It's great to see all these lenses described as 'little gems' I bought them new years ago and have now dug them out of a box somewhere and re-discovering them. So glad I'm such a hoarder!
Just picked this up, it’s pretty hard to find for under $100 now. Looking forward to pairing it with my 5D classic, and have a small, full frame everyday carry kit.
As an avid follower of this channel, I really enjoyed this "old" review. I've just bought a Canon EOS 600 body only (An analog beauty from 1989), and needed a lens for it. Your review made me buy this lens and I can't wait to try it out!
+Christopher Frost Photography hey man just wanted to say, all your videos are awesome and I really appreciate how in depth your reviews are. I've bought a couple lenses based on your recommendations and have not been disappointed. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
It's been 8 years since this video has come out and i'm seriously thinking of getting this as a cheaper alternative zoom for my Canon. your review is great!
you sounds like a good walk around option! however it's incapable of really sharp corners at any settings. the further you are from 24mm, the worse it gets.
I own a Canon 5D Mk1 or Classic. I was drawn to this video and as a result of your review I was able to purchase a black one in excellent shape for $134.00 USD. I believe I will have some great results from my full frame camera, although it does not have any functionality to offset the CA or vignetting. The focal range from this camera fills a need and presents great value. I look forward to getting some great shots from it. Thanks for your review.
Rugby 7's Ken Rockwell reviews this lens and he says the 5d iii is the best match, he would’nt use it on the mark ii that lacks color fringe correction. How about the Classic, how does it handle that lens? I believe that the Classic should handle that lens great because the it came after the lens, right ? I have the silver lens coming but would be nice to heat what you say.
I still have this very old Canon EF Zoom (black) On the plus side, it's with USM AF drive, but of course, doesn't feature image stablization, so no IS here. It's not am L lens, not weather sealed, too. Be sure to use the matching lens hood. Distortions at 24, 28 & 35mm are something on the high side. Newer Canon bodies have in-body correction, which is a good thing, for lenses like this, also being useful in RAW, when using DPP (Canons Digital Photo Professional, RAW converter).
I came across this lens on eBay and bought it. It's quite usable on my Sony a9 (with Sigma MC-11), the autofocus is okay, and all AF modes work. Image quality is similar to what is depicted in this video. Highly recommended!
Hi Chris. I found another silver lens from that time. The EF 28-90mm F4-F5.6. Wich saved me some money so now i just got the Canon Eos 6d. I'm very happy and it's a good picture quallity for that lens. Thanks for all the nice reviews :)
I have this on my R6, the addition of IBIS breathes new life into the lens. Definitely a hidden gem! I also recommend the EF 70-210mm f3.5/4.5, another hidden gem that is quite sharp.
I want to thank you for this video. I was wanting something wider for my Mk3 and purchased this lens because of your review. I'm very happy with it. I had been saving for the Sigma 24-105, however this fits my needs fine. It could use stabilization, but for the price it is great. Thanks again.
I have this lens paired with an RP. Its very good. Its my favorite grab n go lens. 24 is great for capturing a scene, the 35-50 is great for street/general use and the 70-85 is great for portraits/light zoom.
I use this lens today on my Canon M5 with a Viltrox speedbooster. Gives me a 27-97 equivalent with F2.5-3.2 (24-85 x 1.136 [1.6 crop x .71] and [F3.5-4.5 x .71]). Works great and I love the size, image quality, and silent autofocus. Just wish I had image stabilization. It's a good video lens because the quiet autofocus. Also the digital IS is not too bad for video on the M series cameras.
Hi, is there someone using this lens with the 5d Classic? How is your ecperience? I'm looking forward to buy this lens and use it for landscapes. Unfortenatly I cannot find any lens correction profiles for Lightroom 5. Any ideas? Thanks. :)
This definitely is a pretty interesting hidden gem and the silver version looks really cool and different from most lenses. I guess this lens just only needs some small improvement to be the perfect inexpensive standard lens for full frame. The corners of the image needs to be just slightly better in every single way, it needs to focus slightly closer and adding image stabilisation will be great. If Canon did that to this lens it could have been the perfect inexpensive lens even today
I have a question for Chris or anyone else, please. I bought this lens recently and am looking for a hood. Canon's own EW-73 II seemed expensive compared to what I paid for the lens itself, so I bought an unbranded replacement EW-73 II which didn't mount with the petals in their correct orientation as its mounting portion was mislocated. My question is whether other hoods are going to fit. There are lots of used Canon original variants of EW-73 (models B and D) built for 18-135 and 17-85 lenses and also a few plain EW-73 like the one Chris uses in this video. Will they mount correctly to use with this lens?
Great video!! I just purchase again a Canon Eos 400d( it was my first camera) and I don´t know what lens to get with the camera for decent results. Take care
Thanks - I was thinking of using this on my old 10D, which does not work with EF-S lenses, but decided against it based on this. Any suggestions 2020 for some retro photography?
Actually all lenses have less resolution from image center to periphery. The difference in the measurements. General rule for buyer is more ED elements and more aspherical elements give less resolution degradation. Price also goes to skies with more ED and aspherical elements. Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM has one aspherical element and no ED. So it is not bad for its price also considering its weight and lens purpose. If you make commercial photo you can afford $2000 lens with several ED and better quality lens at expense of 2x lens weight. While if the images destination is just Instagram this used lens is much better justified for travel weight and its price.
Hello. I watch your channel and love your reviews. Back in the old film days I had this lens for a short while and didn't like it at all except on it's 24mm end where it was really good. On my Canon EOS 5 film camera it just was too soft, especially at 85mm. I ended up selling it fairly quickly andI got my self Canon 28-105mm f 3.5/4.5 EF lens I was very happy with. Thanks for the review though, You reminded me on my youth. Since then I have left Canon and went for Nikon. Nowadays I still shoot with Nikon D4 and recently got Fujifilm X-T30 as well. Happy New Year!
I want to buy a new camera .. And I am thinking about canon 60d body with 24-105L .. but also I have second thought to get 70d with 18-135 STM instead with almost same price.. Could u please give me an advise? I am beginner
I think that lens comes from the Canon EOS IX. It does not have the same type of silver my EOS 300 or 300V have, it's a bit more golden. Great presentation, thank you! I may try to find one...
