoot natural light.

so is there such a lens that is 24-105mm f2.8 IS with fast focus and tack sharp images? i know there's the 24-70, but back-focus issue, brick weight, no-IS is a deal breaker for me, even though it's tack sharp when no back focus issue.

is there anything like that on the market? i've always stuck to canon lens only, but for what i'm looking for to use on my 5D2, i am open to other brands that can give me what i need.

thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Haha.. imagine how heavy a 24-105/2.8IS lens would be. If the 24-70 is currently known as "the brick", a 24-105/2.8IS would be known as "the anvil."

Why not simply get a more modern APS-C body and use the 17-55 on it? Why do you use/need/like the 5DII? in terms of Noise Performance and that, a 7D or 60D would give only 1 stop worse performance, which is easily offset by the 17-55 f/2.8's extra stop of speed, and equivalent depth of field between 28-80 will be the same as the 24-105 as well

Not trying to be mean or unhelpful but it sounds like the 17-55 f/2.8 is the best lens for you, So perhaps you're thinking of a lens, when you should perhaps consider a different body...Just a different line of thought..

-edit-Although you could easily sell the 24-105 and your 30D and get a 7D to pair with the 5DII, Have the 7D with the 17-55 on one shoulder and the 70-200 and 5DII on the other (Sorry i didnt think of this sooner my brain is fried lol)

There is a 28-135 f/2.8 actually, Made by Tamron, it weighs about the same as the Brick and optically its...Really not good....

jwcdds wrote in post #12868126
Haha.. imagine how heavy a 24-105/2.8IS lens would be. If the 24-70 is currently known as "the brick", a 24-105/2.8IS would be known as "the anvil."

OP: you need to realize that FF needs a bigger image circle. A bigger image circle means more glass. A faster lens with a larger range with IS means more, more, and (again!) more glass.

We would all love a superbly performing 10-1200 f/1.2 that weighed less than a pound, but it's just not possible.

thanks guys.. sounds like the 28-300 is starting to look real good.. but heavy anvil! haha

for me f/2.8 is not even that good for dark interiors or shooting at night. If you can not deal with the weight of 24-70, then just go for fast primes. Move around your feet a little should do you good ... ;D

my understanding is the IS on that lens should allow you to shoot low light at f4. IS is supposed to equal two stops so my thought is you should be able to get decent shots that would otherwise require f2 without IS?

Desertraptor wrote in post #12868343
my understanding is the IS on that lens should allow you to shoot low light at f4. IS is supposed to equal two stops so my thought is you should be able to get decent shots that would otherwise require f2 without IS?

Provided your subject is not moving, Correct

IS corrects for shake and that contributed by the photographer moving, if the subject is moving you still require a high shutter speed...

Got ya

If you love everything that the 24-105 offers, I would highly recommend that you learn to use flash.

See if you can borrow and speedlite from a friend or something. As long as you have a ceiling or wall to bounce off of, there really isn't much too it. You might even be really surprised at the results you can get by only bouncing it off the ceiling.

Neil van Niekerk has some really great tips and advice on how to use a speedlite. Here

Also you can go on BH and find a recorded seminar with Neil.

KenjiS wrote in post #12868144
Why not simply get a more modern APS-C body and use the 17-55 on it? Why do you use/need/like the 5DII? in terms of Noise Performance and that, a 7D or 60D would give only 1 stop worse performance, which is easily offset by the 17-55 f/2.8's extra stop of speed, and equivalent depth of field between 28-80 will be the same as the 24-105 as well

Not trying to be mean or unhelpful but it sounds like the 17-55 f/2.8 is the best lens for you, So perhaps you're thinking of a lens, when you should perhaps consider a different body...Just a different line of thought..

I don't follow this. By your analysis (which is correct BTW) the OP would get almost the exact same noise, DOF and range by using 1.6X + 17-55 as he's getting now with 5D2 + 24-105. What does this change do for him (other than give up a little on the wide end, a little on the long end and a little bit of DOF on the open end)?

As for the OP - Learn advanced flash techniques. There are indeed some situations in life where use of fast lenses for low light issues are the only option (volleyball comes to mind). But in general photography, learning advanced flash techniques is going to be less painful in the long run than trying to do everything with fast apertures and too thin DOF.

speaking of imaginary lenses i still dream of my 16-300 f2.8 IS USM

+1 for flash indoors. I originally bought a 50 1.4 for available light pics of my daughter. DOF is so shallow at 1.4 that even with faster shutter speeds to freeze action, I found a lot of OOF images caused by my daughter moving after focus was achieved. I kept the 50 but bought a 580EX II as well. Couldn't believe the difference in my shots indoors. And now I can basically use any lens I want without worrying about aperture as much.

f/2.8 does not make indoor photography work either (for pretty pictures). Sure, having only f/4 right now it looks like an improvement but the excitement won't last.

If non-flash indoor zoom is really an overwhelming priority then the only way out is a camera with better high ISO capability. The D3s has been built specifically for this kind of situation, a special-built low light camera.

A 50mm f/1.4 sounds like less trouble

Tamron used to make a 28-105 f/2.8 and it was a monster, and it had poor image quality.

A f/2.8 for this range (24-105) is unlikely, a 24-70 with IS, on the other hand would be very useful and is very realistic.