canon 24L 1.4 ii lemon

[alexturton]

I bought a new canon 24l 1.4 ii last week and found the AF to be wildly inaccurate.

AFMA adjustment of +15 made it better but I still found at anything further away than 50cm it was very hit and miss.

I'm going to send it back for a refund. but I'm wondering if I just got a lemon, or are all canon 24L 1.4 ii like this?
Anyone experience anything similar?

THanks
Alex

 

[pwp]

You've got a fizzer. They're rare but they happen. You probably did your research, it's no surprise that most photographers who have this lens regard it as one of the finest lenses they have ever owned. You know not all 24 f/1.4II lenses are not like yours.

If it's doing what you describe, you should have taken it back straight away. Your seller may have a 7 day DOA policy. However if it should be a simple matter to change it over. It's Easter now, so send them an email (which is dated) immediately with a technical description and examples that describe the fault. As soon as they reopen after Easter, call, make an appointment and do what needed to done within 24 hours from when you bought it.

As an aside, have you tried the lens on more than one body? There's a chance you are wildly out with your AFMA adjustments, or your AFMA technique is giving false data. When in doubt, zero everything and start again.

Good luck with it.

-PW

 

[lightcick]

You are not the only one, Alex Have the same problem, camera doesn't matter. When I press the focus button twice, then mostly ok. Would give the lens back, but image quality is great. No idea what to do.

I bought a new canon 24l 1.4 ii last week and found the AF to be wildly inaccurate.

AFMA adjustment of +15 made it better but I still found at anything further away than 50cm it was very hit and miss.

I'm going to send it back for a refund. but I'm wondering if I just got a lemon, or are all canon 24L 1.4 ii like this?
Anyone experience anything similar?

THanks
Alex

 

[Viggo]

They're all like that, the AF is a joke compared to the 35 L. I have owned three copies and tried a dozen, very low hitrate with all of them. The three I had ranged from +13 ( my current one) to no point in adjusting with the two others, they were both replaced by canon for my current one, but I find it to work rather horrible, but then again, the 24 and the 50 L are similar and 35 is waaaay beyond.

The same was the case with 5d2 and 5d3 as well as the 1dx. I always shoot at 12 fps with it increasing the hitrate . AF aside, this lens is what makes and image really stand out with a very unique look, and color and contrast is all you could possibly want.

 

[pdirestajr]

There is at least one good one out there- mine rarely misses focus on 2 different bodies with no AFMA. So I think saying "all" is pretty strong.

 

[Viggo]

There is at least one good one out there- mine rarely misses focus on 2 different bodies with no AFMA. So I think saying "all" is pretty strong.

I can change it from ALL to "ALL". But every single copy I've tried of 12-15 copies in different points in time makes it ALL for me. And reading a little on the internets seems to lean to that direction also.

What is completely amazing is that it's not a least as good as the 35 which is, what, 8-10 years older. The 50 is different, but the new AF of the 24 should be A LOT better compared. Will be very interesting to se the 24 f1.4 in the new "A" series from Sigma (it's a given they will release one after the the incredible new 35)

 

[RLPhoto]

My 24LII is A-Ok.

 

[bdunbar79]

I've never had any problems with my 24L II. AF is accurate on both the 5D3 and 1DX.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I borrowed one from a friend. No AFMA, it was sharp with accurate focus. If I had a second one with the same issues, I'd be suspicious that I was getting returned merchandise, but three? Something very wrong there.

Cameras have a internal database in the firmware that sets it up for different lenses. That database can be corrupted for a given lens. This is more likely to happen when a third party lens has been mounted that sends the same lens code. I'd send the camera to Canon and they can restore it. I've seen it happen more than once, and a Canon fix to the body eliminates the issue.

 

[alexanderferdinand]

Borrowed once a 24/1.4II for a weekend. Very good on my 5d2 and the 1d4.
Bad copies exist. The good thing is it is a Canon- Canon combination, so leave this problem to your CPS.
Loosing time once, winning good IQ further on.

 

[SPL]

Mine appears to be fine....was a bit nervous after the rumors about this lens....

 

[sheedoe]

My copy focuses fine on the 5D IIs, but its pretty much useless on my wife's T4i. Very inconsistent, with heavy backfocusing. I think the lower end DSLRs like the T4i are not optimized to be used with such wide aperture lens. I haven't tested any other copies. Would've been nice if it worked well with the t4i because its such a great "normal" lens on a crop sensor.

 

[distant.star]

.
I rented one for a week and had no focus issues on a T2i.

Primarily used it for a nighttime, indoor event where I needed a wider, faster lens than I own. Within the limitations of the T2i AF, it did fine and was consistent.

I did some fine detail stuff in a music shop where it also was good -- again, given the T2i AF limitations.

Also did some landscape stuff, but AF is not much of an issue there.

Being a rental from Lens Rental I knew the lens would not have any inherent problems.

Overall, I considered it Canon's wide answer to the 135mm F/2.0L

I'd use it again, but now that I'm using a 5D3, it can't compete pricewise with the new Sigma 35mm so I'm going in that direction.

 

[alexturton]

I sent it back today. Have asked for a refund.

Not sure ill get another one mail order. Think ill buy one from a shop where I can test it first.
Might be rethinking my wide angle needs because of some poor QC issues I have been reading about the 24 l

I have wide apertures covered from 35mm upwards on my 5d3 therefore have no need for a general purpose zoom such as the 24 105.

What are the best options for covering the wider end? (Ie 24mm and wider)

I generally shoot street. But I want something wide for a bit of wider general purpose and environmental portraits. Definitely want AF