Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

Canon is very active in the digital photography industry as it continues to release new digital SLR and point and shoot models. The recent release of the EOS 60D as well as the success of the various EOS Mark designs models show that Canon is coming out strong in the DSLR market. Many of these Canon cameras come with kit lenses to provide support in the overall quality of the image as well as a degree of flexibility when using the DSLR camera’s functions. However, professional photographers will find the kit lenses to be limited in specs and may opt for something built with advanced materials such as the UD glass element. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM provides this enhancement along with many other functions that professionals will appreciate.

Design & Construction

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM looks very similar to the Canon EF 28-70 f/2.8L that is meant to replace. Being a high-end general purpose lens, the build quality is much better than the ordinary lenses that cost hundreds of dollars cheaper. But the lens is strictly for professional photographers as lens itself is much heavier than Canon’s other EF lens offerings making the optics much more advanced. The lens construction itself is made up of 16 elements in 13 groups. It weighs nearly a single kilogram, which is about double the weight of a kit lens so attaching this in a typical Canon EOS camera requires good grip or a tripod. The layout remains logical and the overall handling is still comfortable so photographers that are used to high-end lenses should feel at home. The refined design also gives the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM better protection against moisture and dust for a longer lifespan.

Actual user review:
“Simply put, this is the best all-around lens that Canon manufactures. It produces razor-sharp images with startling color and saturation, and at f/2.8 across the zoom range is capable of shooting in all but the dimmest of lighting conditions. The “L” glass is simply the best out there, bar none, from any manufacturer. It’s pricey, but well worth it. I use this lens for portrait and wedding photography, landscapes, sports, and anything else that doesn’t require extreme telephoto. In concert with my EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM lens, I find that these two lenses cover just about everything I ever want to shoot. Of the two lenses, if I could pick only one, it would be the 24-70mm, because it’s so versatile and can shoot so many situations. The 70-200mm is also a marvelous, invaluable lens, but at 70mm is limited in wide-angle situations. I can’t recommend this lens highly enough. If you can afford the entry fee, you’ll have no hint of buyer’s remorse once you see the spectacular images this lens produces.” – R.Koharyo (WA,USA)

 

Features & Specifications

Unlike its predecessor, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM can now serve as an ultra-wide-angle lens with its 24mm setting. Using this setting invites film shooters to try out these lenses as well. It is also an ideal setting for taking landscape pictures as well as group pictures. However, this setting highlights some of the lens’s minor weaknesses such as the vignetting and instances of barrel distortion. Other types of distortion like pincushion distortion are only present at 50mm settings and above.

Fortunately, the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is best in sharpness quality being sharper than most other zoom lenses currently sold in these price points. The corner softness isn’t much of a big deal especially under 50mm and most of the problem can be solved when stopping down to f/5.6.

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is also yields excellent performance in contrast, saturation, and color. It handles Chromatic Aberration extremely well for its category and the wide 8-blade aperture produces just the right amount of background blur. When using the fixed f/2.8 aperture setting, the performance is speedy and the bokeh production is decent.

The autofocus performance is very good overall. It is powered by a Ring Ultrasonic Motor so the autofocus operates quietly. It is also fast and accurate and pairs very well with supported Canon EOS bodies. FTM or Full-Time Manual focusing is enabled as well.

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM makes up the lack of compatibility of Canon extenders by allowing extension tubes to be used for improved macro photography. Even without this extension tube, the short distance still provides good Maximum Magnification so taking flower shots should be fine.

Bottom Line

This lens is all about possibilities and these possibilities are what make the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM an excellent choice for any professional photographer especially if they are into wedding photography, sports photography, or indoor photography. Although it is considerably heavier than other lenses, the lens does not need to be changed very often thanks to the 24-70mm range and above average image quality. Attaching the lens to a lighter body isn’t a bad idea for some photographers. Some of the areas that have flaws can be corrected using photo editing software. Many photographers categorize this lens as a “walk-around” lens or “all-purpose lens”. Others simply claim that this is one of the best Canon lenses available and the specs clearly show that.

Average User Rating:
Actual User Reviews:

• “I can honestly say that this is one of the only pieces of equipment I own that I enjoy and appreciate using MORE every time I use it. Holding this lens literally brings a smile to my face. I’ve owned this lens for about six months now and have shot ~1500 exposures with it. The first thing you will notice taking it out of the box is the weight and build quality. Holding it in your hand, you will feel the value of the lens. Needless to say, this lens excels in the realm of sharpness, contrast, color, and versatility. The weight seems to be an issue to some, but to me it is perfect. It’s just heavy enough to give you stability in slow shutter speeds, yet not too heavy that your arms tire out. I have achieved sharp 1/15th F/2.8 exposures handheld, for which I give credit to the weight.” – J.R.Hunter (USA)

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• “The EF 24-70mm f/2.8L is a high quality lens that gives sharp details and saturation of color throughout its various focal lengths — it is as though you are using several straight lenses all in one lens. Even though this is a fast lens, during a professional shoot in Las Vegas in a dimly lighted hotel, I still needed to use a flash to get professional results. Despite being very heavy (2.1 lbs), the lens is a favorite of photojournalists and professionals who shoot weddings and conventions. You will need a grip on your camera to balance the lens and it is too heavy to be considered a true walk-around lens. The autofocus, which has a manual over-ride, is quiet, quick and smooth. The lens is also sealed and gasketed against dust and moisture. Its hood is large (4.25″ diameter by 3.25″ length) and when attached to the lens it can make any photographer look like a professional. Since the price of this lens is more than $1,000.00, I suggest that you do not buy this lens unless you really are into photography. There are a lot of other non-L Canon lenses that give near equal quality images at much lower prices. For a lighter weight zoom lens in the (Luxury) L-series, I suggest the 24-105 f/4L (23.6 oz) with (IS) Image Stablization which can be used for portraits (with greater depth of field than the f/2.8), landscapes and as a walk-around lens. If you don’t want to spend quite as much, the non-L 28-135mm with IS is also a very good lens that is used by professionals as a general use/walk-around lens and gives L quality-like results. Unlike Canon’s EF-S lenses, the 24-70mm, 24-105mm and the 28-135, can be used with both the full-frame and APS 1.6 factor digital camera formats — which is a Major Plus!” – P.Hill (USA)

 

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