What’s my favorite lens? That’s a hard question because I’ve always said you should use the right lens for the job. Some images call for a super wide angle, others a long telephoto. Occasionally, a tilt-shift, fisheye, or macro might be best. However, if I were on a deserted island and could only bring one lens, I’d opt for versatility. I’d want something that I can use in most situations. That lens would be the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.
24-105mm Focal Length
Being able to zoom from 24mm to 105mm gives me a huge range of “looks” I can get. Recently, I did a photoshoot in New York City with Viking model Roel Van Mierlo. He was dressed in full Viking gear, and I took him to various locations in the city. Luckily, New Yorkers are not phased by much, so most people didn’t even notice us.
Since we’d be moving around a lot, I wanted to travel as lightly as possible. I only brought one camera – the Canon EOS R5 and the RF 24-105 f/4. I also had a Westcott FJ200 strobe with the Westcott Rapid Box Switch Octa-S for easy, powerful lighting on the go.
Staying at the wide end of the zoom range allowed me to show the entire environment when we rode the NYC subway:
In the middle of iconic Times Square, I could get a dramatic low angle to show the buildings and get a cool flare from the sun as it reflected off one of the surrounding skyscrapers.
Since I had the 24-105, I could make a series of unique images at different focal lengths without carrying more gear or changing lenses. As we rode the subway to our next location, I zoomed to 105mm to make this close-up shot of his hands:
Aperture
This lens has a maximum aperture of f/4. There was a time when most photographers would only consider f/2.8 to be “pro” lenses, but those days are gone. There are two main reasons people used to believe that: The first was that 2.8 works better in low light, and the second was that 2.8 gives you a more pleasant bokeh. While those points are still valid, photographers can mostly overcome them with this f/4 lens.
First, if you’re in low light and your image is still too dark at f/4, you can raise your ISO. Today’s cameras produce amazing-looking images at very high ISOs. I shot this photo of the band Taddy Porter live on stage at 12,800 ISO on the Canon EOS R3 body and the Canon RF 24-105mm:
I can’t see any noise, but high ISO noise today is barely noticeable, even if I did. No one sees ISO noise in your photos except you. A little noise won’t bother anyone if it’s a great image.
As for the bokeh, 2.8 will give you a slightly smoother background. But the more you zoom in, the more your background will be blurred. I made this profile image with Roel in Times Square by zooming only about halfway to 76mm. The background is out of focus enough for this shot:
Other Options
If you prefer an f/2.8 lens, there are a couple of other options. Previously, you had to give up some focal length and use the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8, a beautiful lens. However, Canon recently released the one-of-a-kind RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z lens, which is the best of both worlds. You get the 24-105 focal length with a 2.8 maximum aperture. It’s a beautiful lens that I use for concerts. The f/4 version is lighter and easy to hold all day, so it’s my choice in most cases.
Conclusion
Like I said at the beginning, you should always use the right lens to create the image that you have in your mind. We’re fortunate to have so many options from companies like Canon, so there is virtually no limit to capturing your creative vision. The 24-105 f/4 is one of those “catch-all” lenses that is a great starting point for any photographer. The Canon RF version is an “L” series lens, which means it’s a quality piece of gear you’ll keep for many years. When I switched to the mirrorless “R” series bodies, it was the first lens I bought, and I still use it all the time. I have other lenses for more specialty photos, but I consistently return to the 24-105 f/4 for its versatility. I can shoot portraits, wide-angle shots, and tight action without changing lenses.
Remember, if you can imagine it, you can capture it.
