Canon EF 24-105mm F4L IS II USM

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM is the second generation of Canon's all-round standard zoom for EF-mount SLR cameras. Canon announced it on 25 August 2016 together with the EOS 5D Mark IV and the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM. It is a general-purpose lens for landscape, portrait, travel and event work on full-frame and APS-C EF bodies.

Optical design

The lens has 17 elements in 12 groups. Canon's Camera Museum lists four aspherical elements and an Air Sphere Coating (ASC) against flare and ghosting. The aperture is a constant f/4, with a smallest aperture of f/22 and a circular 10-blade diaphragm. Canon says that the new optical design improves peripheral brightness, and a fluorine coating on the front and rear surfaces helps against smears and fingerprints. The maximum magnification is 0.24x at 105 mm.

Autofocus and handling

Autofocus uses a Ring USM. The image stabilizer provides up to 4 stops of correction. The minimum focus distance is 0.45 m. As an EF lens, it needs the EF-EOS R adapter on mirrorless RF bodies.

Build and size

The lens weighs 795 g, measures 83.5 mm in diameter and 118 mm in length and has a 77 mm filter thread. Canon's product pages for this lens do not state dust or weather sealing.

Where it fits

The first version, the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, weighs 670 g in our database, has 18 elements in 13 groups and is 107 mm long. The II adds ASC, a changed optical formula and an extra 11 mm in length. The EF 24-70mm F4L IS USM and the EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM (805 g) are different approaches with a shorter range or a faster aperture. On mirrorless bodies, the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM is the native version at 700 g.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 24-105 mm range with constant f/4
• 4 stops of stabilization
• 10 circular aperture blades
• ASC and fluorine coating
• 0.45 m minimum focus distance

Cons

• 795 g is heavier than the first version (670 g)
• 118 mm length and a 77 mm thread
• Canon does not state weather sealing for this lens
• EF mount needs an adapter on mirrorless bodies

Verdict

The EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM improves on the popular first version with modern coatings and a revised design. It is a solid single-lens choice for EF owners, with the usual trade-off of a modest f/4 maximum aperture.