Reading mode: Light Dark

Canon 24-105 sharpness

Go to last post
D

Dennis Pedersen

New member
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Location
DK
I have just bought a 24-105 because i have read a lot really good reviews of it. Now i have used it for a while and i was not impressed about the sharpness. So i tried this week to put it to the test in our photo studio at work. My main consern it that it's not taking sharp pics at f4. The test showed that at f4 50 mm it was pretty sharp, but if i went to 105 it was not sharp at all.

All the test have been made on tripod using timer release and image stabilization have been turned of.

i then tried another house a Canon 40D and it takes better and more sharp pics a 105 f4 than my 500D. i don't have any problems with my other lenses, so i don't understand why it should not work with this lens.

In overall i am not sure the sharpness i as good as a L lens should produce, so please give your comment's about the pics, and if you know what i should do.
Please se the attached pics shoot with 500D and 40D

24
 
Dennis Pedersen said:
I have just bought a 24-105 because i have read a lot really good reviews of it. Now i have used it for a while and i was not impressed about the sharpness.
Click to expand...
It's possible that you have a sharp lens with a focus problem. If you want to eliminate focusing error as a possibility, then your tests should be done with both auto focus and manual focus (via live view, with 10x magnification).

If the manually focused shots are consistently sharper than your auto focused shots, then take the lens to a Canon service center and get it re-calibrated.
 
I have this lens and love it. I think what you are seeing is normal. Wide open, the lens is known to be slightly softer from 70mm to 105 mm than it is at wider aperatures. Mine is also that way. But at f5.6 it is stellar.

See the review on Photozone for more information. But they comment on essentially the same thing.

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/423-canon_24105_4_50d
Dennis Pedersen said:
I have just bought a 24-105 because i have read a lot really good reviews of it. Now i have used it for a while and i was not impressed about the sharpness. So i tried this week to put it to the test in our photo studio at work. My main consern it that it's not taking sharp pics at f4. The test showed that at f4 50 mm it was pretty sharp, but if i went to 105 it was not sharp at all.

All the test have been made on tripod using timer release and image stabilization have been turned of.

i then tried another house a Canon 40D and it takes better and more sharp pics a 105 f4 than my 500D. i don't have any problems with my other lenses, so i don't understand why it should not work with this lens.

In overall i am not sure the sharpness i as good as a L lens should produce, so please give your comment's about the pics, and if you know what i should do.
Please se the attached pics shoot with 500D and 40D

24
Click to expand...
--
kind regards
Dale
 
I have taken some shoots now with both manual and auto focus. And i must say, that at 105 mm it's not sharp at all with auto focus. It's better at 70 mm but not super sharp. It's still weird that a Canon 40D i have borrowed takes sharper pictures than my Canon 500D.

The pics i have posted here are only taken with 500D.

2
 
Of course 40D "looks" sharper, it has less megapixels

Try resizing both pictures to same resolution, crop the same zone, put one near the other and then compare.

And take pictures of some scene that is 100% in dof, like a text printed paper, put perfectly orthogonal to the optical axis

Try also doing the front/backfocus 45 degree test.
--
Click Click ....
 
Mine has always been soft at f4 at around 80mm-105mm. F4.5 works much better for the longer focal lengths.
 
If you go and pixel peep this lens you might find it is not as sharp as some other lenses. In my experience this is not a sharp lens. I suppose people buy it for it's attractive overall package (IS etc).

I sold my 24-105, but got a 24-70 instead. My 24-70 is slightly sharper but not stellar either, however it gives me f2.8, which frankly works better (more creative use) for me than f4.

For really sharp stuff, I just lug some primes.

In short, it is a zoom with IS. So it will work for a lot of people (so does the G10). The F4 however is what killed it for me.
 
My 24-105 has been to service 4 times. The first two times I sent it in and the last two by DSLR engineering after I got it escalated. I haven't gotten it back yet

It is one thing when a customer has to resend to service and yet another when Canon headquarters confirms a decentration issue and also has to return it t repair

I can only do a quick check as it is frigid outside and frankly I am sick and tired of testing lenses. If anything is or even smells wrong I am insisting on a new lens and that it gets tested as well.

So far they are refusing full disclosure on what was done which is totally ridiculous at this point. Not good at all.
 


Canon Canada asked me to take this for them to evaluate my lense
 
I must have a really good copy because my 24-105L is a great performer at all focal lengths & apertures. Yes, the edges are a wee tiny bit softer than the center at the long end of the zoom, but even the center is sharp at 105mm F4. In fact, I noticed some dust inside recently and decided not to send it to Canon for cleaning lest they mess up it's performance. Would it be nice if this was a 2.8 zoom? Sure. But short of that, this is a great lens.

To the OP: either exchange it for another copy or send it in for calibration if you're not happy. But know that this lens has the potential to be a very good performer.
--
View my photo galleries here: http://imageevent.com/24peter
 
Mines not the sharpest lens at the long end wide open, especially when focusing on close objects. But that's to be expected for a 5X zoom lens. Apart from that and the wild distortion at 24mm it's not a bad lens.

I think that some people expect a bit much from what is after all a moderately priced full frame general zoom.
 
Funny mine was better on the long end.
Remains to be seen what FEDEX will be delivering tomorrow.

I bought this lens after photozone gave it a stellar review. I highly recommend shooting raw when testing as in camera jpeg processing masks resolution defects. I shot several tests jpeg/raw and until DSLR engineering confirmed lens problems I even thought my body had some kind of problem with raw files as I had to
Jack up sharpening settings to max.
 
From 24-105 at f4 my copy of this lens is sharper than my 85 1.8 or my 35L wide open. The long end (70mm to 105mm) of the lens may be a tad less sharp than the shorter end but is still plenty sharp and very useable even for making enlargements. The only zoom in this range that might be sharper is the Tamron 28-105 at f4. Below are some examples.

full size 5D II f4 75mm ISO 1000 1/15 sec



100% crop of the same image



full size 5D II f4 88mm ISO 1600



100% crop of the above image



finally, full size 5D II f4 105mm ISO 500



100% crop of above



I think that all of the above images are very useable and as sharp as most zooms in its range and some even L primes wide open. If your copy is less sharp than these images, it needs to be tested.
--
Vance Zachary
http://www.pbase.com/photoworkszach
http://www.photoworksbyzachary.com
 
Dennis Pedersen said:
i then tried another house a Canon 40D and it takes better and more sharp pics a 105 f4 than my 500D. i don't have any problems with my other lenses, so i don't understand why it should not work with this lens.
Click to expand...
A lens should perform the same on all bodies, if performance differs
Then it is proberly due to a calibration issue, either the lens or camera body.

Majoren
 
I am one of the lucky ones. My 24-105 is as good a lens as can be.

Very happy and would not mind replacing it with another one if anything happened to this one.
Rgds
 
I have just delivered my camera and lens to calibration, so i am looking forward to se what happens. Will keep you posted
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dick Dastardly
Canon 24-70 F4 vs 35mm IS USM sharpness
Replies
19
Views
9K
2ndact scene1
2
L
  • Question Question
Canon 24-105 L Ef is mark i vs ii
2
Replies
26
Views
8K
EduPortas
E
T
Too much overlap
Replies
8
Views
14K
Dave
Dave
W
Trying to find the cause of focus problems 5dmkii and 6D
Replies
10
Views
3K
AmatureMic
A
D
70-200 f2.8 IS II - soft copy ????
Replies
3
Views
3K
Kjeld Olesen
Kjeld Olesen

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top