Canon EF 16-35mm F/4L IS USM vs Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L IS II USM — Which Is Better?

The Canon EF 16-35mm F/4L IS USM and the Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L IS II USM are both L-series full-frame zooms for the Canon EOS system, released in 2014 and 2016 respectively. The real distinction is coverage: the 16-35mm is an ultra-wide zoom for architecture, landscapes and tight interiors, while the 24-105mm II is a standard zoom that carries a single lens from wide scenes to short telephoto.

The 16-35mm is the lighter, shorter carry at 615 g and 112.8 mm. The 24-105mm II is 29.3 percent heavier at 795 g and slightly longer at 118 mm. Diameters are close, at 82.6 mm versus 83.5 mm.

Filters carry over between them: both take 77mm front filters, so a polariser or ND filter you already own fits either lens directly. Both also share the Canon EF mount.

Focal range is the buying decision here. The 24-105mm II gives you 105mm for portraits and compressed landscapes, three times the reach of the 16-35mm, while the 16-35mm opens up to a much wider 16mm view that the 24-105mm II cannot match. Both hold a constant f/4 aperture across their zoom ranges.

The 16-35mm is the stronger close-up choice for wide scenes: it focuses at 28 cm against 45 cm, letting you fill the frame with foreground detail. It also zooms internally, so the barrel never extends, while the 24-105mm II extends as it zooms. Maximum magnification is very close, at 0.23x versus 0.24x, and both offer autofocus with a manual focusing ring.

Both lenses give you image stabilization rated at 4 stops, weather sealing and a fluorine coating that helps the front element shed dust and smudges for easier cleaning. Neither supports a teleconverter, so neither is the basis of a longer telephoto setup.

The 24-105mm II offers a zoom lock that keeps its extending barrel from creeping when the lens hangs from a strap. The 16-35mm does not have a lock, though its internal zooming already keeps the barrel stationary.

The 16-35mm uses internal focusing, so its barrel does not extend while you focus. The 24-105mm II does not, so its barrel changes length as focus moves.

The 16-35mm puts more corrective glass into its wide-angle formula, with 16 elements in 12 groups including three aspherical and two low-dispersion elements, the types used to control distortion and chromatic aberration. The 24-105mm II uses 17 elements in the same 12 groups, with one aspherical element and no low-dispersion elements.