@@christopherfrost Thanks! I tried it and it's not bad. It seems that it behaves like on the full frame camera you showed in the review. The combination of price, quality, weight and form factor makes it a fun choice for EOS RP. Autofocus also seems not to have too many problems.
@@thundeyt8284 I use the Sigma MC-11 and autofocus works great, feels as good as any lens I've used. And on my a6500 I have a CameraPlus focal reducer adapter that actually works fantastically and focuses just as quick but they don't sell them anymore, not sure how the other brands compare
Hi, Christopher. Could you explain me if I'll have some trouble using this lens with a Canon 5D classic? The 5D classic doesn't have the CA correction as th 6D. Using Photoshop and Camera RAW may I correct this problem enabling the correction using the lens profile?
I've got a Canon R and I'm searching for a travel lens on a budget. I'm currently thinking about buying a CANON RF 24-105MM F4-7.1 IS STM or this very old but cheap Canon lens. Is the Canon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM still holding up to your standards and tests? @Christopher Frost
Please do the nikon version, just spent all my money on Ebay for a D610 and need a good sharp midrange zoom. I had a Sigma 17-50 on my DX body but I dont think I really need F2.8 on Full frame at the short zoom range, Thanks Chris for the years!
I had 2 Tamron 28-75f2.8 lenses. First was vastly die entered on the right side of the image. The second one gats blurry in the bottom left corner as you zoom in to 75mm. At 2.8 the lenses were basically uselessly soft especially at 75mm
Excellent review Christopher , I love your efforts to keep us informed scientifically about cameras and lenses! Thanks!! I want to know in terms of picture quality, mostly sharpness which is your choose between the canon 24-85 3.5-4.5 vs canon 28-105 3.5-4.5 I currently have 24-85 but Iam looking move to the little bit more telephoto lens 28-105 but without loosing too much. Thanks for your answer
They're on your camera. You might have to plug your camera into your computer and run the EOS Utility to make sure the correct profile for the lens is on your camera
Hi Chris, Have you ever reviewed or just tested Canon‘s 28-105 f/3,5-4,5? I happen to own this lens and like it build quality wise as well as for the fas USM AF. But to be honest it never rocked my world - i‘m always a little disappointed when using it. Maybe that’s because I use mainly my 40mm 2,8 pancake and nifty fifty for street and portaits redpectively. However, I‘d like to have a versatile lens for my 5D classic which doesn‘t cost the world. I have a very old 100-200 as well to cover long range shots, so i could live with the shorter focal length. I simply don’t know: does it make any difference switching from 28-105 to 24-85?
My experience is that a good 28-105 is slightly better than the 24-85 I just got. But I like both. The 24-85 has weaker corners, and, at wide apertures, sides than a good 28-105.
@@kallegrabofski It's also a very decent lens. I have one too. I think all three are recommendable - the most important thing is getting one which hasn't been abused - and was a good example in the first place.
have you tested the 28-105 f/3,5-4,5 as well? I happen to own this lens (bought as a used copy for the purpose as Kit for my 5Dc) and never was satisfied with it. It‘s annoyingly heavy as well... so I‘m thinking of getting this one here (24-85) instead...
28-105 is slightly better, based on my experience, if you get a good example. It's also slightly lighter than the 24-85. But I think Chris got a better 24-85 than I did.
I have one (the black version) that I've been using with an APS-C body. It's not a bad little lens -- pretty sharp, but has a lot of barrel distortion at the wide end. Sure, you can correct in post, but it's kind of annoying at times. I have taken some images that have been mistaken for "L" quality. I would still rather have a 24-105 f/4L IS.
Hi Chris, I have a similar lens: The Canon EF 3.5-4.5/28-70mm II. I read the performance is similar. However although the optical performance is similarly good, sometimes the AF is a little bit off even if I stopped down to 8. Especially very far objects near infinity autofocus setting are a bit too blurry. Why is that so and have you made that experience, too, with your Canon 6D. Is there something wrong? Same story with an old Canon 2.8/135mm Softfocus (at softfocus setting 0). The lens can do better if manually focused with life screen or adapted on a Sony A7 II with EVF and focus peaking.
Hi Chris in my copy of the Lens at 85 mm at f8 is not so Sharp is better on F 4,5 or F11... Have you Discover also in your copy of the Lens? Thank you very much! Bye
I have one of these lenses, which is great but just bought a full frame body and now thinking about about upgrading to the slightly newer 28-105 f4 L, any advice?
I also have the 5D Mark1 and have just purchased this because it's a good walk around lens for me. I also have the nifty-fifty, but like the flexibility of the 24-85.
I have 5D Mark II and dont have CA feature in it. But Lightroom solve this and vignetting. Soo... is this good for landscape ? is it better then lens comparing with ones with STM ??
This is a great lens on film and digital (I have several EOS film bodies and a 5D). For digital cameras that don't have in-body correction for peripheral illumination and chromatic aberration, process the RAW images Canon's free Digital Photo Professional software to get the same results (DPP will correct for distortion and color blur as well). Save as TIFF for further processing in another image editor such as Lightroom if desired.
Hello. May I know what’s your opinion on Canon EF 24-85mm vs Tamron 28-75mm? I’m currently using Canon 5D Classic! Please continue to make great informative videos in TH-cam! Cheers.
I just brought one of these little champagne glasses for 120€, going to put on my A7ii PDAF FW 2.0 with a Commlite Adaptor. High hopes of getting a great walkaround lens with this combo, we'll see...
Hi, nice reviews! But, after watching your 3 videos for the lens I'm considering, I I'm hesitant and I need your recommendation. Would you recommend the Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 vs sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 ex dc os? I do mainly video, but I'm looking for a versatile lens that can do both (video and photography) nicely or I should save more and get the Canon 24-70mm f/4L IS USM? my Camera is a Canon 80D.
