Canon RF 24 105mm F 4L IS USM Review | 54 Data compared

The Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens is described as a professional-grade, versatile, and compact L-series option offering excellent sharpness, fast Nano USM autofocus, and effective image stabilization for travel and landscape photography. While the constant f/4 aperture provides consistent exposure, the review notes compromises including noticeable barrel distortion, vignetting at 24mm, and lateral chromatic aberration, alongside a telescoping external zoom design.

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a highly capable standard zoom lens designed specifically for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless system, pairing exceptionally well with bodies like the EOS R. Despite its classification as a kit lens, it earns its premium L-series red ring by delivering impressive sharpness across all focal lengths up to f/11, alongside quick and responsive autofocus. Structurally, the lens features a weather-sealed, relatively compact, and lightweight design weighing 700g. A standout innovation is its customisable, diamond-treaded Control ring, which allows photographers to adjust exposure settings like ISO, aperture, or white balance directly from the barrel. Crucially, it provides five stops of in-lens image stabilisation, effectively compensating for cameras that lack in-body image stabilisation (IBIS). However, the review highlights a few notable drawbacks to consider. The lens is quite expensive for a zoom lens, especially considering the wide availability of cheaper, existing EF lenses that adapt seamlessly to the system. Optically, lab testing revealed minor barrel distortion at the wide 24mm end, which transitions into pincushion distortion from 50mm and beyond when in-camera corrections are turned off....

The Photography Life review of the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM identifies the lens as a durable, weather-sealed, and versatile midrange option featuring fast, near-silent Nano USM autofocus, a customizable control ring, and excellent control over distortion and vignetting. Despite these strengths, the lens is noted for having a high $1,300 standalone price point, along with significant barrel wobble at 105mm and a reduction in corner sharpness at the telephoto end.

The DxOMARK review concludes that the Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM is a highly compact, versatile standard zoom lens that acts as a step up from its EF predecessor, earning an overall score of 23 when tested on a 30 MP Canon EOS R. Among its primary pros, the lens boasts excellent center sharpness that improves significantly through the zoom range, exceptional performance at longer focal lengths (85-105 mm) that rivals high-resolution competitors, and highly stable, minimal transmission variation (-0.1 EV) that strongly benefits videographers. It also displays the lowest barrel-type distortion at the wide end (24-28 mm) compared to similar lenses from Sony and Panasonic, features robust dust- and moisture-resistant L-series weather sealing, and incorporates a fast, smooth Nano USM focusing motor alongside a 5-stop optical stabilizer. Conversely, the review highlights several prominent cons, noting that the lens displays inconsistent performance across its zoom range and suffers from a weaker wide end. Specifically, central sharpness is lower than expected when wide open at 24 mm, accompanied by noticeable astigmatism-like behavior in the mid and outer zones that requires...

The review by Jan Paul Mioulet on ⁠Focus Review highlights the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM as an exceptional, highly versatile all-around zoom lens designed specifically as a first-lens choice for full-frame mirrorless cameras like the Canon EOS R. Weighing 700 grams with a 77mm filter size, it leverages the wider RF mount and shorter flange distance to deliver superior sharpness from the center all the way to the corners compared to older DSLR EF versions. The lens features a unique, programmable control ring at the front for adjusting aperture or exposure compensation. It also incorporates a linear Nano-USM motor that provides nearly silent, rapid, and precise autofocus highly suited for both sports photography and video tracking. Since the camera body lacks internal stabilization, its built-in optical image stabilization serves as a heavy hitter, maintaining 70% image sharpness even at a full 1-second exposure time. The review breaks down several explicit performance strengths and weaknesses for the lens. On the positive side, pros include its high overall image quality, excellent weather-resistant build with a rear rubber gasket, a highly...

The ePHOTOzine review highlights the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM as a versatile, weather-sealed, and high-performance lens for Canon's mirrorless system. It features excellent central sharpness, low chromatic aberration, a useful control ring, and effective 5-stop image stabilization. While delivering superb, consistent results, the lens is noted for being somewhat heavy at 700g, with slight edge-sharpness reduction at 105mm wide open and an f/4 aperture that offers less background blur than faster alternatives.

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a highly versatile and well-built "master of versatility" lens designed for the Canon EOS R system, serving as an exceptional high-end kit option for landscape, travel, and event photography. Reviewer Alik Griffin highlights its outstanding color rendering, contrast, and center sharpness across the entire focal range, noting it performs optimally at 50mm. Key pros include a fast, silent USM autofocus system ideal for videographers, and a unique 5-stop Image Stabilization (IS) system that effectively removes micro-shake while allowing natural camera drift during video pans. Furthermore, its focus-by-wire manual system operates with a buttery-smooth feel, and the weather-sealed construction remains comfortably light without feeling cheap. However, the lens does exhibit optical trade-offs that require post-processing corrections. Its primary flaws are distortion behaviors, specifically a noticeable mustache barrel distortion at 24mm and pronounced pincushion distortion at 50mm and 105mm. It suffers from vignetting at f/4 across all focal lengths—especially at the 24mm wide end—and shows minor corner sharpness falloff coupled with chromatic aberrations in the outer edges of the frame. Finally, the f/4 aperture...

