Generally, I have been very impressed with this lens.
I have had the 16-35mm ii and 24-105mm as well, all well-regarded lenses. I thought it would be fun to compare them. It should be no surprise that this lens exceeds both of them in all respects, image quality, color saturation, distortion, sharpness, chromatic aberration, etc. This is as it should be, given the 24mm being a prime.
If landscaping is your thing or you commonly shoot between f/5.6 and f/22, the 16-35mm @ 24mm (actually, the sweet spot on that lens) fared fairly well, but still short, with regard to picture quality versus this lens - these lenses cost about the same. The added versatility of the zoom also might sway some people to that lens as well. From f/1.4 through f/5.6 apertures, this 24mm prime wins hands-down however - chromatic aberration, contrast, color saturation and (outstanding wow!) sharpness were clearly superior. The 24-105mm is a good general purpose lens, but did not keep up at any respective focal length or aperture setting - possibly that's why they introduced the new 24-70 IS recently.
Bokeh, while not as creamy/dreamy as the 50L or certainly the 85L or 135L, is not unpleasant. Weight & size are very reasonable - it feels solid as opposed to heavy. Construction is robust as you'd expect from Canon's L-series and has full weather-proofing when you add a filter (I've had this lens out in a rain/sleet/snow storm with no problems). It has a close minimum focus distance which is a pleasant surprise and useful, with its 24mm focal length can also cause some interesting perspective shots.
A few other things are worth mentioning: You may need to perform a micro-adjustment to your autofocus. There is some vignetting and corner softness at wide apertures, both clear up quickly by f/2.0 - for some this might be a desirable trait and for others not so much.
If you're looking for the best 24mm lens for apertures at f/4 or wider, this is the ticket - albeit a pricey one. I like this lens a lot, fun for just walking around with in both good and limited light.
Good Luck & Happy Shooting!
January 2013 Update - More in love with this lens than the day I bought it. I sold the 16-35mm f/2.8 II, while not a slouch by any means, but this lens is so much better in every regard. The former has severe barrel-distortion from 16-20mm which was quite noticeable on full frame.
October 2013 Update - I've had a chance to use the TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II a lot recently and wanted to give one more comparison. The resolution and sharpness on the two different lenses is pretty close at similar apertures - meaning, both lenses are wicked, wicked sharp. With the TS, you gain some optical quality however - while the EF (this lens) has excellent distortion and aberration control, the TS is nearly distortion and aberration free, a truly remarkable achievement. The most obvious benefit of the TS is perspective control via its tilt and shift features. The TS has an even closer focus distance than the EF, giving it a healthy magnification. With the TS, you give up autofocus, weather sealing, and a wide aperture. My only suggestion for improvement is the same for both lenses, add an additional blade on the aperture so as to cause more interesting starbursts. These are two different tools and the performance of each is extraordinary.
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Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide Angle Lens - Fixed (Renewed) $699.00 & FREE Shipping
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This Item  Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide Angle Lens - Fixed - 2750B002 , Black | Recommendations  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | -27% $1,129.95 List: $1,549.00 | $1,499.95 | -14% $1,199.00 List: $1,399.00 | $199.00 | $199.00 | $1,299.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tomorrow, Mar 22 | — | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Mar 26 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | SSE Photo & Video | Willoughby's Established 1898 | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | K&M Camera Since 1976 | Amazon.com |
| lens type | Wide Angle | Wide Angle | Wide Angle | Standard | Telephoto | Wide Angle |
| compatible mountings | Canon EF | Canon EF | Canon RF | Canon RF | Canon EF | Canon EF |
| lens design | Prime | Prime | Zoom | Prime | Zoom | Zoom |
| focus type | Ring-type ultrasonic | Auto Focus | Auto Focus | Auto/Manual | Auto Focus | Ring-type ultrasonic |
| minimum focal length | 24 millimeters | 14 millimeters | 35 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 75 millimeters | 16 millimeters |
| max focal length | 24 millimeters | 14 millimeters | — | 50 millimeters | 300 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| fixed focal length | 24 millimeters | 14 millimeters | 0 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 300 millimeters | 35 millimeters |
| real angle of view | 84 degrees | 104 degrees | 14 degrees | 46 degrees | 32.87 degrees | 80.5 degrees |
| model name | 2750B002 | ef | Canon RF14-35mm F4 L IS USM Lens | CNRF50F18STM | Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III | 9518B002 |
| max aperture | — | 2.8 f stop | 35 millimeters | 50 millimeters | 4 f stop | 4 f stop |
| diaphragm blades | 8 | 3 | — | 5 | 7 | 9 |
From the manufacturer
EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide Angle Lens
Canon's fixed length L-series lens, the EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM, incorporates advanced Canon lens technology for spectacular sharpness and impressive performance at all settings. It features two high-precision, large-diameter aspherical lenses for sharpness across the sensor, even in peripheral areas of full-frame sensors. Lens elements have a well-designed anti-reflective SWC (Sub Wavelength Coating) that departs from conventional coatings by using an extremely fine structure that minimizes ghosting and flaring across the lens surface, regardless of the angle with which light enters or exits.
It also features two UD lens elements to minimize chromatic aberrations, incorporates rear-focusing, ultrasonic, quiet and high-speed AF with full-time manual override. A circular aperture provides beautiful out-of-focus detail and offers legendary dust- and water-resistant L-series construction using only lead-free glass.
Generic Packaging
I am satisfied with the lens. No complaints. However, the lens arrived in generic "non-canon" packaging and did not include the standard "suede" lens bag. I had previously been told by the seller that the lens was "brand new." I have no reason to dispute the lens being "brand new" other than the absence of the typical canon packaging. I did contact the seller to express my curiosity and the seller asked me if I'd like them to ship me a protective bag. I didn't really need one and declined. Again, the lens is clean and seems to be new, other than the odd generic packaging and missing "branded" accessories. I included a photo of the lens and the box attached to this review. If you like the price, there is no reason you won't like the lens.
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