Improved optics, improved stabilization, improved autofocus, there’s not much that isn’t improved about the new Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS II. Maybe that’s why Kaiman Wong calls it “Canon’s best lens” in his latest gear review.
If you were to ask 100 people what Canon’s best lens is, chances are good a majority would not mention this lens. Even if you limited their answers to zoom lenses, we have a feeling the 24-70mm f/2.8L would still trounce the 24-105 in the polls. So why did Kai like it so much?
The answer comes down to this: it’s perhaps the perfect combination of practicality and performance. The extra range over the 24-70 comes in very handy, and the previous iteration’s issues—soft corners at the extreme ends of the focal range, fringing, etc.—have been improved, if not entirely resolved.
Kai’s conclusion, in the end, goes something like this:
It might disappoint some, but it is still one of the best lenses to have for the Canon system, if not the best. It’s the first one you should get, and perhaps the one you should never let go of.
The only question now is: why would you get the Canon version, when Sigma’s 24-105mm f/4 Art lens is $300 cheaper, and reportedly a better performer overall?
