Review: Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM

Canon Rumors Guy

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www.canonrumors.com
Bryan over at The-Digital-Picture has completed his review of the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM, a lens that will likely become quite popular with Canon EOS R6 buyers when the grab the camera with the lens included.
This is the first f/7.1 lens we’ve seen from Canon, which may be offputting to some, but for a lot of shooters, it’ll be a worthwhile trade-off for the lightweight design and affordable price.

From The-Digital-Picture:

Lightweight, compact, plus very low priced is a formula for mediocre lens image quality at best. Especially with the cost added by the long focal length range and great image stabilization system, incredible image quality was not anticipated. Let’s take a look at what the testing shows.
With a wide-open aperture, the center of the frame image quality is reasonable and similar over the entire focal length range. Of...

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SecureGSM

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not sure I quite understand the excitement:

distortion at 24mm end and f/8

"... Brace yourself. We're going to look behind the curtains, and this is going to be painful. Here are the uncorrected test results from our standard distortion test (captured at f/8)..."

24mm.jpg
 
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tron

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It is cheaper and reasonably smaller. Sure it is interesting. But more to the EOS RP buyers.
If I was going for an R6 (expected north of 2000 $/€) I wouldn't grab that combo.
For me the f/7.1 @105mm would be the dealbreaker and I would definetly prefer the f/4 lens.
Exactly what I was thinking while reading TDP review!
 
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SteveC

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not sure I quite understand the excitement:

distortion at 24mm end and f/8

"... Brace yourself. We're going to look behind the curtains, and this is going to be painful. Here are the uncorrected test results from our standard distortion test (captured at f/8)..."

24mm.jpg

Yikes! The 24-240 all over again!

Yeah, I'll stick with the f/4 L.
 
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Joules

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"Focus" vs "Control" ? What committee decided that "On" vs "Off" just had to be changed?
It isn't on or off. It is a switch to use the ring either as manual focus override or as the control ring that is a separate ring on more expensive lenses. At least that is my understanding.
 
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Right at the moment, with the current Canon sale going on through next Sunday, the EOS RP body is $899, one hundred dollars off, and the RP kit with this 24-105 is $400 off, at $999. Which in effect means that the lens is free, since $999 is the normal body price. From a technical standpoint, it's not the best lens by any measure. But it's a cost-effective entry into the full-frame market for a lot of folks, and that's important as well.
 
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twoheadedboy

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not sure I quite understand the excitement:

distortion at 24mm end and f/8

"... Brace yourself. We're going to look behind the curtains, and this is going to be painful. Here are the uncorrected test results from our standard distortion test (captured at f/8)..."

24mm.jpg

The whole point is that you shoot this lens corrected, all the time. I don't understand the disconnect here.

Sure, the f/4 is better uncorrected. It also costs a lot more and is way heavier. Doesn't invalidate the approach here.
 
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Right at the moment, with the current Canon sale going on through next Sunday, the EOS RP body is $899, one hundred dollars off, and the RP kit with this 24-105 is $400 off, at $999. Which in effect means that the lens is free, since $999 is the normal body price. From a technical standpoint, it's not the best lens by any measure. But it's a cost-effective entry into the full-frame market for a lot of folks, and that's important as well.
I agree. This lens is most likely not for the people that follow forums like this, but for people starting out as a hobby. With "lens corrections" in software or in camera, a lot of these problems go away.

OK, you can't fix the softness at the corners, but if that is the only problem left, for 1/3 the cost and half the size and weight, I do think this lens will fit the needs of a lot of people. It's just that you may not be the target purchasers...
 
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Ozarker

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For portraits, I actually prefer some pincushion. Softness in corners isn't a problem for me either. Neither is some vignette. I doubt I'd buy this lens, but we need to remember which market this is for and the low price. I often find that running lenses uncorrected appeals to me more than corrected results. It's all personal taste, I guess. If I want a completely flat plane I reach for a macro.
 
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magarity

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It isn't on or off. It is a switch to use the ring either as manual focus override or as the control ring that is a separate ring on more expensive lenses. At least that is my understanding.
So a lens aimed at the casual user doesn't have manual focus but does have programmable control ring... That doesn't seem like the right option to offer.
 
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AJ

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Yikes! The 24-240 all over again!

Yeah, I'll stick with the f/4 L.

If I were looking for light and convenient, I'd probably pick the 24-240 over the 24-105/4-7.1
Similar IQ, but the 24-240 has more range
 
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It isn't on or off. It is a switch to use the ring either as manual focus override or as the control ring that is a separate ring on more expensive lenses. At least that is my understanding.
Users need to go through menu if they want to switch from AF to MF and vice-versa. That switch just selects whether the 2nd ring will be used a control ring or focus control. Removing AF On/Off switch is the stupidest decision on non-L RF mount lenses. Saving pennies on that switch doesnt make sense.
 
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