Reply to Still on the fence: 24-70mm vs 24-105mm

Craig Wild posted a reply:

Personally, when I want depth of field, I shoot with my 50 f/1.4 When you want depth of field or real low light photos, prime lenses are the way to go, but I find this lens too limiting to just use as an everyday lens, because I don't like to change lenses often. When taking candid photos of people though, a really wide aperture may not be as appealing either since you'll miss focus more often.



I love the zoom range of the 24-105, but you already have the 70-300, so you don't need the extra reach from a technical standpoint (perhaps for the convenience of not having to change lenses as often).



I think you need to decide if when your shooting pictures of you kid(s? can't remember) are you ever at such a distance from them that you think you would want to use the focal range from 70-105? If the answer is no or not as often, then for those times you would be able to switch to your 70-300. Which would limit the differences to f-stop, IS, and weight.



As for weight, the 24-70 weights 0.7 lbs / 320g heavier than your 70-300 IS, where the 24-105 is essentially the same as the 70-300 weighing only 0.1 lbs / 40g more. I personally don’t find this difference to be so striking. You’ll notice the difference from the kit lens to any of these, but not much difference between the three. Though I’ve shot with a 1D mkII, with a 1.4x extender, and a 70-200 f/2.8 IS attached before when working for my university, so take my advice on weight for what it’s worth.



F-stop and IS… It’s true, there’s no substitute for a wider f/stop, and you can always use a tripod if it needs to be steady. The reason the 24-105 shines is because it’s more versatile and portable. IS really helps a lot, which you know all about with your 70-300, and when a narrow depth of field is not desired, there’s no denying the advantage and portability of IS.



Each lens has its strong points. I’ve read in other discussions between the two lenses in which some people (that apparently have too much money, haha... I'm just jealous) have said that they actually have both lenses, and depending on what they are shooting will pick one.



Nothing you buy is going to be perfect. I always find myself thinking if I only had this lens, this shot would be so much better. Don’t spend too much time just thinking about what lens to buy. Renting the two lenses is a great idea, because only you can truly decide which lens is best for you. Good luck.