Canon’s new RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z lens offers a blend of optical excellence, extended focal lengths, and innovative features that challenge traditional zoom designs, ideal for demanding hybrid shooters but with practical trade-offs for travel and compact setups.
Canon’s RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z is one of those lenses that forces a harder conversation than most standard zooms. At close to $3,000, it is not just a purchase but a commitment, and its size makes that commitment visible every time it goes into the bag. For Canon users deciding between it and the more familiar RF 24-70mm f/2.8, the choice is less about whether the optics are good than about how and where the lens will actually be used.
According to Canon Rumors, the lens delivers the sort of image quality professionals would expect from Canon’s top-tier glass, with enough consistency to handle demanding work ranging from stills to broadcast-style production. Digital Camera World similarly argues that the lens effectively redefines what a standard zoom can be, thanks to its constant f/2.8 aperture and the way it straddles both photography and video. B&H Photo says the lens combines dual Nano USM motors, optical image stabilisation rated at up to 5.5 stops, and a sophisticated optical formula designed to control aberrations.
What makes the lens stand out, though, is not only sharpness or speed. In Bryan Redding’s field tests for Deaf Director, the de-clickable aperture ring emerges as a major advantage for video work, giving operators a more tactile way to manage exposure. He also highlights the removable tripod collar, which can be taken off quickly for a slimmer profile and reattached when needed. That design, combined with an internal zoom, helps keep the lens balanced on rigs and gimbals in a way that externally zooming optics cannot.
The extra focal length beyond 70mm may be the real reason some shooters will choose it. Redding says he kept finding uses for 85mm and 105mm, effectively treating the lens as a walkaround tool with more reach than a conventional standard zoom. Cameralabs makes a similar point, saying the longer range and added features help justify the lens’s bulk for hybrid shooters who want one optic to cover a wide set of tasks. For event, documentary or lifestyle work, that extra reach can mean carrying one lens instead of two.
Yet the same attributes that make it attractive also make it awkward in some real-world kits. Redding’s main hesitation is not comfort in use but the strain on bag space, especially when the lens is paired with other large Canon zooms. He also found that it would mount on a DJI RS 4 Pro only with a counterweight, while the standard RS 4 was not up to the task. That is why this lens is so easy to admire and so difficult to recommend universally: for studio, tripod or controlled work it looks superb, but for travel or compact gimbal setups the RF 24-70mm may still be the more practical choice.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
