Canon RF 24-70mm vs RF 24-105mm – Review and Comparison!
When buying a high-end Canon mirrorless camera, you’re stuck between choosing the RF 24-70mm f2.8 or the RF 24-105mm f4 lenses to go with it. But what’s the main differences and which one will suit you best? Here we’re going to review these two lenses and put them head-to-head in a test to see which one suits landscape and portrait photographers.
The Camera:
We’re going to be using the Canon R5 as the camera body for this test – it’s a good option for this test as they are used by many professional photographers. Other camera bodies that would suit these lenses would be the Canon R8, R3, R6, and R1. You can read all about this body, and the entire Canon R Range here.
The Lenses:
RF 24-70mm f2.8: The more expensive of the two lenses and has an extra f stop with a maximum aperture off/2.8. This will be helpful for those that want a slightly shallower depth of field or to shoot in lower light.
RF 24-105mm f4: The lower price option. It has a max aperture of f/4, but an additional focal length to 105mm.
Both Canon RF lenses side by side for size comparison.
If buying it with the body, there’s about £700 difference in price (in the UK – the prices globally may vary).
Current US prices vary quite significantly to the UK and all prices quoted here are accurate at the time of making the video above.
RF 24-70mm f2.8 - $2099.00/£2629.99
RF 24-105mm f4 - $1299/£1439.99
Get current prices and buy these lenses here.
Both are versatile zoom lenses aimed at the professional market and will perform well in any situation however there is a big difference between the two. One has an extra f stop and goes down to f2.8 and the other zooms in more with a maximum focal length of 105mm.
Learn more about f stops and focal lengths here.
And that’s the big test here – do you need the extra stop of light or the extra focal length? Will the background blur or the extra compression be that different? Here we are going to be testing these very differences to see if there is a noticeable difference in the depth of field and compression in the images produced by both lenses.
We’re going to be testing them in a portraiture photoshoot. Canon notes on their website that both lenses work well for this, so we’re aiming to show you the real nitty-gritty differences between the two!
When looking at them, there’s a lot they have in common. They’re both zoom lenses, with a 9-blade aperture and 5-stop image stabilization. The 24-70mm is a bigger lens, but still not too dissimilar the size to the 24-105mm.
Portrait Photography Tips – Settings, Composition, Colour & Lighting
When looking at them, there’s a lot they have in common. They’re both zoom lenses, with a 9-blade aperture and 5-stop image stabilization. The 24-70mm is a bigger lens, but still not too dissimilar of a size to the 24-105mm.
The difference between them is the extra stop for the 24-70mm and the additional focal length for the 24-105mm. We’re going to be taking images at 50mm, 70mm and 105mm to test the effect of the focal length and shooting with the largest aperture available on both lenses to see the difference between the two, f/4 for the 24-105mm and f/2.4 for the 24-70mm.
If you’re not sure what focal length or aperture is, check out our beginner course here.
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The Results
Both lenses at 50mm
RF 24-70mm lens at 50mm. F/2.8, 1/320th second, ISO 125
RF 24-70mm at 50mm. F/2.8, 1/320th second, ISO 125
RF 24-105mm at 50mm. F/4, 1/250th second, ISO 125
RF 24-105mm at 50mm. F/4, 1/320th second, ISO 200
Firstly, we’ll compare the two full body shots. There’s a bit of difference when looking at the blurry background of the images. When you zoom into 100% of both images, the RF 24-70mm image has a smoother and creamier blur than what’s achieved with the RF 24-105mm. This is due to the wider aperture of f/2.8 in comparison to the f/4 of the RF 24-105mm.
When we compare the two headshots at 50mm, it’s the background blur that is the main difference again. The background is blurrier on the RF 24-70mm, however the 24-105mm still holds its own – the difference isn’t incredibly obvious. Both lenses here really showcase their ability to capture sharp and crisp images on their focus points.
Zoomed in comparison of the two headshots at 50mm
Both lenses at 70mm
RF 24-70mm at 70mm. F/2.8, 1/320th second, ISO 125
RF 24-70mm at 70mm. F/2.8, 1/250th second, ISO 125
RF 24-105mm at 70mm. f/4, 1/250th second, ISO 200
RF 24-105mm at 70mm. f/4, 1/250th second, ISO 125
Next, we’ll review the images we took at a focal length of 70mm. Both full body shots are quite similar with the only difference being the background blur of the 24-70mm is slightly softer.
The difference between the two at this focal length becomes a bit more obvious when we look at the headshots. This is due to the focus point being closer to the lens. Find out more on this in our beginners course here.
The background in the 24-70mm image is blurrier than the 24-105mm shot. This is where the extra f stop becomes obvious and the real question you’ve got to ask when deciding between these two lenses is – do you prefer the additional blur that you get with the f/2.8 aperture when close into subjects, or do you want the additional compression you can achieved with the 24-105mm?
Zoomed in comparison of the two 70mm headshots
Both lenses at max
RF 24-70mm at 70mm. F/2.8, 1/320th second, ISO 125
RF 24-70mm at 70mm. F/2.8, 1/250th second, ISO 125
24-105mm at 105mm. F/4, 1/500th second, ISO 400
24-105mm at 105mm. F/4, 1/640th second, ISO 400.
For the final part of the test, we’re going to push both lenses to their maximum focal lengths; 70mm for the 24-70mm and 105mm for the 24-105mm and use the widest apertures they have available. This is where we see just how much more compression and background blur you get with the 24-105mm. For the headshots, unlike the previous tests, the 24-105mm photograph is the one with a blurrier background and this is due to the extra focal length.
One thing to be aware of, however, is face compression – whilst it’s minuscule in this image, it could be something that occurs if the 24-105mm is your choice. Find out more about face compression and focal lengths here.
This compression of the whole scene becomes more obvious when we examine the full-body shots. The background behind our model, Rosie, appears much closer than in the 24-70mm shot. Again, this is due to the higher focal length. The background blur in the 24-105mm example also appears to be very slightly blurrier.
Both lenses at max focal length and widest aperture, zoomed in.
Conclusion
So, which one should you buy?
The test that we’ve done was capturing portraits, though these zoom lenses work perfectly as a go-to for other genres too. When choosing between these two lenses, you should be considering the look you want to get out of the lenses. Do you want that stronger blur you get with the extra f stop of 24-70mm, or do you want the benefits of the extra focal length?
My personal choice is the 24-105mm as a go-to lens. In this test we clearly used portraiture as an example but what about landscape photographers? Well, I have been working with an excellent professional landscape photographer called, Jack Lodge. Jack’s a nature and landscape photographer and the 24-105mm is one of the lenses he uses the most!
© Jack Lodge. One of Jack’s landscape photographs shot with the Canon RF 24-105mm.
You can check out Jack’s brand-new Forest Photography course here.
Overall, the 24-105mm is a better option for those with a smaller budget – there’s not a huge amount of difference between the lenses for the most part. For those who like compression in the background that comes with the additional focal length, the 24-105mm is the way to go. However, if you don’t mind the extra expense and love that super creamy background blur, the 24-70mm is the way to go!
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