Hello Christopher,how do you do? I have just bought a canon 5d classic as my first full frame camera,i am requesting you for a suggestion,will you suggest this lens or 28-135 canon lens?which one would you recommend?I will highly appreciate your recommendation.I like a general purpose lens for everyday use and street photography.Thank you
@@christopherfrost i will go for 24-85mm then,thank you.Just a little more concern if there will be a lot more barrel distortion at 24 mm,can it be properly corrected in lightroom,do you think?
Hi Chris. I didn't want to ask a duplicate question so I've read all the comments and your replies but there were no references to using this lens on a 90D. You tested it on a 60D, you mentioned IQ would be softer on a 70D and that it would work well on a 6D. How about the 90D?.....still disappointing IQ and poor for videos? Thanks for a reply.
Hi. I'm looking for a lense for my 6D for basic videos for youtube. Would you recomend this lense or the Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ? I like the 28-135 because of the IS for the videos. But the IQ on this one just seem better.
Hi Chris, Would this lens be any different on the 70d than the 60d? Since it can compensate for the lens aberration? I was thinking of purchasing one but if the sharpness isn't quiet the same I might give it a miss. Keep up the good work mate!
+Terry Mccall The Canon 70D has to resolve an extra 2mp so it will be a touch softer. I'm pretty sure it has the profiles to correct the CA and vignetting though, if you download them from the software
Fantastic reviews, I appreciate what you are doing! I have just bought 6D and I have T3i. I have 70-200 2.8 and the 50 1.8, and I want to buy a lens for landscape and general use. Would you recommend this? Will I be able to do good landscape images? Or would you recommend Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM instead?
@@christopherfrost Hey Christoph, I'd really like to hear your opinion on the 28-105 3.4-4.5, as it's as cheap as the 24-85 here and seems to be a great alternative to the 24-105 'L' lens - on paper at least. I'd love to see you compare the 24-85 to the 28-105!
I need some more affordable full frame lens for the Canon 5D classic and I am doubting between a Canon 24-85mm USM or a Canon 35-135mm USM. Which would you recommend to me?
@@christopherfrost How do you think about the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2,8 Di XR LD Asp. compared to this lens? According to your reviews, the Tamron should be slightly better, shouldn't it?
I just got it today. From my first look at it it focuses really well on a native film body (canon eos 500). On the eos m series, with the normal adapter work just as fine as on the native body, with the efm speedbooster it is certainly slower but usable, didnt notice that much of a difference in quality. On my sony a7ii with viltrox nex 4, the af is snappy, most af modes are available, even continuous sorta works. Video mode afc doesnt really do anything. On Fuji xe2 with the cheapest adapter available the andoer fx ef (probably clone of the viltrox with the same name), aperture works, af works pretty fast but is inaccurate (sometimes its blurry sometimes its perfect). Will cause screen flickering when set to infinity after autofocusing (problem with cheap adapters). Overall amazing lens for 70$, sharp and a great kit lens for all of my systems that doesnt take much spaces and its lite
IMHO AF highly depends on camera body capabilities, since lens does not have any sensors to proove it is focused. Lens just moves focusing groups as commanded from the camera body. In your case Sony A7ii AF is OK while Fuji xe2 has AF problems.
Michael Wendling In camera lens calibration is lu really necessary if outputting jpeg files. If you are using Raw then you can compensate during post processing.
I just bought one on eBay in anticipation of buying my first full frame camera. Maybe a new 6D or used 5D Mk III once they announce the newer models. Thanks for the tip.
Honestly, I would just save money and get the 6D over the 5D Mark iii. Same image quality in a much smaller, lighter camera, and the 6D still has good features
I suppose you're right. I think I'd rather have a new 6D over a used 5D Mk iii. FWIW, I've been very happy so far with the 24-85 on my old Rebel XSi. With my 430EX II Speedlite, it takes some really nice portraits.
Don't forget that even though the 6D is smaller, it is still built like a tank. I dropped mine from about 2 feet before onto a terrazzo floor with no impact damage whatsoever. Not that I want to go testing the camera's ruggedness all that much, but it's nice to know that you don't sacrifice durability for the cheaper price.
Plus it's low light ability. ISO 6400 yields astonishingly good image quality, 12800 is still very decent after some tweaking with Photoshop, Lightroom or similar. Also the AF works in very dim light.
@@ivanblanco8165 most cameras are. I dropped my old rebel t3i a few years ago from eye level (I'm six feet tall) and the even lens came off. But surprisingly, everything still worked, and the camera only had a minor scratches everywhere, then lens sadly didn't survive, but then again, it was a kit lens.
@@christopherfrost Can you try it on a Sony mirrorless? like the Sony A7R II? there are few choices in the market for the equivalent focal length, and the price of this little lens is unbeatable
Hello Christopher. I'am using the 6d with this nice small lens and your video and valitate my impressions of this lens. Unproblematically and positiv inconspicuously. I can operate the camera with this lens in one hand!My Tamron 24-70 f2.8 vc generate no better results in the aperturerange of the ef 24-85. I see, you have the silver version (so am I). Some folks say, that the silver version is a little bit better than the black version.Greatings from Germany.
How dose EF 28-80 f2.8-4L USM? Dose it value for money? And How about EF 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 USM III? And EF 24-85 f3.5-4.5 USM. wich one is better?! Help!!
I just bought my first full frame original 5D and need a new lens, is this the best for the money? I'm not willing to pay $$$$ since camera cost me $200 :)
How do you think this lens would do for picture quality adapted to a Sony A7ii considering that it would not have the cannon lens profiles? I don't care about the AF.
@@christopherfrost Is it your own one-to-one comparison or just common sense opinion? Do you have any ref to someones comparison for them with images examples? It seems to me I did personal comparison for them with my friend about 13 years ago. 24-105 f/4 IS did not show advantage in peripheral resolution, while it was more expensive due to I(mage)S(tabization).
