Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens Review with Sample Photos in Japan!

(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!)

WHY DID I BUY THE CANON EF 17-40MM F/4L USM LENS?

You might know that the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens is my absolute favorite Canon lens, but when I started doing occasional real estate photography for AirBnb and local businesses, I needed a lens that was a little bit wider. I didn’t want to make a huge investment into yet another super expensive lens, especially because I knew that I could use my 24-70mm lens for most situations when it came to real estate photos. I really just needed something I could use for tight and cramped spaces like small bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. The Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens seemed like the best price for what I was looking for. It’s an L series lens, which is Canon’s pro level lens series, but at a fairly reasonable price of $600 (especially compared to the price tag of $1899 for the 24-70mm lens). Though, I actually bought mine gently used so I got an even better deal (you can find them used on KEH Camera or eBay). At this point in my life, I rarely ever steer away from the L series lenses, except in the case of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens that has a special place in my heart. I have yet to try the RF lenses yet, though it’s on my wish list for next year. :)

WHY DID I BRING THE CANON 17-40MM F/4 L LENS TO JAPAN OVER THE CANON 24-70MM F/2.8 L II LENS?

When I was debating which cameras and lenses to bring with me to Japan, I was torn between bringing my beloved Canon 24-70mm lens and my newer Canon 17-40mm lens. I like to bring a digital camera with me on my trips, along with a handful of film cameras. I mostly use the digital camera as a backup to my film cameras, many of which can be unreliable. It’s mostly just for peace of mind because I actually rarely end up using my digital cameras on my trips! Knowing this, I decided to leave my heavy and large Canon 24-70mm lens behind for the first time on a major trip. The 17-40mm lens is 0.67 pounds lighter, which doesn’t sound like much, but makes a huge difference when I’m lugging a giant camera backpack around a foreign country. Not to mention, it took up less space in my camera bag, allowing me to bring an extra film camera… Yes. I realize that filling that space with another camera probably doesn’t help with my dilemma of a heavy backpack…

THOUGHTS ON THE QUALITY OF THE IMAGES

While the 17-40mm lens doesn’t quite have that professional and super sharp quality to the images that I’m used to with the 24-70mm lens (I think I’ve been spoiled!), it got the job done. And even going through the photos now for this blog post, I’m pleasantly surprised by how beautiful these images turned out. You can really only notice a difference when you zoom in on the images in Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom and compare the overall sharpness and the noise in the shadows and corners. It really was a great backup to my film cameras and worked in all lighting conditions, even dark city streets and low-light rooms. And because of it’s ability to capture super wide shots, I easily managed to photograph the stunning architecture of Japan. I always love a wide lens for traveling. I prefer to use the 17-40mm lens with my Canon 5D Mark IV or Canon 6D over my Canon EOS R because I find that the additional lens adapter that I have to use with the EOS R tends to add additional distortion to the edges of the photos when shooting wide. One of the main differences I noticed between the 17-40mm f/4 lens and the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is the fact that the 24-70mm lens handles edge distortion much better. Portraits look more natural and the added aperture value of the 24-70mm makes for better images overall. However, when I’m traveling, I’m mostly capturing landmarks and buildings, so it worked out just fine! If you’re going more for portraits or detail photos, the 24-70mm would definitely be a better option.

Did I miss my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens?

Yes. I always do, mostly just because the 24-70 is my heart and soul in a lens. But looking at my images now, I think the 17-40mm lens fulfilled my needs as a backup camera on my trip. I never really end up doing much with my digital images after my trips. I tend to lean towards my film images for sharing on social media and blog posts. Though, if for some reason, my film didn’t turn out from my trip, it’s nice to know that I’d have these images to remember our trip by.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post to see more of my favorite images I took in Japan with the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens. I hope these help you to decide if this lens is for you! If you’re on a budget looking for an affordable but professional lens, the 17-40 mm lens would be a great option to start with. Plus, you can always upgrade later! You could also check out my blog post about the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens for comparison. I also posted a video on my YouTube channel about all of the cameras I ended up taking with me on my trip to Japan. You can watch it here!

