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

Part 1

Rating: TBA

Pros: Good sharpness. (Almost constant from f/4 to f/11)
Fast focussing. (Faster than both the 17-40 f/4 L and the 70-200 f/4 L IS)
Relatively affordable. (Some might give this lens a pass since its only about $300 cheaper)
77mm filter size. (Constant with most other L zooms)

Cons: Still a tad hefty.

I picked up a copy of the lens today afternoon from Cathay. I was looing for a replacment for my aging 28-70 f/2.8 and was curious to try out the f/4 version of the standard zoom. This lens is still hefty in my books though the difference in size between this and the 28-70 f/2.8 (and 24-70) is quite significant but it balances well with my 5D (with battery grip) and 1Ds Mk III. The IS mechanism is a lot less audible than the ones on the 70-200 f/4 L IS. Zoom ring feels tight and solid and so is the rest of the lens.

The first thing I noticed about this lens while trying it out in the shop is that it focusses faster than both the 17-40 f/4 L and the 70-200 f/4 L IS. There isn't much difference in sharpness from f/4 to f/11 as far as I can tell. This is good because at f/4, the performance is much better than the 17-40 f/4 L and this is across the range. Yes, this lens gives decent and constant performance across the range. First trials showed that the colour rendition is pretty vibrant though I suspect it would be a tad too much for some to accept.

This should no doubt be a good choice for travelling with its versatile range. I'm not too worried about it being 1 stop slower than the f/2.8 given that the latest camera bodies can handle noise pretty well at high ISOs. Will continue to use the lens for the next 2 weeks to come and hopefully to provide some photos and if I can, find a few flaws....... until then.....