Is it acceptable that 1 out of 5 copies of the 24-70mm II are really great?

[bdunbar79]

Well at least my odds are better than winning the lottery and/or getting struck by lightning.  Mine will arrive sometime Friday.

[pwp]

Oh no, not again! After four dud copies of the 24-70 f/2.8 MkI I literally gave up and got a perfectly satisfactory 24-105 and a couple of primes instead. Still, I'd prefer a good 24-70 f/2.8. Being a sucker for punishment I'll buy a MkII, keep the packaging, do my tests and hope for the best. I must be due for a good copy.

This will be a good lens to buy from an authorised dealer with clear returns policies rather than dubious gray market.

-PW

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Despite the copy variation, I think a bit too much worry is being made over it all though. As I said, despite the variation, all I saw were the best standard zoom I've seen. And as I've said, if it can get me to dump my 24 1.4 II, pixel peeper as I am, it can hardly be all wrong can it?

[PackLight]

Despite the copy variation, I think a bit too much worry is being made over it all though. As I said, despite the variation, all I saw were the best standard zoom I've seen. And as I've said, if it can get me to dump my 24 1.4 II, pixel peeper as I am, it can hardly be all wrong can it?

From the comparisons I see in the ISO charts it wouldn't make me want to dump my 24 f/1.4LII or my 35mm.
Granted there would be more situations that I wouldn't feel I should go to the primes now.

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Despite the copy variation, I think a bit too much worry is being made over it all though. As I said, despite the variation, all I saw were the best standard zoom I've seen. And as I've said, if it can get me to dump my 24 1.4 II, pixel peeper as I am, it can hardly be all wrong can it?

From the comparisons I see in the ISO charts it wouldn't make me want to dump my 24 f/1.4LII or my 35mm.
Granted there would be more situations that I wouldn't feel I should go to the primes now.

and 24 1.4 II f/8:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8080843159_853749e6c2_o.jpg
24-70 II f/8:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8054/8080838687_7552869720_o.jpg

Not that the 24 1.4 II has a lot of PF, but even at f/8, it can still sometimes get a bit in the corner areas under really harsh conditions while the 24-70 II is utterly resist f/8 24mm to any PF LoCA at all from what I've seen so far.

Both are really good at 24mm for landscapes and better than any 24-105 I've ever tried.

[Tammy]

The one I decided to keep in the end is amazing 70mm wide open center frame and pretty good at wide edges and corners (I think, it's hard to tell which is the way the DOF should be placed) although lower left corner might be a touch soft. Maybe 3 more copies and I'd get something perfect in every last regard?? As it is though, it's good enough to dump my 24 1.4 II over and it has the sharpest 70mm f/2.8 center frame I've seen from any lens, so not so bad (70mm far edges are weaker than my 70-300L on this and all the copies looked at though).

I also have the 24L II and tested it on a heavily detailed brick wall on a tripod with LV manual focus, contrast AF etc and my first copy of the 24-70L II is excellent, noticeably outresolving my 24L II from center to the edges at F2.8, F4.. i like the color more and the micro contrast is amazing! i love my 24L II but i'm ok with putting it up on craigslist.. i would also say the center to mid-frame at 70mm is the sharpest i've seen..