Falling out of love with my 24-70L

I've had this lens for just over 6 years, it's been a great workhorse of a lens first being strapped to a 10d, then 5d and currently a 5d2, but I've been falling out of love with it.

Back when shooting the 10d I tried both the Tamron 28-75 and the 24-70 and hated the reverse zoom spin mostly on the Tamron, but overall liked the build quality of the Canon more.

What I'm hating as of late is the seemingly slow focus, and yes I fully understand it's a large piece of glass to move around, but in comparison to other lenses I use it's slower. It's also not that sharp for me @ 24mm or 70mm and not where I need it to be, between f/4 and f/7.1. I long ago gave up shooting it @ f/2.8 because it's just soft.

I've tried it with and without filters and on several different bodies so I know it's not a micro-adjust issue.

While I know people send these things in to be "calibrated" I used to work in the photo industry and can tell you there isn't a whole lot to actually "calibrate" - this is coming from a former co-worker who's been doing camera repair for nearly 35 years.

I can't shoot all primes, it's not an option for what and how I shoot, I need a middle of the range lens. I tested the 24-105 that came with my original 5d and several others and wasn't happy with any of them, the pin-cushion and overall lack of sharpness was similar to or worse than the 24-70.

Do I look again at the Tamron? What other options are there? What are you shooting on a FF sensor with a short-medium zoom?

I need it for everything from on-location in small office spaces studio shots, music events (walking through crowds and stage shots), wider on-location fashion shoots and family shoots on-location.

Actually, lensrentals just wrote an article about the 24-70s. Perhaps yours need a re-build.

http://www.lensrentals​.com …0/the-limits-of-variation

I've had my 24-70 for about 6 years now also. I've always found it to be an un-inspiring lens, a lens that I really don't want to use but I find it on my camera quite frequently. It's kinda become my lens to use when I'm not exactly sure what I'm getting into......and maybe that's why I don't care for it as much.

I will sell my 28-70 tomorrow, if the buyer follows through.

It's just too much of a bad citizen in the bag, and I often have enough time to use primes. I discovered since I often left it home the most use I got out of it was for tests comparing bodies since it's my only f/2.8 zoom and I used the zoom to compensate for the sensor size (along with moving). Not worth binding so much money.

If in the future I have a need to be indoors with a strict requirement for a zoom I will try the Tamron and only do something else if that one actually sucks.

The buyer covers ballroom dancing and isn't allowed to use a flash. Not much choice on his side.

You're just going throught the 6 year itch. At times like these it's important to remember all the good times you've had and also to remember what it was like the first time you held your new 24-70L. You stated that you have been with other lenses for which you did not care for and you chose the 24-70L forsaking all others. Why now do you think that you could find something in another lens that you find currently lacking in your 24-70L especially when you did not find it in these other lenses the first time?

To be honest I do not think there is anything better out there especially if you have ruled out the 24-105L and primes. I have owned the Sigma 24-70 and 24-60 as well as the Tamron 28-75 and my 24-105L is sharper and focuses faster than any of them.

Maybe you need to buy a new 24-70L and test it against yours and if it is sharper keep it and sell your old lens. If it isn't then return the new lens and you'll only be out the shipping costs. Buy from a seller, such as Adorama, that has a 30 day inspection period with no question return policy.

I bought a used copy. It was okay but fell short of expectations in a few areas - nothing horrible - focus ring shifted a bit, zoom ring stickiness, lens barrel wobbled slightly, pixel peeping issues on edges and corners.

I sent it in to Canon and I'm very happy with the results. $100 later,the focus ring is fine, zoom ring is better (still tight at the short end), no barrel wobble, and image quality is much improved. Only issue is the bottom left corner softness when pixel peeping at 24mm. Left corner is consistent with other 24-70mm corners so I'm fine with my copy.

My appreciation for the lens has grown over time. I eventually traded my 24-105mm because the 24-70mm took its place.

It is a film-era lens so it's not super sharp like the 70-200 II, but it does a fine job for its intended purpose. It'll do for me until the 24-70 II arrives

My 24-70L lens is my workhorse. And it's a brilliant lens. Very sharp for a zoom. On a full frame camera it's brillant and superior to the 24-105. I just re-read your post. Ha. Yeah it does most things well, but not great. It's not quite a wide angle and not long enough to be a telephoto ... but if it were say a 20-100 I don't think it'd be optically as good.

frankk wrote in post #13395704
I bought a used copy. It was okay but fell short of expectations in a few areas - nothing horrible - focus ring shifted a bit, zoom ring stickiness, lens barrel wobbled slightly, pixel peeping issues on edges and corners.

I sent it in to Canon and I'm very happy with the results. $100 later,the focus ring is fine, zoom ring is better (still tight at the short end), no barrel wobble, and image quality is much improved. Only issue is the bottom left corner softness when pixel peeping at 24mm. Left corner is consistent with other 24-70mm corners so I'm fine with my copy.

My appreciation for the lens has grown over time. I eventually traded my 24-105mm because the 24-70mm took its place.

It is a film-era lens so it's not super sharp like the 70-200 II, but it does a fine job for its intended purpose. It'll do for me until the 24-70 II arrives

It is supposed to be tighter on the short end of the zoom.

wfarrell4 wrote in post #13395740
It is supposed to be tighter on the short end of the zoom.

Yes. Thanks. I figured that out after I got it back and did research. 24-28mm is tighter than 28-70mm.

i am thinking about selling my 24-105 to get 24-70. May be I should hold on to it a little longer.

jra wrote in post #13395531
I've had my 24-70 for about 6 years now also. I've always found it to be an un-inspiring lens, a lens that I really don't want to use but I find it on my camera quite frequently. It's kinda become my lens to use when I'm not exactly sure what I'm getting into......and maybe that's why I don't care for it as much.

+1.

It is my less sharp lens.
but when I'm not sure, I bring it.

my other lenses are :

50 1.8
85 1.8
100 L
70-200 IS

I know it is not as sharp as other, but... It is the most flexible lens I have, and my widest lens too.

jra wrote in post #13395531
I've always found it to be an un-inspiring lens

since when zoom is inspiring? Yes the 24-70 is simply a workhorse and nothing more. My 24-105 is just gathering dust...

Lots of variance in this lens, good ones and some not so good. Check out the link above, your's might need some work.

Have you had the lens serviced in the last 6 years. They are a precision instrument and need looking after. My 24-70 is sharp at 2.8.

kin2son wrote in post #13396240
since when zoom is inspiring?..

Since when is any mass produced bit of consumer electronics inspiring? Inspiration has to be in you. People who look to gear (L primes, 1D bodies) to get inspired usually become bored. They churn the gear for a while and then when they have tried it all they move on to golf or sailing or something.