Thanks for this recommendation. I just bought my new to me Canon 6D but had money only for a 50 1.8 and a Tokina 100 f2.8. I needed a general lens that ideally is going to be the Tamron 24-70 VC f2.8 some day but there is no money for that yet. So enter this Canon 24-85. Very nice unknown to me general lens. Impressive sharpness and small footprint. Very happy. If canon would recreate this lens with IS and tweak it a little would sell a ton Of these. Thx
Thank you very much for your reviews. Do you know something about that, allegedly, silver (and I believe older?) versions of this lens are better than black ones?
would you belief it I use on my Sony A7RII super sharp image, compact and more importantly light. An excellent walk around lens. You will surprised at the price, I bought mine for 75 British Pound.
It's a whole different story with me. I too am using it on a 6D mk1, but there's no correction data available, I don't know why, and the image quality is just awful. The edges are absolutely horrendous, so soft and awfully aberated. Maybe it's just my luck with the seller and his way of treating the lens before me.
Indeed there is correction data. You just have to download it and transfer it to the camera. However, sample variation exists for secondhand lenses even more than new ones, and I think the reviewer had a particularly good example. I bought one last week for my 6D and whilst I like it very much, I cannot pretend that the sides look good at maximum aperture at most focal lengths, and the extreme corners are weak even when stopped well down. This lens that I have does not perform quite as well as a good example of the 28-105 3.5-4.5, for example. Maybe Chris got a better one...
Christopher can you (or anyone else) recommend a reliable USED seller on Amazon? Someone with good cust service & a fair return policy? And not necessarily just for this lens...but lenses in general. There are so many sellers on there, I don't know where to begin or who to trust! Thanks all!!
I bought this lens after your review and love it, also in lightroom when you enable corrections it takes out the barrel distortion. for £53 I paid on ebay its an absolute bargain!!! shame I cant get a 16-35 alternative.
My copy is way worse in the lower right corner. On top of this the autofocus on my copy is hunting forever for focus. When buying used lenses it’s always a lottery, be warned!!!
When l get my tax refund next spring, l'm thinking about getting this lens along with a 5D MK II for my first full frame experience. l've been shooting APS-C since 2006 when l got a Nikon D50.
Similar Situation here. But my choice probably is going to be the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2.8 Di XR LD Asp. The wider lens aperture and the seemingly better sharpness seems convincing to me... What do you think?
It's great to see all these lenses described as 'little gems' I bought them new years ago and have now dug them out of a box somewhere and re-discovering them. So glad I'm such a hoarder!
Woohoo this lens came on a film camera I ordered for $50!
Glad to see it’s actually good!
Binge watching your channel to decide which to buy, but it is not an easy task. Thank you for your detailed reviews!
Been doing it for over a decade now. Really helped in a lot of my decisions for dang sure!
Just picked this up, it’s pretty hard to find for under $100 now. Looking forward to pairing it with my 5D classic, and have a small, full frame everyday carry kit.
You won’t be disappointed!
As an avid follower of this channel, I really enjoyed this "old" review. I've just bought a Canon EOS 600 body only (An analog beauty from 1989), and needed a lens for it. Your review made me buy this lens and I can't wait to try it out!
Thanks alot ... You have best camera lens review in the internet
max factor he really is
+Christopher Frost Photography hey man just wanted to say, all your videos are awesome and I really appreciate how in depth your reviews are. I've bought a couple lenses based on your recommendations and have not been disappointed. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!
It's been 8 years since this video has come out and i'm seriously thinking of getting this as a cheaper alternative zoom for my Canon. your review is great!
me too hheh
you sounds like a good walk around option! however it's incapable of really sharp corners at any settings. the further you are from 24mm, the worse it gets.
I own a Canon 5D Mk1 or Classic. I was drawn to this video and as a result of your review I was able to purchase a black one in excellent shape for $134.00 USD. I believe I will have some great results from my full frame camera, although it does not have any functionality to offset the CA or vignetting. The focal range from this camera fills a need and presents great value. I look forward to getting some great shots from it. Thanks for your review.
Rugby 7's Ken Rockwell reviews this lens and he says the 5d iii is the best match, he would’nt use it on the mark ii that lacks color fringe correction. How about the Classic, how does it handle that lens? I believe that the Classic should handle that lens
great because the it came after the lens, right ? I have the silver lens coming but would be nice to heat what you say.
I still have this very old Canon EF Zoom (black) On the plus side, it's with USM AF drive, but of course, doesn't feature image stablization, so no IS here. It's not am L lens, not weather sealed, too. Be sure to use the matching lens hood. Distortions at 24, 28 & 35mm are something on the high side. Newer Canon bodies have in-body correction, which is a good thing, for lenses like this, also being useful in RAW, when using DPP (Canons Digital Photo Professional, RAW converter).
I came across this lens on eBay and bought it. It's quite usable on my Sony a9 (with Sigma MC-11), the autofocus is okay, and all AF modes work. Image quality is similar to what is depicted in this video. Highly recommended!
Hi Chris. I found another silver lens from that time. The EF 28-90mm F4-F5.6. Wich saved me some money so now i just got the Canon Eos 6d. I'm very happy and it's a good picture quallity for that lens. Thanks for all the nice reviews :)
Chris thank you so much for this review. On the strength of it I bought one, got it for £45. Its a cracking lens.
This one is in my top 3 lenses for my 6d with 40mm f2,8 and 100mm f2.
I have this on my R6, the addition of IBIS breathes new life into the lens. Definitely a hidden gem!
I also recommend the EF 70-210mm f3.5/4.5, another hidden gem that is quite sharp.
Im thinking of using it on my a7ii when it arrives. Do you have any samples ?
Would you still recommend them for r6? I'm searching for a cheap glasses and I found these. How much have u paid for them?
I want to thank you for this video. I was wanting something wider for my Mk3 and purchased this lens because of your review. I'm very happy with it. I had been saving for the Sigma 24-105, however this fits my needs fine. It could use stabilization, but for the price it is great. Thanks again.
Did you know ebay automatically adds this video to its listings for this lens? Must be a good sign.
I have this lens paired with an RP. Its very good. Its my favorite grab n go lens. 24 is great for capturing a scene, the 35-50 is great for street/general use and the 70-85 is great for portraits/light zoom.
do you use it with a canon or viltrox adapter?
@@arekg6260 Canon. Works flawless.
