Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS USM and Canon 60D or 7D

[martinp2502]

I'm planning on replacing my Canon 600D but not sure what to go for. I class myself as an enthusiastic hobbyist, sometimes shooting for days on the trot but other times the camera sulks in the bag for a month, so there's no way you'll find me melting my credit card for a 5D MkIII.

I've been perfectly happy with the 600D but my wife has decided she's having it... so that's it. She just loves the vari angle LCD (which I confess I'm rather fond of myself) and thinks it's time to wave goodbye to her 400D. I thought of going for a 60D and then a friend started raving about his 7D. As per usual what should be a fairly easy task for me turns into a mass of review reading and note making.

I'd appreciate any comments from people that own either of these?

Also the blue eyed beauty has decided she's having the 18-135 lens that's almost permanently attached so I need to get another. I'm thinking of the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS USM.

Any thoughts will be gratefully received.

[Geoff F]

7D with 24-105 L lens is probably my most used equipment. Apart from specialist lenses for macro etc.

Although I also rate my Canon 70-200 L lens highly. If anything, possibly better than the 24-105 but it depends on the subjects.

When my 40D died, although now resuscitated, I looked at a few bodies and was about to purchase an 'unused' 50D which I thought would actually suit me better than a new 60D.

But after a bit of shopping around, I discovered a 7D at a discounted price; and I am glad I decided to go in that direction.

After a bit of customising it is as easy to use as the 40D but with a few optional extras. However, a tiltable viewing screen isn't one of the options.

That suits me fine though; I never use live view shooting and in bright conditions I'm happy to find a darker area to review what I have shot.

Tried the video once, just as an experiment, but having that wouldn't be a reason for purchase.

Possibly a case of viewing both options side by side. A friend had purchased a 60D and comparing it to my old 40D was what made up my mind.

[patrick9x9]

I have the 7D and the 24-105. I love them both dearly, although I did splurge and get the 5D MkIII also. Shame on me. Love them both and glad I have them both. 5D MkIII I use for landscapes which I do a lot of but still use the 7D for my 100-400 for wildlife. That being said, I have a friend who has the 60D and I showed her how to use it and I don't think you can go wrong with that either if it fits your budget better. Basically with the 60D you give up some fps, however you do get that little vari-angle LCD which could be handy I admit but wasn't important to me.

[martinp2502]

Thanks for your comments Geoff / Patrick. Seems the 24-105 is a definite for the to buy list then. Just need to make up my mind on the camera body to fit it to.

[William W]

What other lens(es) do you have?

Also the blue eyed beauty has decided she's having the 18-135 lens that's almost permanently attached so I need to get another. I'm thinking of the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS USM. Any thoughts will be gratefully received.

I suggest you consider seriously how much you use / used the 18mm to 23mm range.

24mm is not all that wide on an APS-C camera - it might be wide enough for you - but it is not as wide as what you have at the moment.

AND - whilst a UWA Lens + 24 to 105 is nice combination for an APS-C camera: then one must consider how convenient or inconvenient it is having a FL = 24mm to make the lens change.

WW

[martinp2502]

What other lens(es) do you have?




I suggest you consider seriously how much you use / used the 18mm to 23mm range.

24mm is not all that wide on an APS-C camera - it might be wide enough for you - but it is not as wide as what you have at the moment.

AND - whilst a UWA Lens + 24 to 105 is nice combination for an APS-C camera: then one must consider how convenient or inconvenient it is having a FL = 24mm to make the lens change.

WW

Good points. Currently we have a few 18-55 and 70-300 IS kit lenses around the place. It's only been the last year that photography has become a major interest so there's a bit of building up the kit going on. I don't seem to do many really wide angle shots.

[dje]

Hi Martin

I'm sure you are well aware of this but "blue eyed beauties" usually get what they want !

I'll second Bill's point about the 18-23mm range. I shoot mainly landscapes with my 600D and I use this range a lot. But I guess it depends a lot on what you do.

Dave

Oops, looks like I was typing whilst you replied.

[inkista]

Just me, but go for the 7D if a) you can live without the vari-angle screen, and b) you don't mind buying new remotes and memory cards (cable release port is a different connector, and CF cards are used, not SD), c) you shoot a LOT of fast action, and d) you've always been irritated by how your autufocus was just a hair off all the time and you had to keep sending your lenses for calibration to Canon Service . Otherwise, if you were happy with the 600D, you'll probably be really happy with a 60D, and you can get them for a lot cheaper than a 7D.