In his review, Oliver Bush describes the Canon RF 24–105mm F4 L IS USM as a highly functional,, and reliable all-around lens boasting excellent build quality, consistent autofocus, and a practical 24mm locking toggle to prevent lens creep. Key advantages include its versatility, effective image stabilization, and a 77mm filter ring, making it a capable, if somewhat uninspiring, choice for, versatile shooting scenarios. Medium ·Oliver Bush / Conversely, the lens is criticized for not having internal zoom and for featuring a locking mechanism that only functions at 24mm, limiting utility at other focal lengths. Furthermore, the reviewer describes the image output as clinically sharp and lacking character, leading to a preference for prime lenses over this zoom for artistic work.

The Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM is a highly functional standard zoom lens designed specifically for the full-frame mirrorless RF mount, offering distinct design, handling, and performance updates over its older EF predecessor. It is roughly 10mm shorter and lighter than the EF version at 700 grams, but it boasts a more robust, less plastic-like build quality. Key handling advantages include a generous gap between the lens and camera grip for finger clearance, a built-in 5-stop image stabilization system, robust weather sealing, and a highly customizable lens control ring. Autofocus performance is exceptionally strong, driven by near-silent Nano-USM technology that delivers blazing fast speed, reliable eye tracking, and precise accuracy right out of the box. Optically, the lens delivers excellent sharpness and rich contrast in the center across its entire zoom range, maintaining consistent color rendition and pleasant, soft bokeh. The specific pros highlight its robust build, extremely fast autofocus, low longitudinal chromatic aberration, excellent color saturation, 0.24x close-up magnification, and the high utility of the control ring. On the downside, the lens is notably prone to flare and...

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM is a highly versatile, lightweight (395g) all-rounder lens designed for Canon's mirrorless system that excels under normal daylight conditions. Priced around $1,300, it features a travel-friendly telescopic zoom design and a useful three-ring control layout, including a customizable ring for ISO or aperture adjustments. In standard lighting, the lens delivers sharp, clear images across its entire focal length range, making it an excellent "kit" upgrade for enthusiasts shooting landscapes, street photography, and portraits. Its internal focusing motor operates silently and efficiently, providing a smooth zooming experience that translates well for video work. However, the lens falls significantly short for low-light and specialized astrophotography due to its maximum aperture limit of f/4, which makes capturing crisp stars difficult without triggering blurry star trails during long exposures. The pros of this glass include its highly adaptable focal range and its surprisingly portable form factor. On the downside, it completely lacks weather sealing—a major disappointment at this price tier—and suffers from minor clarity loss around the edges of images at maximum zoom, as well as underwhelming...

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 USM L IS is a highly flexible standard zoom lens designed for Canon's R mirrorless system, priced competitively at around $1,100 USD—identical to its DSLR predecessor. Built to professional standards, the lens features a weather-sealed construction that adopts Canon’s modern, lightweight "L" design philosophy, complete with smooth zoom and focus rings, a petal-shaped hood, and a functional front control ring for manual settings like ISO and aperture. Performance-wise, it stands out for its exceptionally fast and silent Nano USM autofocus system, which delivers best-in-class precision for manual focusing by wire. Despite its premium build, the review highlights a few notable cons, including the lens physically extending when zooming toward longer focal lengths and a relatively slow maximum aperture of f/4. Additionally, while Canon claims the built-in optical image stabilizer provides a 5-stop advantage, real-world testing in electronic shutter mode yielded a slightly lower, though still good, efficiency of 3.5 to 4 f-stops. On the pro side, the lens offers excellent extra focal reach compared to competing mirrorless systems, lacks any noticeable zoom creeping, includes a...

Compact Build and Ergonomic Edge The Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM review highlights the lens as a highly practical, everyday option optimized for mirrorless cameras. A major advantage is its compact form factor; it measures 0.43 inches shorter than its DSLR predecessor (the EF version II) while maintaining the same 3.29-inch exterior diameter and 77mm filter thread. Because it mounts directly to mirrorless systems, users save an additional 0.9 inches of length by eliminating the need for an EF-EOS R adapter. On the physical side, the reviewer highly praises the inclusion of a customizable on-lens control ring, which can be configured as an aperture ring, justifying its tiny weight penalty over competitors like Sony. Performance-wise, the lens shines with five stops of image stabilization, excellent weather sealing, and rapid autofocus tracking when paired with a camera like the Canon EOS R. Optical Compromises and Shooting Strategy Despite its overall utility, the lens suffers from notable optical flaws that the reviewer describes as an intentional design compromise by Canon. The most prominent drawbacks include severe barrel distortion at the widest...