Canon EF 24–105mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM vs Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonEF 24–105mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM | CanonEF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS III USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | December 2014 | September 2018 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Zoom | Zoom |
| Focal length | 24–105 mm | 70–200 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/3.5–5.6 | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22–36 | f/32 |
| Optical construction | Seventeen elements in thirteen groups | 23 elements in 19 groups; retains the optical layout of the EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM |
| Special elements | Aspherical and UD elements | One fluorite and five UD elements |
| Coatings | – | Air Sphere Coating and revised optical coatings; fluorine coating on front and rear element surfaces |
| Aperture detail | Minimum aperture f/22–36 with third-stop increments, or f/22–32 with half-stop increments, according to Canon's exact manual and Museum table | – |
| Diaphragm | Seven blades with a circular aperture | Eight blades with a circular aperture |
| Angle of view | 84°–23°20′ diagonal, 74°–19°20′ horizontal and 53°–13° vertical | Diagonal 34°–12°; vertical 19°30′–7°; horizontal 29°–10° |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon EF | Canon EF |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Compatibility | Canon EF cameras with full-frame or APS-C sensors | Canon EF mount full-frame and APS-C cameras |
| Teleconverter support | Canon's manual excludes extenders | EF1.4X III gives 98–280 mm f/4 and 0.30× maximum magnification; EF2X III gives 140–400 mm f/5.6 and 0.44×; autofocus remains available but is slower |
| Adaptor support | EF12 II gives 0.61–0.50× at 24 mm and 0.46–0.12× at 105 mm; EF25 II is incompatible at 24 mm and gives 0.67–0.27× at 105 mm | – |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.4 m | 1.2 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.3× | 0.21× |
| Optical stabilisation | Yes | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | Lead-screw STM autofocus with electronic manual focusing. One Shot AF permits manual adjustment with the shutter half-pressed; manual focusing is unavailable when the camera is off or the lens is asleep | Ring-type USM; full-time manual override after One-Shot autofocus while holding the shutter button halfway |
| Focus distance detail | Internal focusing with a non-rotating filter thread according to ePHOTOzine. Canon instructs users to finish zooming before focusing | Internal focusing; maximum 0.21× magnification at 200 mm |
| Stabilisation detail | Four-stop claim measured at 105 mm with the EOS-1D X under CIPA standards. The manual describes automatic correction for still subjects and panning | Up to 3.5 stops under CIPA testing at 200 mm on an EOS-1D X Mark II; Mode 1 for still subjects and Mode 2 for panning; Canon notes tripod results depend on the tripod and shooting conditions |
| Video features | Smooth Movie Servo AF with compatible cameras; the original manual lists EOS 70D, 700D, 100D and 650D, plus EOS M/M2 with an EF-EOS M adaptor | – |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | – | Yes |
| Filter diameter | 77 mm | 77 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 83.4 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Length | 104 mm | 199 mm |
| Weight | 525 g (better) | 1,480 g |
| Controls | AF/MF and stabilisation switches, separate focus and zoom rings, and a zoom lock at 24 mm | AF/MF, IS on/off and IS mode switches; focus limiter selects 1.2 m–infinity or 2.5 m–infinity |
| Zoom design | Extending barrel with transport lock at the shortest position | Internal zooming maintains physical length (Digital Camera World) |
| Weather resistance | – | Dust- and moisture-resistant construction with a rubber gasket at the mount |
| Dimensions detail | Maximum diameter × length; size and 525 g weight are lens-only. Caps add 24.2 mm to length according to Canon's manual | 88.8 mm maximum diameter × 199 mm length, measured from the mount to the lens front; add 24.2 mm for front and rear caps |
| Weight detail | – | Approximately 1,480 g lens only according to Canon's instruction manual, UK store and Camera Museum; a Canon USA one-page specification chart instead lists approximately 1,440 g |
| Tripod mount | – | Included removable rotating B (W II) tripod mount ring; detach the lens from the camera before removing the collar |
| Lens hood | Optional EW-83M hood with release button; reversible for storage | ET-87, with release button and reversible mounting for storage |
| In the box | – | ET-87 hood and LZ1326 lens case according to the UK store; tripod mount ring included according to Canon's instruction manual |
| Release detail | Canon Camera Museum records December 2014 marketing; no first-sale day is given | Marketed in September 2018 according to Canon Camera Museum; Canon USA's 7 June announcement had scheduled US shipping for August 2018 |
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