5D MK II - Kit lens or NOT to Kit Lens

Please provide some input,

5dMk2 with 24-105 F4L IS or should I just buy the body and get a separate lens?

I was thinking of the 24-70 F2.8L or the 16-35 F2.8L.

Please note, as this is my first L lens purchase, previously I was using a 400D with 17-55 F2.8 IS.

I was hoping for something with IS so video recording hand held would be nice, but it seems like I'm going to need the F2.8 for low light video recording.

Any input, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance~

is money a concern?

the 24-70 is about $1200 brand new
the 24-105 is about $1100 brand new

however, the 24-105 is about $800 if you buy the kit ($2700 + $800)

my suggestion would be:

get the kit, try out the lens and see if you like it. if you don't, sell it for $950-$1000 and get the 24-70. that'll save you some money.

I got a good deal on the 5d MK 2 body, so I have some money to spend on a lens. Which is why I was considering the 24-70 or the 16-35
I don't want to get the kit lens as I have already played around with it, It has great range on what it can do but, I don't want to stick to an F4 lens.
Any other suggestions are welcome

Get the 24-70L + 70-200L and cover the 24-200 range seamlessly in two great f/2.8 lenses.
John

What you shoot?

This question may help us finding the appropriate answer. Of course 24-70, 16-35 II 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 all are excellent lenses. And you won't regret buying any..

john-in-japan wrote in post #7981931
Get the 24-70L + 70-200L and cover the 24-200 range seamlessly in two great f/2.8 lenses.
John

I agree with John the 24-70 and 70-200 IS are a great comb that you just can’t beat on the 5D mkII.

You will find 24 is wide enough, I have not used the 16-35 since getting the 5D mkII. (hey wait a minute you interested in a 16-35?)

I'm unfamiliar with the 24-105, but I'm instinctively predisposed to convince anyone to avoid getting the "kit" lens. The 24-70 or the 16-35 is the go-to lens of many photographers. From my [LImited] experience, the 24-105 just isn't a lens people buy to act as the cornerstone of their equipment.

I received my 5Dii a couple days ago, and haven't been so enchanted by a camera since my original upgrade from a P&S to a Rebel. I was very close to dumping my fisheye, because I was extremely unhappy with results I got with my 40D, 50D, and 1Diii...but, I couldn't bring myself to take that lens off the camera this weekend. That leads me to believe this camera makes a lot of average lenses seem great...and can make a great lens legendary.

Ultimately, the kit lens is classified as "L" caliber and is probably a great jack of all trades lens....However, I think you'll be happier purchasing a specific lens that suits your particular purposes from the start. If you're gonna drop that kind of cheese on a body, I'd hope you have a specific use in mind, and would want to buy the lens that allows you to best achieve that use.

24-105 is a fantastic lens. Boils down to:

Do you need 70-105mm? Do you need IS?
or
Do you need f/2.8?

Simple solution based on the answers above.

Since you're asking, it suggests to me that you might benefit from starting off with the kit lens as well. It is an overall more versatile lens. Once you've learned it and are finding its creative limitation, THEN get the 24-70.

cheers =). you'll love the 5d2

I have used many lens on my camera before (rent), so I know which lens do what, but I've always been using a 1.6 crop sensor camera so I don't know how they would look on the 5d. I think I might just get the 24-70 first to start with, since I will be photo shooting people. I wanted the 16-35 for video recording, wide image. However it seems like the 24-70 will give me a better range of shooting I want to do.

The 24 - 105 absolutely ROCKS! Covers everything you want for a walking around lens. Need distance, carry your extender - you should/must have at least the 1.4.

24-70 is a great lens too; just doesn't have the distance for a one lens day.

Great lens.

Using term "kit lens" in this context is slightly misleading. That 24-105/f4L lens is great. If one needs f2.8 with the range then of course that is not a choice but otherwise no reason to overlook it.

subscribing

I'm extremely pleased with the way my 24-70 and 70-200 perform on the 5D Mark II, but what surprised me the most is how much more I like my 85mm f/1.8 now. Since you enjoy shooting people you may want to consider one.

Either way, you can sell or trade the 24-105 F4L for more than you bought it in the kit if you don't like it. The bundle is a great value.