Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras
Review by Michael Morgan : Superb Image Quality Once You Get a "Good Copy"

I have owned two copies of this new lens (Nov 05 and Jan 06 builds). Both consistently front-focused on my Canon calibrated 20D. I kept the Nov 05 lens (much sharper than the Jan 06 copy when manually focused) and sent it to Canon for "calibration." The Jan 06 lens went back to Amazon with a note indicating how it was defective. The calibrated lens now provides very sharp and contrasty images, even wide open at f4 for 24-85mm. Image quality fades somewhat as 105mm is approached but is still excellent if the aperture is stopped down to f5.6. I've conducted controlled tests and this lens is just as sharp at f4 as my Canon 50mm f1.4 when stopped down to f4 and at 70mm it matches the image quality of my excellent 70-200 f4L. The image-stabilization really works and allows sharp photos of stationary or slow moving subjects to be taken in the same light as an f1.4 lens. I'm happy with the final outcome but Canon's poor quality control makes getting a good lens a matter of luck and/or determination.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras
Review by Nathan Hobbs : Amazing Lens!

This lens is miles above the 28-135 IS, its built much better feels better in your hands and the controls are a delight to work with. Your getting every penny you pay for this in quality and technology with this lens and rest assured it WILL preform.

Of course we all could wish it was cheaper, but professional camera gear is just this way... when I go out to do landscape and wildlife photography my jeep triples in value as soon as I put the camera bag in the back.

The Image Stabilization system in this camera is great, leave it on always, its sensitive enough to even help absorb the flicker of the mirror in your camera. You don't have to switch it off when you mount it on a tripod. While it will not save every shot and blur is always a possibility when you go below 1 60th of a second with any lens but I have had great luck using this to hand hold images down to as low as 1/4 of a second some of them turn out some of them dont but the fact that ANY of them turn out is impressive to me and proof the technology works.

You need to know HOW to use the IS however, its important that you allow the internal gyros time to spin up before you take the shot this takes about a half a second. Learning to see the photo before it happens and anticipating the shot is all part of this process, allowing the lens a half second to spin up to speed will allow you to utilize the full potential of IS

The circular aperture of this camera works well and allows you to get the depth of field you want with out the annoying jagged edges in out of focus items that lenses with normal aperture blades will give you. Bokeh is a little weak but we are only at f4 so that is expected.

Speaking of F4 it lets in a fair amount of light, I have not noticed any Vingeting at any focal length, but shooting on a 1.6 sensor crops out the edges...

Compared side by side with the 28-135 on a rebel xti the shots taken with this lens are easily recognizable as more contrasty and sharper. (the 28-135 IS is STILL a great lens however)

As with any lens this one has its own characteristics that you will need to get use to. Flare is very minimal in all but the most extreme lighting situations. However when you do encounter flare (usually only happens when your TRYING to get the lens to flare out on you) you usually get a sharp jagged object with a halo around it, If your trying to create a purposeful flare effect that looks good this is not the lens to use.

If you just bought the rebel XTi this is the kind of lens you are going to need to utilize all ten million pixels on the camera.

So if you buy this lens, congratulations you have just reached the top of technology and optical performance. If treated right this lens will provide you with a life time of images of uncompromising quality.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras
Review by L. Jones "OCwildlife" : Great walkaround, first L lens.

I believe where this lens meets it's expectations is the ability as a walkaround that can shoot everything with quality.

I was looking for a lens that would allow me to have two lenses on a shoot. One being a longer zoom, or one a prime portrait low light, whichever needed, along with my new 24-105Lf4IS... I got tired of lugging alot of lenses around.

The Image Stabilization in this lens is superior to the older version, which makes up for low light situations. It would have been nice though if Canon could have managed a f2.8-4 instead, but the lens takes excellent quality L shots, better quality and color than the 17-85IS. Hand held at 1/7s no prob.

It has become my "always on" lens, the colors are very pleasant, replacing my 17-85IS. If you are looking for a step into the "L" world, this lens is it. You can add the primes later. Now I'm hooked on my first "L".

The 24-105L coupled with the 70-300IS would make a complete package for quality range and pro shots.