Canon EF 24-105 L - Is it really a sharp lens ?

[rashedahmed]

<p>Before buying a Canon EF 24-105L lens I have gone through net lens review sites. Also seen the optical quality

on other sites photo taken by photographers. But I am disapointed after buying one. I also checked 2-3 pcs. of 24-10

5L just to compare the results with my lens.It's all the same. I tried the lens with 350D APS-C sensor,5D FF sens

or also on 1Ds MIII body. Is it really a sharp lens ? I found my EF 24-85 f/3.5 rough used for two years is still sharp

er than my new 24-105L lens! Also the DOF is less to the EF 24-85 len

s.<br>

Note : All lens tested with same focal length,same f/ stop,same lighting and of course, same subject

and same defult mode in

[PuppyDigs]

<p>I have an EF 24-85 3.5-4.5 USM and an EF 24-105 4L USM. The 24-85 is a decent lens but my 24-105 L is head 'n shoulders above it in terms of contrast, sharpness and build quality. In fact, my 24-105 L is sharper than my EF 50 1.4 USM at F4 50mm! Also whips my EF 50 1.8 (MK I) at F4 50mm. The 24-105 is one of the the sharpest zooms I have owned, and I have owned over 30 since 1990.</p>

<p>Some years back I had a 70-200 4L USM that was really soft on the left side. FRickin' blur city. Marshmallow. It was defective but that doesn't mean all 70-200 were soft on the left side, just mine! I sent it to CAnon Service and they aligned it and now it's sharp across the frame. Sounds like your 24-105 may need calibration. Shit happens...</p>

[rainer_t]

<p>Again?<br>

http://www.photo.net/casual-conversations-forum/00T6Rk</p>

[rob_slifkin]

<p>I rented a 24-105 recently for a trip to Egypt. Using it on a 40D, it was tack sharp, even wide open. As was the 70-200 f/4L I rented with it.</p>

[psoriano]

<p>

 

 

<p>I also have an EF 24-85 3.5-4.5 USM, a very sharp one, and an EF 24-105 4L USM. From the I did tests with my 5D, the results from both lenses are very nice and roughly comparable in terms of sharpness across the common range and across the frame. The biggest problem of my 24-85 is flare resistance, its absence in fact!</p>

 

 

</p>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>Rainer, you are right: this posting is pure cut-and-paste of the other thread. Well, not quite: he missed the last word ;)</p>

[images_in_light_north_west]

<p>Yes it is very sharp, do a search on PN and you will find this talked about at least 100 times.</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>It is sharp. I'd say more but apparently you are double posting?</p>

[f72]

<p>yes it is.</p>

[KenPapai]

<p>why worry so much OP ? Are you capable of perfect technique to 100% take advantage of the top "sharpness" of each lens you use?</p>

[robin_sibson1]

<p>"Also the DOF is less to the EF 24-85 len s." Let's just think about what that tells us for a moment ...!</p>

[dogbert]

<p>MY copy is very good. Better than any other zoom I have used of the same focal length and as good as some of my primes. If you are not happy send it back or send it for calibration.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>I only shoot full frame (either film 1NRS, 1V or 5D mark II). I used to have the 24-105 F4L and was not that impressed. It is not a bad lens (indeed it is very good) but it was not as sharp (or high contrast) as I expected. It may be that I had a poor copy but I replaced it with the 24-70 f2.8L. This lens is still not quite as sharp as a really good prime but is excellent for a zoom. Give this lens a try</p>

[rashedahmed]

<p>Thanks to all.Indid ist's a re-submited posting. Just to be sure who many of you really noticed the sharpness of the lens. You can sharpen the image from your camera settings (Picture Style mode).Most of the photographers think - Wow, how sharp my lens is ? But if you put it in 0 sharpness mode,you will see the acctually how sharp your lens is. I tested my lens in by default mode in standard style( +4 in 5D) body.</p>

<p> </p>

 

[markonestudios]

Very often it is user error to blame, not lens optics. For the record, I have one and it is tack sharp whether on my XTi or my film SLR, even wide open.

[peter_wang6]

<p>Just because a zoom lens has an "L" attached to its specs doesn't mean it's even remotely reasonable to expect it to outperform a "non-L" prime. The laws of physics don't care about whether you call something an "L" or not.</p>

[tim_price2]

<p>The reason digital images have to be sharpened is because of the way digital sensors are engineered, not because lenses are defective. To prevent moire effects, there is an opaque filter in front of the sensor that INTENTIONALLY slightly scatters the light gathered by the lens (thus softening the image). This is euphamistically called an "anti-alias" filter, but in reality it degrades every image the sensor captures.<br>

So, every digital camera's images have to be sharpened to correct for this intentional blurring - whether you realize it or not. Some cameras like the 1d mark 2 do very little in-camera sharpening, wheareas the 5d and rebels do much more - even when each is at its lowest setting. <br>

With that said, I have no idea which of the 2 lenses mentioned is actually sharper, as I've never owned or used either. At some point soon I will probably own one, but I have no idea which.</p>

[lad_lueck]

<p>Rashed wrote: "<br>

Thanks to all.Indid ist's a re-submited posting. Just to be sure who many of you really noticed the sharpness of the lens. You can sharpen the image from your camera settings (Picture Style mode).Most of the photographers think - Wow, how sharp my lens is ? But if you put it in 0 sharpness mode,you will see the acctually how sharp your lens is. I tested my lens in by default mode in standard style( +4 in 5D) body."</p>

<p>No, No, NO!<br>

All consumer digicams *blur* the image that hits the sensor. It's called an Anti-Aliasing (AA) filter. In-camera, or post-processing work MUST sharpen this blurred image so it appears as it would if a film camera had taken the pic with that lens.<br>

How MUCH you sharpen is purely an artistic choice.</p>

[imadkhan]

<p>I picked up mine in London last month, and haven't regretted it. What an awesome lens. IQ is excellent. Really helped me out in Paris too.</p><div></div>