I use this lens today on my Canon M5 with a Viltrox speedbooster. Gives me a 27-97 equivalent with F2.5-3.2 (24-85 x 1.136 [1.6 crop x .71] and [F3.5-4.5 x .71]). Works great and I love the size, image quality, and silent autofocus. Just wish I had image stabilization. It's a good video lens because the quiet autofocus. Also the digital IS is not too bad for video on the M series cameras.
I found a silver one for 88$, trying to use it on a Sony A7R II with an adapter, thinking about using the Sigma mc 11
@@thundeyt8284 how is that working for you ? I will use it with the viltrox nex 4 adapter on my a7ii
@@parranoic yeah, the seller was sketchy in the end, haven't got it
Chris, have you been able to get your hands the 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 ?
Hi, is there someone using this lens with the 5d Classic? How is your ecperience? I'm looking forward to buy this lens and use it for landscapes. Unfortenatly I cannot find any lens correction profiles for Lightroom 5. Any ideas? Thanks. :)
This definitely is a pretty interesting hidden gem and the silver version looks really cool and different from most lenses. I guess this lens just only needs some small improvement to be the perfect inexpensive standard lens for full frame. The corners of the image needs to be just slightly better in every single way, it needs to focus slightly closer and adding image stabilisation will be great. If Canon did that to this lens it could have been the perfect inexpensive lens even today
Great review Chris. I'm interested how you think this lens performs against modern lenses. I have a 6d and 5d. I do think its a an old gem.
I have a question for Chris or anyone else, please. I bought this lens recently and am looking for a hood. Canon's own EW-73 II seemed expensive compared to what I paid for the lens itself, so I bought an unbranded replacement EW-73 II which didn't mount with the petals in their correct orientation as its mounting portion was mislocated. My question is whether other hoods are going to fit. There are lots of used Canon original variants of EW-73 (models B and D) built for 18-135 and 17-85 lenses and also a few plain EW-73 like the one Chris uses in this video. Will they mount correctly to use with this lens?
YOU REALLY ARE THE BEST WHEN IT COMES TO REVIEWS.MANY THANKS AND THUMBS UP.
Thanks!
Great video!!
I just purchase again a Canon Eos 400d( it was my first camera) and I don´t know what lens to get with the camera for decent results. Take care
Thanks - I was thinking of using this on my old 10D, which does not work with EF-S lenses, but decided against it based on this. Any suggestions 2020 for some retro photography?
Actually all lenses have less resolution from image center to periphery. The difference in the measurements. General rule for buyer is more ED elements and more aspherical elements give less resolution degradation. Price also goes to skies with more ED and aspherical elements.
Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM has one aspherical element and no ED. So it is not bad for its price also considering its weight and lens purpose. If you make commercial photo you can afford $2000 lens with several ED and better quality lens at expense of 2x lens weight. While if the images destination is just Instagram this used lens is much better justified for travel weight and its price.
@@alexanderbelov6892 Thx - I'm considering the EF 28-135 and the old 17-40. Both were approved for the 10D by ColorFoto.de
It was often sold with the 10D as a kit when that camera was new in 2003/4 and works well with it.
Hello. I watch your channel and love your reviews.
Back in the old film days I had this lens for a short while and didn't like it at all except on it's 24mm end where it was really good. On my Canon EOS 5 film camera it just was too soft, especially at 85mm. I ended up selling it fairly quickly andI got my self Canon 28-105mm f 3.5/4.5 EF lens I was very happy with. Thanks for the review though, You reminded me on my youth. Since then I have left Canon and went for Nikon. Nowadays I still shoot with Nikon D4 and recently got Fujifilm X-T30 as well. Happy New Year!
Ooooh went to the dark side! 😳😆
What round about equivalent would you recommend for an APS-C camera? Would you think that a Viltrox EF M2 on a M6 Mark II might sort that out?
I want to buy a new camera .. And I am thinking about canon 60d body with 24-105L .. but also I have second thought to get 70d with 18-135 STM instead with almost same price..
Could u please give me an advise?
I am beginner
Just out of cuiriosity how does it fair on the eos m with the speed booster
I think that lens comes from the Canon EOS IX. It does not have the same type of silver my EOS 300 or 300V have, it's a bit more golden. Great presentation, thank you! I may try to find one...
Chris, thank you for this review! How would this lens perform on a EOS RP camera using the RF-EF mount?
No idea! Probably not bad, although your image corners won't be impressively sharp by any means
@@christopherfrost Thanks! I tried it and it's not bad. It seems that it behaves like on the full frame camera you showed in the review. The combination of price, quality, weight and form factor makes it a fun choice for EOS RP. Autofocus also seems not to have too many problems.
@@paolodangella4933 great to see this, exactly my question. I just purchased this lens and awaiting it's arrival for my EOS RP.
Still the best all around lens I've used. Fantastically sharp, holds up even on my A7rii.
Hi, can i ask you what adaptor you use with it?
And does the autofocus work?
@@thundeyt8284 I use the Sigma MC-11 and autofocus works great, feels as good as any lens I've used. And on my a6500 I have a CameraPlus focal reducer adapter that actually works fantastically and focuses just as quick but they don't sell them anymore, not sure how the other brands compare
@@Wabajak13 how about imagine quality? I have the option to buy a silver one for 90$, how would u compare this to a 28-70 from sony?
Hi, Christopher. Could you explain me if I'll have some trouble using this lens with a Canon 5D classic? The 5D classic doesn't have the CA correction as th 6D. Using Photoshop and Camera RAW may I correct this problem enabling the correction using the lens profile?
+Guto Pereira Should be able to
You should review the Tokina 19-35mm. Its an old lens and might be a good find!
I've got a Canon R and I'm searching for a travel lens on a budget. I'm currently thinking about buying a CANON RF 24-105MM F4-7.1 IS STM or this very old but cheap Canon lens.
Is the Canon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM still holding up to your standards and tests? @Christopher Frost
Please do the nikon version, just spent all my money on Ebay for a D610 and need a good sharp midrange zoom. I had a Sigma 17-50 on my DX body but I dont think I really need F2.8 on Full frame at the short zoom range, Thanks Chris for the years!
