Getting the L bug. Help!

I did a model shoot at the weekend and borrowed my friends Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM

I was really pleased with the results and have now got the bug and want to get my own L lens.

Thing is I would like to have a more 'walk round' lens as although I was pleased with the results it is a bit limited in range.

I guess the obvious choice would be the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM but I am grateful for any other advice along these lines.

I mainly shoot promo girls at car and bike shows both portrait and full length but would like a wider angle to get cars and stages etc in but also a bit of zoom for longer shots.

I know it is asking a lot but it does sound like the 24-105 is about right. How does that compare in IQ to the 17 - 40?

Many Thanks

Depending on your body. On a crop, 24mm might be wide enough and force you to really take a step back which is where the 17-40L works well due to its wide angle.

24-105 f4L IS was awesome for the London Motor Show I shot and was a good workout for it as it handled virtually every situation well, on a 5D though so it covered everything.

Hello there fellow Skid Know what ya mean bout the L bug - I'm about to drop the bomb and let the wife know I'm ordering a 24-70 !

If it has to be an L zoom, you are a bit out of luck, I'm afraid.
It boils down to the 16-35, the 17-40, the 24-70 and the 24-105. None is really going to give you both wide and long.
(Unless you are shooting a 5D, in which case the 24-105 is ideal, but I'm assuming an APS-C body here).

Your closest is the 24-105. If that is too wide, then you'll have to abandon the idea of a single L zoom. How about the 17-55/2.8 IS, the 17-85 IS or the 18-200 IS?

Thanks guys. I should have said that it is a crop (40D).

I guess before I make my mind up I need to get the money!!

If you need something for everyday use, why not a compact multitool use swiss arm knife style lens. Canon EFS 18-200IS?

Ok optically it does not live up to the L's but give you a good range.

I say forget the red ring and get a 17-55IS. It is *the best* EF-S lens for general purpose. Optically it's indistinguishable from L zooms.

I have a Sigma 17-70 which I was pleased with until I used the Canon and I also have a Canon 28 - 135 IS and a Sigma 70 - 300 and the Canon 50 f1.4

So I am starting to think I am not bothered about the quality so much in a zoom so I might just go for the 17-40 L

Skids wrote in post #6575371
I mainly shoot promo girls at car and bike shows both portrait and full length but would like a wider angle to get cars and stages etc in but also a bit of zoom for longer shots.

On a crop body, the 24-70 L should do quite nicely for that type of work considering that Canon's most popular portrait lens are 50 and 85mm primes, the 24-70 will behave like a 38.4mm to 112mm on a 1.6 crop body, which will cover those classic focal lengths. And because car and bike shows tend to take place in locations that are large enough to allow you to take a few extra steps backward to get your subjects in view, it should serve you well with equal of better image quality compared to the 17-40 for sharpness and color and superior bokeh qualities for traditional portraits.

Cheers!