Versatile zoom range.
Image quality excellent.
Solid Build.
Fast auto focus.
L quality sharpness, colour and contrast.

Not as sharp past 90mm.
Wide end only 39mm equivalent on crop body.
Cost; although price has gone down since release.

Much better than the EFS 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS.
Sharp wide open (on 20d)
Built like a tank.
Constant f/4 is very useful. I do miss the wide angle (all-in-one solution zoom) This lense with the EFS 10-22mm make a very high quality 2 lense combo for 1.6 crop cameras.

Similar Products Used:

EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
EF 70-200mm f/4 IS USM
EFS 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM

Image quality, IS, build

a little pricey, but it's a years long payout

Had the 28-135 for years and was very pleased, had to do a lot of test shots to satisfy I was really upgrading with this lens, but I was sold. It's sharp, contrasty, all the good stuff all across the board, a definite improvement.

Yes it is three times the $$$ of the 28-135, but for a long term investment it's worth it. I don't miss the reach, as I can enlarge easily, and the extra 3mm on the wide end come in very handy (caveat: I don't shoot a lot of WA)

I mainly do "walaround" shooting without a tripod, and this is the lens for me. For my shooting, I don't need the motion stopping abillities of a 2.8 or faster

Customer Service

not needed (Biggs is a great outfit though)

Similar Products Used:

Canon 28-135 IS
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Canon 24-70L (briefly)

Everything

No f/2.8

I started out purchasing the 28-135 IS to go with my Canon 5d. That lens did well for me until I could upgrade to the 24-105L. Once I recieved the 24-105 I took it on a trip to NC for the fall leaves. I had great results with the lens on that trip. After I returned,home I shot my cousins wedding in the Keys. There were no images which were not usable do to the lens. The only images which were not acceptable were due to errors on my part.

The only thing which was a little different the using the 28-135 is the fact that the Zoom/Focus rings are in opposite positions. The zoom ring is close to the camera body with the focus rin towards the lens face. At first I wasn't sure about it, but after a short time using it I quickly became thankful for the switch. I feel I hold the camer more steady now then I did before. I also like the weighting of the lens paired with the 5d better then when I used the 28-135. It feels more solid in my hands.

Customer Service

Have not had to use it.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 50mm f/1.4
Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro
Canon 17-40L f/4
Canon 100-400L IS f/3.5-5.6
Canon 28-135 IS

Super sharp
IS
Fast focus
Great build

A bit heavy
expensive(but its an L and you pay for quality)

The only reason anyone could give this lens lower then an 8 rating is because they were unfortunate to get a bad copy, or they dont even have the lens and are canon bashers.

Just bought the lens and took about a hundred test shots and boy is this lens great. I had a 28-135 IS before which I enjoyed but now with this lens I see a world fof difference.(sharpness, colour, contrast, etc..)

So for anyone thinking of buying one , if this is in your money range and you want a great walkaround/leave on lens then the 24-105 f/4 L IS USM.

Oh plus I just bought the rebel xti(had the 300d before) and boy for a consumer body its great for my needs also

Superb images, well made, useful range, fair price - £685 UK pounds - not dollars (whatever they are)

So far nothing!

My very first L lens and I don’t regret spending a penny of the £685 it cost me. I now know what is meant by ‘L lens fever’ and why once you have one L lens you want more! (200 f2.8 or 135 f2?) Very fast AF, almost silent, the IS WORKS (try 1/6 at F4 handheld) so I can take picture of static subjects and not have to use flash. I took a couple of months weighting up (sorry no pun intended) between this and the classic 24 – 70 F2.8, which is a beast of a pro lens. In the end the greater range and IS won out. Just before I purchased it I heard a whisper over the net that there will be an IS version of the 24 – 70 out next year. I don’t care – it’s going to be very expensive and even heavier - I’ll stick with the 24 – 105…. for now.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Nikon 28 - 200. Tamron 28-200. Sigma 28-135

Range and vivid clarity

None unless you need 2.0 or 1.4 then just tripod,flash or use the 3 stop IS.

Wow what a great lens.
I currently have the 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8,16-35mm 2.8 & 200mm 2.8L
This lens has the clarity and vivid images one would expect
from an L lens but also has the versality with the great zoom range.
My only concern is I'm tempted to shoot everything with this lens
and not use the great lenses I already have for natural light.
Haven't even used the IS yet as I was so Impressed with the vivid images
I'm getting at F4.0.
Bokeh is nice too.

Customer Service

never needed.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 20 2.8, Canon 16-35mm 2.8L,Canon 17-40mm F4.0L,
Canon 50 1.4, Canon 85mm 1.8,Canon 100mm 2.0, Canon 200mm F2.8LII

Versatility, ease of use and solid construction.The IS is fun and I don't have to use the tripod so much.

It's heavy with the 5D compared to the 28-105 but worth it. The BG-E4 battery pack/grip makes it easier to hold but adds weight.

Excellent all-around lens for travel, landscape and general photography with an EOS 5D and EOS-1n. Add a 70-200 f4 and a 1.4x for a 24-280 set which covers almost any reasonable situation.
The 5D with the 24-105 stays out for unexpected opportunities in the mountains (the odd Colorado moose and a lake full of pelicans). Usable on the motorcycle too by itself.

Customer Service

Canon has always been satisfactory. I've used Canons since 1964 and haven't had a serious breakdown. An F-1 full of dirt from photographing motocross in the 70's was my fault but it cleaned up nicely. I still use it.

Similar Products Used:

28-105 f 3.5-4.5. My wife won't let me have it back!

Sharp, great colors, convenient to hold, excellent range. VERSATILE!!!!!

Bit pricey for a non pro, but it does the job!

Great lens! My first L series and I don't regret. I bought it as a walk around lens with my EOS 30D and it does an excellent job. Very sharp, beautiful colors and very balanced on the EOS 30D. Only doubd some flare problems at a sunset session. have to cross check...

* Sharp throughout the range
* Image Stabilizing mode (smoother than EF 70-200 mm f/2.8IS !)
* Weathersealed
* convenient to hold

* Bit soft @ wide open
* Expensive

One of the finest zoom lens on Canon EF lens. Very versatile range !
Very confused to choose between this lens and EF 24-70 mm f/2.8 which is on the same price !

Customer Service

none

Similar Products Used:

* EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS USM
* EF 24-70 mm f/2.8L USM
* EF 17-40 mm f/4L USM

Versatility is its undoubted strength. Ease of use and speed of focus.The stabilizer is excellent and has allowed me many shots otherwise impossible to get.
Well made as one would expect of the L range of Canon lenses.

If anything it is a little soft wide open and needs careful focusing in macro mode.

Bought because I needed a general type lense that could cope with a very wide range of shots from landscape to insects, nature shots to portraits.
From reviews this lens seemed to be the answer to my search. To get straight to the point it certainly was.
Ive used it for hundreds of landscape,plant,portraits and general views covering buildings and sea scapes with superb results. Sharp with excellent colour and tone throughout the range.
I even used it to photograph a wedding with indoor and outdoor locations again returning more than pleasing results.