Canon RF 24 105mm F 2 8 L IS USM Z Review | 54 Data compared

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z is a groundbreaking hybrid lens that achieves a long-held industry dream by pairing a versatile 24-105mm focal range with a bright, constant f/2.8 aperture. Designed to serve both high-end video production and professional stills photography, it delivers outstanding center sharpness across the entire zoom range, very swift and silent Dual Nano USM autofocus, and robust optical image stabilization of up to 5 stops (or 8 stops when paired with in-body image stabilization). For filmmakers, it features a smooth, silent aperture ring and compatibility with optional, dedicated Power Zoom Adapters like the PZ-E2 to enable precise electronic zoom control. However, the lens comes with notable trade-offs in size and ergonomics, making it significantly longer and heavier than traditional standard zooms like the RF 24-70mm f/2.8. While its bulky form factor might feel standard to cine camera operators, stills photographers may find it uncomfortably massive and awkward for casual or travel shooting. Additionally, lab tests reveal that corner sharpness drops to average at the longer focal lengths, and the lens relies heavily on digital...

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L Z is a highly versatile, professional-grade zoom lens designed for hybrid photo and video shooters who require a bright aperture across an extended focal range. Its primary advantages lie in its exceptional center sharpness at all focal lengths, fast and silent autofocus tracking, and a robust, weather-sealed build. Videographers will especially appreciate its dedicated, declicked aperture ring, smooth manual focus capabilities, and compatibility with an optional motorized zoom rig. Additionally, the lens boasts strong flare control, a pleasant background bokeh, and impressive close-up focusing capabilities that allow for a 1:3 macro reproduction ratio at the 105mm end. However, combining an f/2.8 aperture with a 24-105mm range introduces notable drawbacks in physical handling and optical performance. Weighing nearly three pounds (1,330 grams), the lens is bulky and heavy, comparable in size to a traditional 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. Optically, the corner sharpness suffers due to heavy digital distortion correction, leaving edges with a smeared appearance unless the lens is stopped down to f/5.6. Other flaws include minor longitudinal chromatic aberration that causes yellow-blue color casts in...

The Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS Z is a groundbreaking, highly versatile hybrid lens that combines the fast F2.8 constant aperture of a traditional 24-70mm zoom with the extended 24-105mm reach typically restricted to F4 lenses. Its robust, thoroughly weather-sealed L-series body includes dual Nano-USM focus motors for near-instant stills autofocus, excellent video tracking with low focus breathing, and up to 5.5 stops of optical image stabilization (stretching to 8 stops when paired with IBIS). Optically, the lens delivers exceptional center and mid-frame sharpness across all focal lengths, alongside an impressive 0.29x maximum magnification for detailed close-ups and generally pleasing bokeh rendering. Additional physical strengths include an internal zooming mechanism that retains a fixed barrel length, a customizable control ring, and electronic compatibility with expensive, specialized PowerZoom adapters aimed at professional broadcast environments.

The Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z lens is a groundbreaking, professional-grade hybrid optic delivering exceptional center resolution, fast Dual Nano USM autofocus, and effective image stabilization with an internal zoom mechanism. Its high-end design, while providing excellent bokeh and strong weather-sealing for video and event shooters, results in a heavy, bulky, and expensive package with some corner softness at 24mm.

The ePHOTOzine review of the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z identifies the lens as a versatile hybrid tool for both video and photography, delivering very good to excellent sharpness, a constant f/2.8 aperture, and minimal distortion. The lens features a robust, weather-resistant build, effective image stabilization (IS) that pairs with IBIS, and quick focusing via dual Nano USM motors, with the added benefit of optional Power Zoom compatibility. However, the review notes significant drawbacks including its high cost and substantial weight, making it a heavy option not suited for casual, lightweight travel. Additional considerations include the aperture ring's restriction to video mode during initial use and its overall premium, professional-focused nature.

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z is a versatile, video-centric zoom lens that delivers a constant f/2.8 aperture across its entire focal range. In terms of performance and build, it offers overall exceptional image sharpness—especially in the center—and an impressive image stabilization system providing up to 5.5 stops, or up to 8 stops when paired with a camera body's IBIS system. Designed heavily with videographers in mind, it features a step-less aperture ring, programmable lens buttons, a smooth geared zoom ring, and compatibility with Power Zoom adapters for precise adjustments. Additionally, it behaves similarly to a parfocal lens, as it does not shift its focus when zooming, and produces a pleasing shallow depth of field with beautiful bokeh at 105mm. However, the reviewer notes several significant drawbacks, primarily its massive size and heavy weight of 1,430 grams, making it double the weight of its f/4 counterpart and impractical as a daily walkaround lens. For standard photography, the lens offers limited performance enhancements over the f/4 version, and its step-less aperture ring is completely non-functional on EOS R camera...

Based on Sam Hurd's review, the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z is a $3,000 "unicorn" lens that ultimately functions as a video-first tool rather than a practical option for stills photography. The primary advantages of the lens include its clinical sharpness even wide open at f/2.8, stellar close-focusing capabilities for detail work, and a robust internal zoom design that maintains a constant barrel length. Video shooters will also benefit from its electronic parfocal design with minimal focus breathing and up to 8 stops of image stabilization. However, the reviewer notes that photographers are forced to pay for these high-end video features that offer little value to their specific workflow. The "dealbreaker" for pure photographers lies in the lens's poor optical integrity and cumbersome handling. At the 24mm focal length, the lens exhibits massive vignette blackout in the corners, meaning it relies heavily on digital profile corrections that stretch pixels, crop the image field, and reduce overall resolution. Physically, the lens is compared to "trying to walk through a doorway holding a ladder" because its internal zoom mechanism...

The Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z is an ambitious, full-frame standard zoom lens designed primarily for video specialists and event shooters who require both a bright f/2.8 constant aperture and an extended telephoto reach up to 105mm. Built with the rugged durability of Canon’s marquee L series, it offers dust, splash, and smudge protection, alongside an internal zoom mechanism that keeps the physical barrel length fixed. It excels in speed and precision thanks to its dual Nano USM autofocus motors, and provides impressive image stabilization of up to 5.5 stops standalone or 8 stops when paired with an in-body image stabilization (IBIS) camera. Furthermore, the lens is effectively parfocal, allowing it to maintain focus while zooming, and it renders crisp 22-point sunstars when stopped down to f/22.

This Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z lens review highlights it as a ruggedly built, first-of-its-kind standard zoom lens designed specifically for event coverage, weddings, and video production. Its core strengths include a longer telephoto reach than typical f/2.8 zooms, a robust L-series construction with weather sealing, and a fixed-barrel internal zoom mechanism. Autofocus is fast, quiet, and precise due to dual Nano USM motors, while the optics render crisp 22-point sunstars at f/22. It provides exceptionally strong stabilization—up to 8 stops when paired with a camera featuring in-body image stabilization—making it highly reliable for stable handheld shooting. However, the lens suffers from notable ergonomic flaws and optical compromises that restrict its appeal. At 2.9 pounds, it is very bulky and expensive, priced at $2,999. A major limitation for hybrid shooters is that the on-barrel aperture ring only functions in video mode and remains completely useless for stills. Additionally, its integrated tripod foot lacks Arca-Swiss compatibility, and the optional power zoom motor attachments required for smooth video zooms cost an extra $999 to $1,299. Optically, the background blur...