Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens

[pmwbmw]

Greetings, I have the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens and I would like to know how to verify that it is OK. I use it on my Canon XTI / D400 and I am disappointed with it.
Thank you in advance.

[ArmySoldier777]

In what way(s) are you disappointed with it? Sharpness? Focusing? Color? Vignette? Build?



David

[Saralonde]

Posting some pictures you took with it could help.

[gazsus]

If you're 'disappointed' with that lens you're doing it wrong, simple as that.

[inkista]

Actually, most everyone gets disappointed by either their first L, or the 24-105L. Mostly because a) their expectations are unrealistic (still just a lens; not magic. Remember, the 24-105 is the 5Dii's kit lens.) and b) the high cost has misled them into thinking that because it is 3x as expensive, it should be 3x sharper, 3x more beautifuller, etc. etc.

The 24-105 does have faults. It exhibits more distortion and C/A at 24mm than one expects from an L lens. This one is something of a design compromise (f/4 & IS instead of f/2.8 and the much larger zoom range in a more compact body than the 24-70/2.8L). Also, it's designed for film, not crop. You want the lens that does on crop what the 24-105 does on a full frame, go for the EF-S 15-85 IS USM. If you pressed me, I'd definitely say my 135L has better image quality than my 24-105. But the 24-105 is the most versatile all-occasion lens in my bag, and is attached to the front of my 5Dii about 90% of the time.

But yes, stop looking at stuff at 100% magnification. That's just dumb. Stop thinking you don't have to do anything with the lens to make a good picture with it. You still need good handholding technique; you still need to know how to compose, and you still need control of your autofocus system. IS will not take the place of a tripod, and you will probably only reliably get 2 stops out of it--assuming you had good handholding technique in the first place. Yes. It's that big. Yes. It's that heavy. Get over it. It's considered small and light among the Ls.

And yeah. See? We weren't lying when we said your 18-55 / 17-85 / 28-135, etc. etc. really didn't suck that bad.