Hi Chris which would you recommend between this and the Tamron 28-75 2.8? Thank you for all of your awesome videos!
The Tamron - check out my review
Thank you!
I had 2 Tamron 28-75f2.8 lenses. First was vastly die entered on the right side of the image. The second one gats blurry in the bottom left corner as you zoom in to 75mm. At 2.8 the lenses were basically uselessly soft especially at 75mm
Excellent review Christopher , I love your efforts to keep us informed scientifically about cameras and lenses! Thanks!!
I want to know in terms of picture quality, mostly sharpness which is your choose between the canon 24-85 3.5-4.5 vs canon 28-105 3.5-4.5
I currently have 24-85 but Iam looking move to the little bit more telephoto lens 28-105 but without loosing too much. Thanks for your answer
I had the 28-105 for a brief time. Quality is pretty good but not quite as good as this lens, probably due to it being longer.
Thx for the videos!!...Image correction profiles? Sorry did I miss it? What are those & where do I find em?
They're on your camera. You might have to plug your camera into your computer and run the EOS Utility to make sure the correct profile for the lens is on your camera
Thank you!
Hi Chris,
Have you ever reviewed or just tested Canon‘s 28-105 f/3,5-4,5? I happen to own this lens and like it build quality wise as well as for the fas USM AF. But to be honest it never rocked my world - i‘m always a little disappointed when using it. Maybe that’s because I use mainly my 40mm 2,8 pancake and nifty fifty for street and portaits redpectively. However, I‘d like to have a versatile lens for my 5D classic which doesn‘t cost the world. I have a very old 100-200 as well to cover long range shots, so i could live with the shorter focal length. I simply don’t know:
does it make any difference switching from 28-105 to 24-85?
And what about 28-70 f/3,5-4,5 btw?
My experience is that a good 28-105 is slightly better than the 24-85 I just got. But I like both. The 24-85 has weaker corners, and, at wide apertures, sides than a good 28-105.
@@kallegrabofski It's also a very decent lens. I have one too. I think all three are recommendable - the most important thing is getting one which hasn't been abused - and was a good example in the first place.
have you tested the 28-105 f/3,5-4,5 as well? I happen to own this lens (bought as a used copy for the purpose as Kit for my 5Dc) and never was satisfied with it. It‘s annoyingly heavy as well... so I‘m thinking of getting this one here (24-85) instead...
28-105 is slightly better, based on my experience, if you get a good example. It's also slightly lighter than the 24-85. But I think Chris got a better 24-85 than I did.
It is suitable for crop sensor?
I have one (the black version) that I've been using with an APS-C body. It's not a bad little lens -- pretty sharp, but has a lot of barrel distortion at the wide end. Sure, you can correct in post, but it's kind of annoying at times. I have taken some images that have been mistaken for "L" quality. I would still rather have a 24-105 f/4L IS.
Hi Chris, I have a similar lens: The Canon EF 3.5-4.5/28-70mm II. I read the performance is similar. However although the optical performance is similarly good, sometimes the AF is a little bit off even if I stopped down to 8. Especially very far objects near infinity autofocus setting are a bit too blurry. Why is that so and have you made that experience, too, with your Canon 6D. Is there something wrong? Same story with an old Canon 2.8/135mm Softfocus (at softfocus setting 0). The lens can do better if manually focused with life screen or adapted on a Sony A7 II with EVF and focus peaking.
Maybe it's because I've chosen the mode with _all_ AF points and not only the middle AF point, which is the most precise...
Hi Chris in my copy of the Lens at 85 mm at f8 is not so Sharp is better on F 4,5 or F11... Have you Discover also in your copy of the Lens? Thank you very much! Bye
That's weird. I have no idea
@@christopherfrost I will try again thankss👍🏻
I noticed some similar anomalies when I tested the one I just got. Did your retest have the same result?
@@mike969696 no all ok, was my focus error maybe
@@lostish It's very easy to accidentally introduce other variables when testing, as I know from experience :)
I have one of these lenses, which is great but just bought a full frame body and now thinking about about upgrading to the slightly newer 28-105 f4 L, any advice?
Save the money; that lens is heavy and only has slightly better image quality
Just think about the 24-105 Stm version which is cheaper and lighter than the L version
Hi I have a Canon 28-90mm silver and wondering if this would be an upgrade to it. I have a Canon 5D Mark 1. Or would you recommend anything better?
Also im Looking at the Canon 50mm f1.8. Would you recommend it?
I also have the 5D Mark1 and have just purchased this because it's a good walk around lens for me. I also have the nifty-fifty, but like the flexibility of the 24-85.
I have no idea - they are both very old lenses now!
I have 5D Mark II and dont have CA feature in it. But Lightroom solve this and vignetting. Soo... is this good for landscape ? is it better then lens comparing with ones with STM ??
It'll be okay - look at the sharpness tests and see if that's good enough for you
So is peripheral illumination supposed to be on or off ? Sorry I’m a beginner! :)
On! The only reason to turn it off would be for testing purposes.
This is a great lens on film and digital (I have several EOS film bodies and a 5D). For digital cameras that don't have in-body correction for peripheral illumination and chromatic aberration, process the RAW images Canon's free Digital Photo Professional software to get the same results (DPP will correct for distortion and color blur as well). Save as TIFF for further processing in another image editor such as Lightroom if desired.
Hello. May I know what’s your opinion on Canon EF 24-85mm vs Tamron 28-75mm?
I’m currently using Canon 5D Classic!
Please continue to make great informative videos in TH-cam! Cheers.
Take a look at my review of that Tamron lens for all the info you need :-)
I just brought one of these little champagne glasses for 120€, going to put on my A7ii PDAF FW 2.0 with a Commlite Adaptor. High hopes of getting a great walkaround lens with this combo, we'll see...
This lens might be the next best cheapest option to the 24-70 2.8L lenses.
I wonder if this great lens can work properly on my M50 with speed booster any advice?
