Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM

Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM: Handling and features

Weighing 650g, this lens isn't a lightweight option, although it isn't exactly heavy either and it balances extremely well on the EOS 5D MkII used for testing. At 93.5mm long and 86.9mm in diameter it actually feels quite chunky.

The build is typical of Canon's L series lenses, and the lens feels very robust. It is also sealed against dust and moisture and the lens mount is finished with a slim rubber gasket to prevent ingress of water into the camera during use in inclement conditions.

A fast and virtually silent ultrasonic motor powers provides swift, accurate focusing under a wide range of conditions. The bright maximum aperture helps with focusing in low light, which means the lens rarely has to hunt for focus. Even though the lens covers a wide field of view, care still needs to be taken to ensure accurate focusing when shooting at maximum aperture, as the depth of field can be quite shallow, especially when close to your subject.

The minimum focusing distance of 25cm is perfect for shooting in tight spaces. Full time manual focus override is possible by just turning the focusing ring at any time. The amount of resistance is just right to make accurate adjustments simple. As focusing is performed internally, the lens does not extend and the 77mm filter thread does not rotate, which makes using polarising and graduated filters easy to use with this lens.

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