WHERE TO BUY THE CANON EF 17-40MM F/4 L USM ZOOM LENS

Shop Amazon

Shop B&H Photo Video

Shop KEH Camera (used)

Shop eBay (used)


WHERE TO BUY THE CANON EF 24-70MM F/2.8L II USM ZOOM LENS

Shop Amazon

Shop B&H Photo Video

Shop KEH Camera (used)

Shop eBay (used)

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If you found this post helpful or inspiring, 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 cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also check out my B&H storefront or Amazon storefront for more camera/film recommendations. :) Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine

(click to enlarge images)

Lomography LomoChrome Turquoise 35 mm ISO 100-400 Film Sample Photos in Porto, Portugal!

(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!)

You guys know I love LomoChrome Purple film in both 35 mm and medium format), but in the past I had only tried the LomoChrome Turquoise in 120 format (it’s hard to find these days but you might have luck checking on eBay). I finally purchased a roll of 35 mm Turquoise film and took it with me to Portugal! I used my trusty Minolta Maxxum STsi (one of my favorite 35 mm travel cameras) and took photos on our all-day bus tour in the Douro Valley and all throughout Porto. I’m kind of obsessed with the results! I love any film that adds a surreal atmosphere to my images and this film definitely does that. Plus, the Minolta Maxxum STsi has a panorama setting, which is perfect for traveling and allows me to capture wide landscapes and unusual compositions. You can read more about that camera on my blog here!

As you’ll see in the sample photos below, skin tones typically show up as blue, which is super unique and strange. If you’re looking for a film to push you out of your comfort zone and create an alien world, this is it! I love the way it looks with architecture, particularly. It’s very moody and cinematic, with quite a bit of grain, especially with multiple exposures. It also seemed to do decently well in low light situations. I probably wouldn’t use this film for a typical wedding or portrait client, but I would definitely consider it for a musician or artist who are looking for stand-out portraits.

I still think I might like the LomoChrome purple film better, but it’s always fun to try something new. One of the reasons I love Lomography so much is because of their fearlessness when it comes to creating new and unique films. I haven’t really found anything out there on the market that resembles the LomoChrome Purple or Turquoise films. They are truly unique.

If you’re feeling bold and adventurous, here are a few of my favorite unique Lomography films! Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to see the rest of the images I took with the LomoChrome Turquoise film in Portugal!

LOMOCHROME PURPLE ISO 100-400 FILM


Shop Purple 35mm on Amazon

Shop Purple 120 film on B&H Photo

Purple Reloadable 35 mm camera on B&H Photo

Purple 110 on B&H Photo


LOMOCHROME TURQUOISE ISO 100-400 FILM


Shop Turquoise 35 mm on eBay

Shop Turquoise 35 mm on Etsy

Shop Turquoise 120 film on B&H Photo

Shop Turquoise 120 film on eBay


LOMOCHROME REDSCALE FILM


Shop Redscale XR 50-200 120mm on B&H Photo

Shop Redscale XR 50-200 35mm film on eBay


LOMOCHROME METROPOLIS FILM


Shop Metropolis 35 mm on Amazon

Shop Metropolis 120 film on B&H Photo


UNIQUE LOMOGRAPHY BLACK AND WHITE FILMS:


Shop Earl Grey 35 mm film on B&H Photo

Shop Lady Grey 120 film on Amazon

Shop Lady Grey 35 mm on B&H Photo

Shop Berlin Kino 400 35mm film on B&H Photo

Shop Berlin Kino 400 120 film on eBay

If you found this post helpful or inspiring, 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 cameras, film & processing. Find out more here!

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to help! You can contact me here, or leave a comment below! Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a magical day!

<3 Myles Katherine