Lens-wise, I shoot with a 24-105 on a 50D, and it's not ideal. It's a much better fit for a full-frame camera, and it lives more or less welded to the front of my 5DMkII. It's not that the 24-105 is bad on crop. It's more than fine, particularly for someone who shoots long. But the missing wide end is an issue. Would highly recommend that if you wanted to upgrade from simply getting another 18-135 IS, that you consider the 24-105's crop analog: the EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. It's not an L, and it's not a constant f/4, but it's only one stop slower at the long end, and the 15mm at the wide end is the equivalent of 24mm on full frame, FoV-wise. It also has UD elements for correction, so it's not going to be consumer-grade image quality. The build quality won't be as heavy-duty, but the image quality is nicer than the old EF-S 17-85 which it replaced, (and which was no slouch to begin with). If you really want a bargain, a used 17-85 probably hits the sweet spot.

[rpcrowe]

I love my 7D for many reasons. In fact, I love it so much that I recently replaced the second camera I carried (40D) with a refurbished 7D that I got for a good price. It is more expensive than the 60D but has several bells and whistles which I consider important. Among these are the wonderfully customizeable auto focus system and the three User Selected Modes which I take advantage of in almost all my shooting.

However, you mentioned one thing that might sour you on using the 7D. If you like an articulating LCD screen (I don't particularly care about this) and if this is important in your shooting, the 60D might just be the camera for you. The articulating screen might just be more important than either the customizeable A/F or three User Modes.

The 24-105mm f/4L IS lens is generally a great lens. Some photographers consider it not wide enough on a crop camera but, in my style of shooting it would work quite well. I would back this up with a wider lens - such as a 12-24mm f/4 Tokina. I once shot with a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens and the 12-24mm Tokina. These two lenses worked just fine for me.

What do I use now? I shoot with a 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and a 70-200mm f/4L IS on a pair of cameras (as I mentioned, I am now using two 7D cameras). But, you have to be a glutton for punishment to carry two bodies. I am that glutton because I absolutely LOVE having excellent image quality, fast and accurate auto focus and a steady f/2.8 aperture in my mid range zoom with a steady f/4 in my telephoto.

[William W]

Currently we have a few 18-55 and 70-300 IS kit lenses around the place. It's only been the last year that photography has become a major interest so there's a bit of building up the kit going on. I don't seem to do many really wide angle shots.

Thanks for answering.

Considering the underlined section, I suggest that there are also: styles, genres and interests which will blossom.
Not labouring this point for no reason, but, established and experienced photographers, like Richard for example, I expect would have made a purchase choice (of the 24 to 105) based upon how they knew they would use the lens - so I’m merely re-iterating that you have detailed think on this point of how wide the lens is (or is not).

Regarding the lens itself – it is an high quality optic and produces very good to excellent results.

I find mine a very useful lens indeed and though I do not use it very often on my APS-C Cameras, when I do, I find the extra Focal Length, compared to an EF-S 17 to 55F/2.8 IS for example, is really handy.

My 24 to 105 has a little zoom creep, which is annoying but not insanely so: a lot of that has to do with the way I sling my cameras: anyway a wide elastic band can remedy.

Another point for consideration is the maximum aperture of F/4 and the two major elements that brings: firstly capacity for the Arresting of Subject Movement and secondly the capacity for Shallow DoF.

The first point of arresting Subject Movement is linked to the ISO capacity of the camera you choose and the Camera Format does not figure in the equation. So I suggest you should value the HIGH ISO capacity of the camera, as high on the selection criteria for it.

The second factor, of Shallow DoF capacity, however, is a matter where Camera Format does reckon and therefore, if you do want reasonable to extreme Shallow DoF capacity, you might look later toward a Prime Lens, or two.

WW

[martinp2502]

Thanks very much for all your comments people. It always impresses me how so many are willing to give a bit of their time to answer questions. I'll take all your comments into consideration and let you know what the final decision is.

Cheers

[davidedric]

Or, if you are feeling patient and optimistic wait for the fabled 70D - and either buy it or wait for prices on the other bodies to drop a fair bit . As another 600D owner thinking of but not desperate for an upgrade, it is sort of what I am doing.

[Gaab]

I am also interested in lens advice for a Canon 600D.

My current lenses are the Sigma 105mm macro, Sigma 10-22mm and I recently sold my 2 kit lenses to put towards my new purchase 70-200L F4. Whilst only a hobbyist photographer I am trying to build up my lenses.

