Why is everyone shooting with an antique lens from the days of Britney Spears and the Spice Girls? Well, although our opinions on their music may differ, we can agree that Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 still a great lens, despite being as old as Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me”.There are two reasons why someone uses an old device instead of a new one: they run out of money or they don’t like spending money. I’ve been both, and this lens left me broke and became very money-minded because of it. One thing I’ve learned from living on baked beans and bread is that you don’t spend money on something unless you really have to. So, to answer any questions about why I haven’t upgraded yet, I’ll say that I don’t make upgrading my top priority. The Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 it’s good to be a lens in an expert’s arsenal in 2023.
Now let’s get into the gist of the review and see where this lens shines and where it falls short. On the plus side, it’s probably the most cost effective 24-70mm f/2.8 you can buy. On the other hand, it is not the sharpest lens compared to modern units. Then again, how bad could it be? Let’s see.
Advantage
Quality build
First, this lens is built like a tank. As you can see from my own copy, this lens can be quite challenging. This lens outlasts camera bodies, stressful international travels, drunken people at events, I fell on it and much more embarrassing things. I can really swear by its reliability. Even after the plastic broke, I just put some tape on it and it was back to normal. The optics and internals were not damaged in the slightest.
The lens is made of metal and plastic, with a metal lens mount that adds to the life of the lens. After so many years, the lens still feels incredibly smooth across the zoom ring. The focus ring also feels smooth before I touch it. Compared to a lot of other L lenses of the time, it felt much better. For example, the EF 24-105 f/4, while featuring the IS feature, feels a bit stiffer and harder to manipulate. Another benefit is the metal filter fibers. Unfortunately, mine was bent at this point, but unlike a plastic thread, I bent mine back into shape.
Compared to the new one Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 II, this lens is much better built. This is really silly to me as you would expect the newer designs to be an improvement of the old ones and not vice versa.
Finally, a word must be said about the weather resistance of this lens. Several sports and wildlife photographers have said that they have shot in the pouring rain with this and have never had any problems. I’ve done a few rains at most, but again, I’ve never had a problem. Just make sure to use it with the hood to be absolutely sure nothing gets in between the two enclosures.
Flexibility
The range of focal lengths of this lens is probably one of the reasons it is so popular with photographers. While I tend to prefer specialized gear over conventional gear, I haven’t been able to find a lens that performs as well as the 24-70mm. you can use it for everything from light macro photography to group photos, to landscapes. My copy of this lens is on camera, and I never thought about using another lens in most of my work. The wide aperture makes it well-suited for low-light work, while the zoom range means you can have great control over your composition and take photos without future cropping. This lens alone is reason enough for me not to use tens of primes.
Price
Finally, one of the big advantages of the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 is its retail price. Currently, you can find a used copy in good condition for between $700 and $1,000. What’s crazier, you might get lucky and find one for $500, that was my case. Compared to other lenses with similar performance, this lens is almost unbeatable for the price.
Defect
sharpness
This lens performs very well at f/2.8 at all zoom ranges. Lens sharpness really doesn’t change much between f/2.8-f/11, after which you can start to see diffraction and unwanted detail loss. I wouldn’t say that this lens underperforms, however, of course since this is a review in hindsight modern variations must be considered. And it’s true that Version II of this lens is much sharper. Again, however, lens sharpness is almost a concept to be confused with scene sharpness. You can have the best glass on the block, but if your subject is moving too fast, or perhaps the flash duration is too long or the focus is slightly off, the sharpness of the lens won’t make any difference. any. This is exactly why when I work with top-of-the-range Profoto Pro-11 pack and still subjects, I captured my sharpest work on a lens that wasn’t too sharp.
pattern
This becomes a big hoax if you’re filming. The image is very blurred at 24mm f/2.8. So much so that I advise against filming in this setting. Then again, if you’re using a digital camera with lighting controls, you won’t see a significant difference with vignetting. Another option is to shoot on an APS-C camera, which will naturally capture a smaller image circle. In fact, if you’re looking for the best performance from a full-frame lens, use it on a camera with a smaller sensor. It will capture only the strongest part of the image circle, eliminating shadowing and sharpness.
Newer version is better
This lens is old and version II, let alone RF, offers significantly better optical quality. It’s sharper in the corners, as well as handling details much better. So much so that you might be surprised how good the RF glasses are if you’ve never used it before. Again, however, this largely depends on your working style. If you’re a person with a lot of cropping, pixel peeping, or just detailing, the EF 24-70mm f/2.8 I isn’t for you. If you can justify upgrading to sharper and better glass from this relatively inexpensive old, go for it. Some time ago I considered upgrading to version II, however, I found it hard to justify the type of content I was shooting.
What I like
- Quality build
- reliability
- Price
What can be improved
- New versions are better
- Sharpness (compared to modern variants)
- pattern
Stop thinking
Unlike the music of 2002, this lens is as relevant today as it was then. It is a well-built unit that can withstand years of use without worries. As a professional photographer, I value reliability more than sharpness and reparable textures. Finally, one thing I also appreciate about this lens is the return on investment. Without this lens I wouldn’t be able to do much of my work, however, the I version is great for professional work in 2023 and I see no reason to upgrade in most cases. case.
What do you think of the Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8? Is it outdated or do you still use it for photography? Let us know in the comments below!
