5 reasons why I’m obsessed with the Canon 24-70 mm f/2.8 L II lens
Last week, I shared why I love the Canon 5d Mark IV. This week, I wanted to share which Canon lens is my favorite! Since I began my professional photography career 12 years ago, I’ve been using zoom lenses. Over the years, I’ve tried a multitude of fixed lenses but I’ve never felt quite as comfortable as I do with a zoom lens, especially for a wedding or fashion shoot. It’s important to be able to achieve different focal lengths when I’m shooting quickly and trying to create as many options as possible for my clients. While mirrorless cameras are all the rage these days, I still prefer a DSLR. They feel more sturdy to me, which is important if you’re working your cameras into the ground like I do. My Canon cameras have lasted years and somehow I’ve still never had one die on me! The L series lenses by Canon are amazing and offer that classic Canon look to the images. I find the mirrorless images to look a bit more “digital”, if that makes sense. As a film/digital hybrid photographer, I like for my digital images to have a sort of film look to them, which I find the Canon DSLRs to have. While the mirrorless cameras and RF lenses by Canon are incredibly sharp and competitive with other mirrorless cameras out there, the DSLR images just feel more “me”. Another thing to think about is that the DSLRs have a history, which means we know that they last forever. You can still pick up a Canon 5D Mark II or 5D Mark III for an amazing price and create super professional photos that can easily kickstart a photography career. The mirrorless cameras don’t have that history yet, so it’s hard to say how long they will last. When you get a Canon DSLR, you’re getting a workhorse, and I can strongly attest to that! So, if you’re looking for the perfect lens to go with your Canon DSLR, here are 5 reasons why the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II Lens is my FAVORITE lens ever.
(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post, you help support Myles Katherine Photography. I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support!)
It’s perfect for traveling
I travel a LOT. Traveling is what I live for. On every trip, I like to try out different camera and lens set-ups, because I’m constantly trying to figure out my ideal travel camera bag. The Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II Lens isn’t exactly small or lightweight, so carrying it around can be a HUGE hassle. But I’ve tried traveling with fixed lenses on my 5d Mark IV, like the Canon 50mm f/1.2 L lens, which is an amazing lens, but just doesn’t cut it for traveling and the different types of scenarios I like to photograph while traveling. I even bought a cheaper Canon zoom lens, the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens (I have a full review of that lens with sample photos here!), that is less bulky and lighter in weight, but I regretted it when I brought it on a trip to Japan instead of the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II Lens. The cheaper lens had much more distortion when used at its widest focal length, and it just doesn’t perform as well in low light. Zoom lenses are ideal for traveling because you can capture wide images of streets, buildings and landscapes and be able to capture the entire scene in front of you in the frame, while also having the option of taking beautiful close-up portraits, macro photos of flowers, plants and food photography. Plus, you can make use of your time while you’re traveling and create some stock photos to upload to various stock photography websites when you get home!It’s useful in every type of setting
Weddings, portraits, landscapes, food, events, travel. This lens brings professionality to every type of photo shoot or possible photography scenario. It’s incredibly versatile. This lens can make it seem like you have 3 different lenses in your bag, instead of just one. You can zoom in to far away mountains or capture a super wide street shot of skyscrapers. You can zoom in on jewelry or clothing during a fashion shoot to capture detail and texture, or you can capture an entire scene with multiple models and a beautiful background. When I head out for a photo shoot, this is the only lens that is ALWAYS in my bag, and my other lenses tend to rotate based on the situation. I just like options and the 24-70mm lens gives me that.
(click to enlarge the photos)
3. It’s top of the line for the price
It doesn’t really get much better than the Canon L series lenses. Yes, they recently developed the RF line of lenses that are INCREDIBLE (I have a full review of the new RF 28-70mm lens here if you want to compare), but they are also incredibly expensive. If you have the money, of course go for it! But for $1200 cheaper, the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II Lens is an amazing lens that is worth the price. And you can get one even cheaper at KEH camera for a gently used lens. Not to mention that the RF lenses cannot be used with any of the older EF mount cameras by Canon, so if you have a Canon 5D Mark IV or 6D Mark II, you’re out of luck. The best part about the EF lenses is that they’re compatible with both the DSLR cameras and the mirrorless cameras (if you use a lens adapter like this one).
4. The EF Mount is compatible with older Canon film cameras
I often talk about how the Canon Rebel K2 is a super fun 35mm film camera and one of my favorites. And amazingly, it uses EF mount lenses, which means you can use the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 II Lens with most of the older Canon film cameras! The automatic focus won’t work with the older cameras, but you can still have fun mixing and matching cameras and lenses when you go with an EF mount lens. Unfortunately, the only cameras you can use RF lenses with are cameras with an RF mount. So even though the lenses are amazing, it really limits you when it comes to camera/lens combinations.
5. It lasts forever!
My first lens for my Canon 5D Mark II was the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 I Lens (the first version of this zoom lens - you might be able to find a gently used one on eBay!). I used that lens for YEARS to photograph countless weddings and photo shoots. That camera set-up carried my photography business on it’s back. I never had a problem with it AND I dropped it way too many times. Just make sure to always have a protective filter over the lens, because if you DO drop it, the protective filter will help prevent any major damage to the actual glass of the lens. Not to mention, you want to protect the lens from scratches at all costs for resell value. I ALWAYS buy a standard UV protective filter every time I buy a lens. I’ve dropped my camera more often then I’d like to admit, and the protective filter usually ends up cracked, but my lens has NEVER cracked. Luckily, the protective filters are relatively cheap and TOTALLY necessary in keeping your lens safe.
Where to Buy the Canon 24-70 mm f/2.8 L II Lens
NEW:
Shop Amazon
Shop B&H Photo
USED:
Shop KEH Camera
Shop eBay
WHERE TO BUY A CANON 5D MARK IV
USED:
Shop KEH Camera
Shop eBay
(By using the affiliate links and/or codes in this blog post it supports Myles Katherine Photography. We may get a small kick back by you doing so.)
I’ve included a handful of sample photos below with some from my recent trip to Italy and France! I tried to include a combination of landscapes, portraits, street photography and low-light photographs, to showcase how the lens works in different scenarios and lighting conditions.
If you found this post helpful or if you’d like to see more of my work, I’d love it if you considered signing up for my Patreon! For as little as $1 a month, you’ll get early access to all of my YouTube videos, plus tons of photos that I don’t post anywhere else. Depending on which tier you choose, you could also receive seasonal prints and/or discounts! I always use all of the proceeds towards film & processing. Find out more here! And make sure to check out my B&H storefront and Amazon storefront for more camera & film recommendations. :)
Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a lovely day!
<3 Myles Katherine
(click to enlarge the photos)