I feel I am missing a walkaround lens between my 10-22 and 70-200. I was thinking of either the 24-105L, EFS 17-55 or the EFS 15-85.

I'm after a lens that I can use with the family on holidays, around theme parks etc.

Any advice is also appreciated.

[William W]

I am also interested in lens advice for a Canon 600D. . .My current lenses . . . Sigma 105mm macro, Sigma 10-22mm . . . 70-200L F4 . . . I feel I am missing a walkaround lens between my 10-22 and 70-200. I was thinking of either the 24-105L, EFS 17-55 or the EFS 15-85.

Is that a typo? What telephoto zoom do you have?
EF 70 to 200 F/4 L - OR - EF 70 to 200 F/4 L IS ?

You’re already in the position of having a 10 to 22.

I see the main questions that YOU need to address for you to make a satisfactory choice are:
• When I am carrying all my kit do I want to make lens changes at 22/24?
• When I am carrying only one lens, is 24 wide enough for what I do as “walk around?”
• When I am carrying only one lens, is 55 (or 85) long enough for what I do as “walk around?”
• Do I want IS from 55 (or 85) to 105? (assumes that you have NOT made a typo describing the telephoto zoom)
• Is having a NON-Varying Maximum Aperture zoom important?
• Is HAVING a gap from 55 to 70 a problem?
• How important is F2.8 vs F/4?

If it were me - I know my answers – I’d buy the EF-S 17 to 55 F/2.8 IS USM fo a Walk About lens on any APS-C camera, if I only had APS-C camera(s).

But what I rate as important: you might not - hence a list of questions for you to explore, research and answer.

WW

[Harpo]

Dave mentioned this already… the 70D is supposedly coming out this year. The 7DII is scheduled for next year. When that comes out, the 7Ds might drop in price? Another thing to think about.

[davidedric]

I have the Sigma 17 to 70, f2.8 to 4, dc macro os as my carry about lens on my 600d. I'm very happy with it, certainly worth a look.

Dave

[DanK]

I'm the odd one out. I don't have the 24-105, but I do have a lens that bottoms out at a similar focal length (Tamron 28-75), and I found the short end too long for a walk-around on a crop sensor camera. I love the lens and still use it a lot, but for a walk-around, I found I wanted something that goes wider. My walk-around when speed is not an issue is now the EF-S 15-85. It really is a matter of what kind of shooting you do.

[Zora]

I'll just add my 2 cents (believe me it's not worth any more than that). I have the 17-55 and although it's a great all round lens it is pricey, heavey and it's not an L lens. On our last trip to Belize I somehow managed to get sand in the freaking thing and there went almost $200 for the fix. I'm now looking at 24-105 for a couple of reasons but one of those is its superior quality.

We are moving to Costa Rica in the near future and looking back I wish now I had put money towards at least 1 good L lens. Oh well, such is life. In any event I'm happy with my 50D as it is a sturdier version of the 60D and since I have no desire to shoot video or need that articulating screen it's all good.

If you get the 24-105 I'd love to hear how it works out for you! And 7D? Totally jealous if you go that route!

Roz

[Geoff F]

Ideal lens sizes seem to vary considerably between photographers.

I purchased my 24-105 to replace an old 28-135 and I do miss that 30 mm at the long end. But rarely shoot at the 24 mm end, even with a crop sensor 7D.

So it mostly seems to depend on your individual subjects and locations.

[Adrian]

Well, here is a slightly different perspective. I have access to a 1.6 crop factor 7D (teenage son's) and my own full frame 5DIII and office 6D. We have a couple of 24-105L lenses and it is a superb lens at a sensible price.

However, I also now have a 16-35 f2.8L and a 24-70 f2.8L and given the choice, as a "walk around" lens I will very often choose the 16-35 (that is if my son has not snaffled it first as on a crop the 24 end of the 24-105 is not that wide).

If I am walking around a city say, or visiting a historical house, or doing some shots indoors or in dark conditions....the additional wide end is often more useful to me than the ability to zoom in, and the f2.8 v f4 makes surprisingly big difference in every day use.

I would encourage you to try the lenses if you can. Whilst the 24-105L is often packaged as an upper end kit lens, and whilst it is a decent compromise especially on full frame, with what I have found in practice I am not sure I would actually choose it if I were buying my equipment again. Price is obviously a factor in its favour.