Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens Review

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Handling and features

Build and design is typical of Canon's L series lenses, with tough black plastics and metal used throughout. The lens is weather sealed and designed to take the rigours of daily professional use. Despite the excellent build, this lens isn't overly heavy, weighing 805g. As a result the lens balances well on the EOS 5D MKIII used for testing even without a battery grip attached.

Auto focus is powered by an Ultrasonic motor, and focusing is very fast and accurate as a result. Manual adjustments can be made quickly at any point by turning the focus ring. The focusing ring is smooth and precise, which makes fine manual adjustments a pleasure to apply. Minimum focus is 38cm from the sensor plane, which is great for shooting in claustrophobic environments.

As focusing is performed internally, the 82mm filter ring does not rotate , which makes the lens ideal for use with graduated and polarising filters. The large 82mm diameter may be off-putting for those who've invested heavily in 77mm filters as this lens' predecessor accepted. Unlike the MkI version of this lens, the zoom mechanism extends as it is zoomed towards 70mm and a relatively shallow petal shaped hood clips onto the end of the lens.

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