Should do. Can't make any guarantees about image quality, though
@@christopherfrost noted, thank you
Hi, nice reviews! But, after watching your 3 videos for the lens I'm considering, I I'm hesitant and I need your recommendation. Would you recommend the Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 vs sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 ex dc os? I do mainly video, but I'm looking for a versatile lens that can do both (video and photography) nicely or I should save more and get the Canon 24-70mm f/4L IS USM? my Camera is a Canon 80D.
If you're mainly doing video then you should consider the 18-135 STM - that STM motor is invaluable for video work
@@christopherfrost Thanks for the recommendation.
Hello Christopher,how do you do?
I have just bought a canon 5d classic as my first full frame camera,i am requesting you for a suggestion,will you suggest this lens or 28-135 canon lens?which one would you recommend?I will highly appreciate your recommendation.I like a general purpose lens for everyday use and street photography.Thank you
It's up to you but I would personally prefer the 24-85
@@christopherfrost i will go for 24-85mm then,thank you.Just a little more concern if there will be a lot more barrel distortion at 24 mm,can it be properly corrected in lightroom,do you think?
Hi Chris. I didn't want to ask a duplicate question so I've read all the comments and your replies but there were no references to using this lens on a 90D. You tested it on a 60D, you mentioned IQ would be softer on a 70D and that it would work well on a 6D. How about the 90D?.....still disappointing IQ and poor for videos? Thanks for a reply.
lens is so cheap just buy it and test it out there really cheap second hand
Hi. I'm looking for a lense for my 6D for basic videos for youtube. Would you recomend this lense or the Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS ? I like the 28-135 because of the IS for the videos. But the IQ on this one just seem better.
I'd go for the 24-85
Hi Chris, Would this lens be any different on the 70d than the 60d? Since it can compensate for the lens aberration? I was thinking of purchasing one but if the sharpness isn't quiet the same I might give it a miss. Keep up the good work mate!
+Terry Mccall The Canon 70D has to resolve an extra 2mp so it will be a touch softer. I'm pretty sure it has the profiles to correct the CA and vignetting though, if you download them from the software
where is the link?
Fantastic reviews, I appreciate what you are doing!
I have just bought 6D and I have T3i. I have 70-200 2.8 and the 50 1.8, and I want to buy a lens for landscape and general use. Would you recommend this? Will I be able to do good landscape images?
Or would you recommend
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM instead?
This 24-85mm lens is very nice. Or, save up for a Canon 24-105mm f/4. The original version is very good and good value for money, if you shop around
And how do you compare this to 28-105mm f3.5-4.5? Which one do I choose for my 6D?
And is the 24-105 f/4 the L one?
The 24-105 is an 'L' lens. I've never tried the 28-105 - I hear it's not bad, though
@@christopherfrost Hey Christoph, I'd really like to hear your opinion on the 28-105 3.4-4.5, as it's as cheap as the 24-85 here and seems to be a great alternative to the 24-105 'L' lens - on paper at least. I'd love to see you compare the 24-85 to the 28-105!
I wonder how well it would work on a C100?
What would the zooom range be on an APS-C camera?
Multiply it by 1.6x
Its about 38-139mm on an APS-C
I need some more affordable full frame lens for the Canon 5D classic and I am doubting between a Canon 24-85mm USM or a Canon 35-135mm USM.
Which would you recommend to me?
I'd prefer this one
@@christopherfrost How do you think about the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2,8 Di XR LD Asp. compared to this lens? According to your reviews, the Tamron should be slightly better, shouldn't it?
I just got it today. From my first look at it it focuses really well on a native film body (canon eos 500). On the eos m series, with the normal adapter work just as fine as on the native body, with the efm speedbooster it is certainly slower but usable, didnt notice that much of a difference in quality. On my sony a7ii with viltrox nex 4, the af is snappy, most af modes are available, even continuous sorta works. Video mode afc doesnt really do anything. On Fuji xe2 with the cheapest adapter available the andoer fx ef (probably clone of the viltrox with the same name), aperture works, af works pretty fast but is inaccurate (sometimes its blurry sometimes its perfect). Will cause screen flickering when set to infinity after autofocusing (problem with cheap adapters). Overall amazing lens for 70$, sharp and a great kit lens for all of my systems that doesnt take much spaces and its lite
IMHO AF highly depends on camera body capabilities, since lens does not have any sensors to proove it is focused. Lens just moves focusing groups as commanded from the camera body.
In your case Sony A7ii AF is OK while Fuji xe2 has AF problems.
hi cris! would you recomend this lens for my canon 5d classic? thanks!
Gonza Laroca have you received an answer to this q? I‘m asking me the same for 5Dc doesn‘t have any in camera lens correction functionalities
Michael Wendling In camera lens calibration is lu really necessary if outputting jpeg files. If you are using Raw then you can compensate during post processing.
I just bought one on eBay in anticipation of buying my first full frame camera. Maybe a new 6D or used 5D Mk III once they announce the newer models. Thanks for the tip.
Honestly, I would just save money and get the 6D over the 5D Mark iii. Same image quality in a much smaller, lighter camera, and the 6D still has good features
I suppose you're right. I think I'd rather have a new 6D over a used 5D Mk iii. FWIW, I've been very happy so far with the 24-85 on my old Rebel XSi. With my 430EX II Speedlite, it takes some really nice portraits.
Don't forget that even though the 6D is smaller, it is still built like a tank. I dropped mine from about 2 feet before onto a terrazzo floor with no impact damage whatsoever.
Not that I want to go testing the camera's ruggedness all that much, but it's nice to know that you don't sacrifice durability for the cheaper price.
Plus it's low light ability. ISO 6400 yields astonishingly good image quality, 12800 is still very decent after some tweaking with Photoshop, Lightroom or similar. Also the AF works in very dim light.
@@ivanblanco8165 most cameras are. I dropped my old rebel t3i a few years ago from eye level (I'm six feet tall) and the even lens came off. But surprisingly, everything still worked, and the camera only had a minor scratches everywhere, then lens sadly didn't survive, but then again, it was a kit lens.
Can i use it for canon eos 7d mark i and will it shoot good?
