Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8 L IS USM ($2,299) is one zoom lens that can cover a wide range of subjects, making it useful for portraits and landscape work. The bright aperture is a great choice for those who are wedding professionals or need to take candid photos in low light. Optical stabilization lets you push the shutter speed further than IBIS alone. This lens is a winner of the PCMag Editor's Choice Award and it offers everything that you would expect.
Related Reading: Tamron 70-180mm F2.8 Di III VXD Review
Canon L Series
The RF-2470mm F2.8 is a 5.0x3.5 inch (HD) lens that weighs in at just under two pounds. It supports 82mm front filters and mirrors similar lenses from Sony and Nikon.
It's a more sensible zoom to carry when compared with the RF 28-70mm F2 L USM, a high-end lens that's unmatched in other systems. We love the shallow depth of field you get from the big F2 zoom, but it adds 3.1 pounds to your kit.
Another in-system competitor to be considered is the RF 24-105mmF4 L IS USM. Although it has a longer focal length, the RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM is half as bright. The camera is still capable of shallow depth-of-field, which is one advantage of full frame systems. However, event photographers, and other people who take photos in low light, will need to increase the ISO.
The other zooms, the low-cost RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 and RF 24-240mm F4-6.3, are geared more toward beginners and photographers who value a light kit. They offer more zoom power for fewer dollars, but don't gather as much light, and aren't built to the same standards as Canon L lenses.
As of now, third parties are not allowed to use the RF mounting. You can take your existing lenses with you if you are moving from an SLR to a Canon RF-body.
The RF 24-70mm is part of Canon's L series and is built to the lofty standards that come with it. The polycarbonate barrel is sealed to protect the system from dust and splashes, and the front element is protected with anti-smudge fluorine. A lens hood, front and rear caps, and a soft carrying pouch are included.
Related Reading: Fujifilm X-H2S Review
Controlling the process
When zoomed in the barrel expands, making it about an inch longer at 70mm and 24mm. The lock switch ensures that the lens is in its most compact position. You can also switch between autofocus and manual, or enable and disable stabilization.
The lens includes three control rings—one for zoom, another for focus, and a third with a flexible function. The flexible control ring is at the front, manual focus is in the middle, and the zoom ring is closest to the mount. Focus and zoom rings are finished in rubber, but the control ring is bare, with a rough diamond pattern so you can find it by touch.
The control ring is usually used for EV compensation. However, it can also be used for shutter speed, aperture and other sundries if needed. For videographers recording sound on-camera, the ring can click as it turns. For $79.99, silent control is possible. Send the lens to Canon for the click stops to be removed.
The lens is a good fit for video use. There's some slight focus breathing visible at wide angles, but it's really only noticeable when racking from a close to distant subject or vice versa. The lens is a fine fit for studio or handheld vlogging. When zoomed in the breathing effect goes away—there's no change in angle of view when shifting focus at 70mm.
This lens has optical stabilization which is not available on most 24-70mm lenses. Canon's R-line includes models that don't have in-body stabilizer (IBIS) so those photographers who got on board early with EOS R will enjoy the advantages.
IBIS is included in the second-generation R5/R6 and both systems can work together to provide up to eight stops correction. My tests showed that handheld images were consistently sharp at 1/4 second. I was also able to extend the zoom to 1 second by using some care.
Autofocus works quickly, is confident and remains quiet. Manual focus is also important. This one, like most mirrorless optics, focuses electronically without mechanical coupling. It's not obvious, but there is no delay in responding and the ring rotates with just a bit more resistance. This allows for better control.
The close focus distance changes along with the focal length, but you'll achieve similar magnification at 24mm and 70mm. You can get get right up to subjects at the wide angle (8.3 inches) for a dramatic close-up perspective, or zoom in for a bit more working distance between camera and subject.
The Lab
For testing, I used the RF 24-70mm and the 45MP EOS R5 to pair it with the EOS R5. Imatest (Opens in new window) shows the lens produces excellent results at 24mm, f/2.8 (3.900 lines) and is very impressive when it's set to f/4 through 4/11 (4.300 lines).
You can set the aperture down to f/16 or f/22, but results aren't as sharp—they're just okay at f/16 and soft for a 45MP sensor at f/22. Light scatters as it passes through the small aperture, a fact of life with any modern lens. You may still want to use the smallest settings, as the lens draws its best-looking sunstars when stopped all the way down.
The 50mm focal length sees a slight improvement in resolution. Wide open the lens performs well and delivers strong results up to f/11. The lab scores at 70mm are slightly lower, and fall into the excellent range of f/2.8 at the top, but climb back to great at f/4. This lens is excellent for capturing images of high resolution, even when using the R5 High-Resolution.
Photographers who use JPG or HEIF capture should leave all of Canon's lens corrections turned on. They compensate for some visible distortion, vignette, and chromatic aberrations automatically. You'll need to take care of those using software if you work in Raw format. Our standard for conversion, Adobe Lightroom, includes a profile that does the job automatically.
Although the 24-70mm F2.8 doesn't have the same bokeh power as the larger 28-70mm F2, it can still produce images with beautiful defocused backgrounds. Even when taken wide open, bright highlights tend to be circular. Defocused highlights towards the corners and edges of the frame will be more circular because the lens minimizes the cat's eyes effect.
There is a hard, squared cut-off at 24mm f/2.8, an oddity that may detract from an environmental portrait. You can avoid it by working at f/4, or zooming slightly. You'll also note the onion skin effect in defocused highlights in certain images. It's not something that's visible in every shot, just images with bright specular highlights.
Pros with Zoom Canon
Canon professionals who are moving to an EOS R system from an SLR will be looking for standard zoom lenses. With a focal range of 24 - 70mm F2.8L IS USM, a lens that can be used for both portraits and landscapes as well as F2.8 optics which allow for more light and blurred backgrounds, the RF-2470mm F2.8L IS USM is ideally suited for many.
It includes optical stabilization, absent from the more exotic RF 28-70mm F2. If you pair the 24-70mm with a stabilized sensor, you'll have no problem making longer handheld exposures, opening up tripod-free creative opportunities. Optics are strong, too—images are sharp, the lens can focus to near macro distances, and the breathing effect is minimal, a plus for video use.
It's affordable at $2,300 and is suitable for professionals as well as serious hobbyists. As of now, third parties are not willing to support the mount. This means that you will have to limit your options to modify SLR lenses if you wish to save money. This is an option you might consider if your EF mount 24-70mm lens has been discontinued. However, I don't think it's a bad idea to buy a new SLR lens for a mirrorless camera to use with one, particularly if the standard zoom will get just as much usage. Third parties should support RF. The Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN Art lens is a great value, but it's only for L-mount and Sony cameras.
The RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM is a better budget alternative, and budget is a relative term—it costs $1,100. Its optics are just as good and it's built to L standards, but it doesn't gather as much light. If you can't spend that much, the RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 is a better lens than you'd expect for $400, though it isn't in the same class.
The RF 28-70mm F2 will continue to be recommended to portrait photographers, particularly those who are interested in wide shots of the environment. F2 allows for background separation. This lens is a unique tool that you won't find on any other system. However, its bulk and price make it an expensive one. Canon's RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens is easier to use for daily photography. It also won our Editor's Choice award for Canon RF owners.
Learn more:
How to Unblur Images [Online, Software & App]