Canon EF 24-105mm F/4L IS II USM

This Canon zoom spans 24–105mm on full-frame EF bodies, from wide scenes to short telephoto frames. One lens can cover a travel day, an event or everyday pictures of people without a swap. Canon introduced it in 2016 and still builds it today.

The main trade-off is the f/4 maximum aperture. In dim rooms or late afternoon, it asks for a higher ISO than a brighter lens would. Background blur also stays moderate at the long end. Candlelit receptions and dim venues sit at the edge of its range. For most daylight and flash-lit work, that limit rarely bites.

At 1 lb 12 oz (795 g), this zoom is a solid but manageable carry for a full day. The body runs 4.65 in (118 mm) long and 3.29 in (83.5 mm) wide. A screw-in filter must match the 77mm thread on the front to fit directly.

At 24mm the lens frames wide interiors, streets and landscapes without stepping back. Zoom to 105mm and distant subjects grow larger in the frame, which suits portraits and candid shots across a room. Between those ends, the range covers most framing choices a full-frame shooter meets in a day of varied work.

The aperture stays at f/4 throughout the zoom. Your exposure settings carry over as you frame wider or tighter, which helps when light changes during an event. Ten blades shape the diaphragm, which keeps out-of-focus highlights round. Round highlights flatter evening lights and backlit leaves behind a portrait.

Closest focus is 1.5 ft (45 cm), close enough to work a laid table or a market stall. The 0.24x maximum magnification brings food, flowers and small objects to a useful size in the frame.

The f/4 ceiling shows indoors at 105mm, where light runs short. You raise ISO, or accept a slower shutter and steady the camera. The optics score for this lens is 73 out of 100.

Image stabilisation steadies the camera at slower shutter speeds. In shade, indoors or late in the day, it lets you keep shooting hand-held instead of reaching for a tripod. For travel and event work, that freedom matters at both ends of the zoom.

Weather sealing helps keep dust and moisture out during outdoor work in wind or drizzle. A fluorine coating helps water and grease slide off the front, so a quick wipe restores the glass between frames.

A zoom lock holds the lens at its set position. That stops the barrel sliding out while the camera hangs from a strap or rides over rough ground. The features score for this lens is 73 out of 100.

The optical design places aspherical elements among its 17 elements in 12 groups. Their shaped surfaces help reduce distortion and spherical aberration. Distortion can bow straight edges in wide shots, so the correction matters when buildings or interiors fill the frame at 24mm. The construction score is 15 out of 100.