Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM

Canon · EF

EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM

Released December 2008

An EF wide-angle L prime with an f/1.4 aperture, thirteen-element optical design, ring USM autofocus and dust- and moisture-resistant construction.

Model history · 2 models, 1997–2008
  1. 1997EF 24mm f/1.4L USMCompare
  2. 2008EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM
Mount
Canon EF
Focal length
24 mm
Max aperture
f/1.4
Stabilisation
No
Weight
650 g

What reviewers say

Both tests praise construction, fast quiet autofocus and excellent stopped-down sharpness, but find weaker wide-aperture edges. ePHOTOzine regards the price as justified and shading as well controlled for this class. Photozone finds more severe shading, soft extreme corners and rougher background blur at f/1.4, while recognising the lens's creative potential. Their wide-aperture assessments differ materially.

From ephotozine.com, photozone.de, photozone.de and photozone.de

Optics

Lens type
Prime
Focal length
24 mm
Maximum aperture
f/1.4
Minimum aperture
f/22
Optical construction
Thirteen elements in ten groups
Special elements
Two glass-moulded aspherical elements and two UD elements according to Canon Camera Museum
Coatings
Subwavelength Structure Coating to reduce ghosting and flare from light entering at acute angles
Diaphragm
Eight-blade circular aperture
Angle of view
84° diagonal, 74° horizontal and 53° vertical according to Canon's manual

Mount and compatibility

Mounts
Canon EF
Image circle
Full frame
Compatibility
Full-frame and APS-C Canon EF DSLR cameras according to Canon UK
Teleconverter support
Canon EF1.4X II and EF2X II cannot be used according to Canon's manual
Adaptor support
EOS M compatibility with the EF-EOS M mount adaptor according to Canon UK

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focus distance
0.25 m
Maximum magnification
0.17×
Optical stabilisation
No
Autofocus detail
Ring USM; manual adjustment after One-Shot AF with the shutter held halfway according to Canon's manual
Focus distance detail
Internal focusing with constant physical length and non-rotating filter according to Photozone and ePHOTOzine
Magnification detail
0.17× native; 0.67–0.50× with Extension Tube EF12 II. EF25 II cannot be used; manual focus recommended with the tube according to Canon's manual
Stabilisation detail
No optical stabilisation according to ePHOTOzine's exact-model specification table

Design

Dust and moisture resistant
Yes
Filter diameter
77 mm
Maximum diameter
83.5 mm
Length
86.9 mm
Weight
650 g
Controls
AF/MF switch, focus ring, distance window, depth-of-field scale and infrared focus index
Weather resistance
Dust- and drip-resistant seal structure and rubber lens-mount ring according to Canon's manual
Dimensions detail
83.5 mm maximum diameter × 86.9 mm length; dimensions and 650 g weight are lens-only. Front and rear caps add 21.5 mm according to Canon's manual
Lens hood
Supplied reversible EW-83K petal hood
In the box
Lens, E-77II/E-77U front cap, Lens Dust Cap E, EW-83K hood, LP1319 case and user manual according to Canon UK's box list
Release detail
Canon Camera Museum records December 2008 marketing and explicitly identifies the December 1997 EF 24mm f/1.4L USM as its predecessor

Pros and cons

Pros

  • f/1.4 maximum aperture
  • Full-time manual focus
  • Dust- and moisture-resistant construction

Cons

  • No optical stabilisation
  • 650 g lens-only weight

Closest rivals

Model
MountFocal lengthMax apertureStabilisationWeightReleased
Canon EF24 mmf/1.4No550 gDec 1997
Canon EF24 mmf/2.8Yes280 gJun 2012
Canon EF28 mmf/2.8Yes260 gJun 2012

Previous model: EF 24mm f/1.4L USM.

Sources

  1. global.canon/en/c-museum/product/ef400.html
  2. media.the-digital-picture.com/Owners-Manuals/Canon-EF-24mm-f-1.4-L-II-USM-Lens.…
  3. canon.co.uk/store/canon-ef-24mm-f-1-4l-ii-usm-lens/2750B005
  4. ephotozine.com/article/canon-ef-24mm-f-1-4l-ii-usm-lens-review-16609
  5. photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/514-canon24f14mk2ff
  6. photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/514-canon24f14mk2ff
  7. photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/514-canon24f14mk2ff

Photo: i1.adis.ws

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