Yes, and as for its image quality, look at the APS-C results in this review
@@christopherfrost Can you try it on a Sony mirrorless? like the Sony A7R II? there are few choices in the market for the equivalent focal length, and the price of this little lens is unbeatable
You're the best brother!
gr8 reviews. keep up the good work.
Hello Christopher. I'am using the 6d with this nice small lens and your video and valitate my impressions of this lens. Unproblematically and positiv inconspicuously. I can operate the camera with this lens in one hand!My Tamron 24-70 f2.8 vc generate no better results in the aperturerange of the ef 24-85. I see, you have the silver version (so am I). Some folks say, that the silver version is a little bit better than the black version.Greatings from Germany.
How dose EF 28-80 f2.8-4L USM? Dose it value for money? And How about EF 28-80 f/3.5-5.6 USM III? And EF 24-85 f3.5-4.5 USM. wich one is better?! Help!!
I’d choose this one. Wider.
Can you make a video 4 the 70-200 sigma and tamron pleas ?!
how to clean fongus lens canon 24-85mm ? open lens? thanks...
I just bought my first full frame original 5D and need a new lens, is this the best for the money? I'm not willing to pay $$$$ since camera cost me $200 :)
It'll be a good start. Watch the review, and you'll see!
hi could someone tell me how sharp this lens would be on a canon 50d?
The images will seem a little sharper on the 50D than they do on the APS-C camera is used on this test.
How do you think this lens would do for picture quality adapted to a Sony A7ii considering that it would not have the cannon lens profiles? I don't care about the AF.
Hmm, no idea, really. It'd be great to see a similar lens for Sony FE
Can I use it (24-85mm) with Canon 600D?Plz????
+AlexanderPK All Canon mount lenses made since 1987 will work on your Canon APS-C digital SLR camera, except EF-S lenses
+Christopher Frost Photography thanks
+Christopher Frost Photography maybe you mean't including EF-S
+Clarty Paths Oops! I actually mean 'except EF-M' lenses
+Christopher Frost Photography ah yes, now the world makes sense again hehe!
How does it compare to the 24-105 F4?
The 24-105 is far better (and far more expensive)
@@christopherfrost
Is it your own one-to-one comparison or just common sense opinion? Do you have any ref to someones comparison for them with images examples?
It seems to me I did personal comparison for them with my friend about 13 years ago. 24-105 f/4 IS did not show advantage in peripheral resolution, while it was more expensive due to I(mage)S(tabization).
Thanks for this recommendation. I just bought my new to me Canon 6D but had money only for a 50 1.8 and a Tokina 100 f2.8. I needed a general lens that ideally is going to be the Tamron 24-70 VC f2.8 some day but there is no money for that yet. So enter this Canon 24-85. Very nice unknown to me general lens. Impressive sharpness and small footprint. Very happy. If canon would recreate this lens with IS and tweak it a little would sell a ton Of these. Thx
I picked this lens for 50 bucks last week it's really cool if you can find one
The 18-55 stm is much darker, the aperture is 5.6 at 55mm, I guess it will be 4.0 on the 24-85,
and much distortion.
can you review the tamron 28-75mm f2.8 please!
I'm looking in to doing that soon :-)
thanks for the reply!
I Just managed to get a pristine copy of this lens from MPB.com. Very pleased with it so far.
For $160 in 2018 do you think I should get one?
That seems a little expensive, maybe
Thank you very much for your reviews. Do you know something about that, allegedly, silver (and I believe older?) versions of this lens are better than black ones?
Will this work on d70
+Steven Means Do you mean a Canon 70D, or a Nikon D70
Christopher Frost Photography canon
+Steven Means The 70D? That's an APS-C camera. All Canon lenses made since 1987 will work on Canon's APS-C digital SLR cameras, except EF-M lenses
U just bought that sir, thanks its really usefull
would you belief it I use on my Sony A7RII super sharp image, compact and more importantly light. An excellent walk around lens. You will surprised at the price, I bought mine for 75 British Pound.
Hmm, I was wondering about adapting it onto my a7R II. Which adaptor did you use
It's a whole different story with me. I too am using it on a 6D mk1, but there's no correction data available, I don't know why, and the image quality is just awful. The edges are absolutely horrendous, so soft and awfully aberated. Maybe it's just my luck with the seller and his way of treating the lens before me.
If you plug your camera into your computer and run the EOS utility software, you should be able to update it to correct this particular lens
Indeed there is correction data. You just have to download it and transfer it to the camera. However, sample variation exists for secondhand lenses even more than new ones, and I think the reviewer had a particularly good example. I bought one last week for my 6D and whilst I like it very much, I cannot pretend that the sides look good at maximum aperture at most focal lengths, and the extreme corners are weak even when stopped well down. This lens that I have does not perform quite as well as a good example of the 28-105 3.5-4.5, for example. Maybe Chris got a better one...
Great video.
24-105 L vs 24-85, which one is better? @Christopher Frost Photography
They're both great, it's more that they're different. The 24-105 is better, I would say, but it also costs about 5x more
i hope the picture quality compares, tho!
Christopher can you (or anyone else) recommend a reliable USED seller on Amazon? Someone with good cust service & a fair return policy? And not necessarily just for this lens...but lenses in general. There are so many sellers on there, I don't know where to begin or who to trust! Thanks all!!
from ebay uk
stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Photographers-Bag
I bought this lens after your review and love it, also in lightroom when you enable corrections it takes out the barrel distortion. for £53 I paid on ebay its an absolute bargain!!! shame I cant get a 16-35 alternative.
My copy is way worse in the lower right corner. On top of this the autofocus on my copy is hunting forever for focus. When buying used lenses it’s always a lottery, be warned!!!
When l get my tax refund next spring, l'm thinking about getting this lens along with a 5D MK II for my first full frame experience. l've been shooting APS-C since 2006 when l got a Nikon D50.
Similar Situation here. But my choice probably is going to be the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm F/2.8 Di XR LD Asp. The wider lens aperture and the seemingly better sharpness seems convincing to me... What do you think?
I bought mine with the canon eos ix camera, for cad$43. It is a good lens.
Wow, great deal!
I have purchased @$80