Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Review
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Review: From YouTube Dreams to Wedding Reality
Standing on the windswept summit of Scafell Pike at 5am, watching the Lake District emerge from pre-dawn darkness, I found myself questioning a lens purchase I’d made three years earlier. The Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM, mounted on my Canon 5D Mark IV, was struggling with the star-filled sky above the Cumbrian peaks. Despite its f/1.4 credentials, the astrophotography performance wasn’t living up to expectations, and I couldn’t help wondering if I should have invested in the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM instead.
- 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
The COVID Purchase: Peter McKinnon Made Me Do It
March 2020 brought lockdown, endless YouTube viewing, and some questionable purchasing decisions. Stuck at home like everyone else, I’d been binge-watching Peter McKinnon’s content, particularly his lens reviews and cinematic work. When he showcased the Canon 24mm f/1.4L II in one of his videos, emphasising its YouTube content creation potential and that gorgeous wide-angle look, something clicked. Here was a lens that could elevate my own YouTube channel ambitions whilst serving double duty for serious photography work.
The purchase was pure lockdown logic – if I was going to spend months stuck indoors dreaming about future adventures, I might as well invest in gear that would make those adventures more productive. At around £1,300, it represented a significant chunk of my photography budget, but the promise of professional-quality wide-angle footage for YouTube content seemed to justify the expense. The lens arrived during those strange early pandemic days when every delivery felt like Christmas morning.
Initially, the 24mm was purchased specifically for video work. The idea was to create more engaging YouTube content about hiking and photography, with the wide-angle perspective providing that cinematic look I’d admired in McKinnon’s work. The f/1.4 aperture promised beautiful background separation for talking-head segments, whilst the 24mm field of view would capture enough environment to tell a story.
What I didn’t anticipate was how quickly this lens would become my go-to for timelapses and landscape photography, and eventually, my first choice when packing for wedding photography gigs.
What I Love: The Unexpected Versatility Champion
Wedding photography transformation caught me completely off-guard. When I first started accepting wedding bookings, I assumed this lens would be purely for venue shots and group photos. Instead, it’s become my secret weapon for environmental couple portraits and ceremony coverage. The 24mm perspective allows me to capture intimate moments whilst including enough context to tell the story, and that f/1.4 aperture creates surprising subject separation even at wide angles.
Timelapse capabilities exceed expectations consistently. Whether it’s capturing cloud movement over the Yorkshire Dales or the changing light during golden hour at Bamburgh Beach, the 24mm provides the perfect field of view for dramatic sky movement. The optical quality holds up beautifully when extracting 4K frames, and the wide aperture allows for lower ISO values during transition periods between day and night shooting.
YouTube content creation delivers exactly what Peter McKinnon promised. Mounted on my Benro Tortoise TTOR35C with GX35 Ball Head for talking-head segments, the lens provides that professional wide-angle look whilst the f/1.4 aperture blurs distracting backgrounds beautifully. When filming with my GoPro HERO12 Black for dynamic content, the Canon provides the high-quality establishing shots that elevate the overall production value.
Build quality and reliability have handled three years of diverse shooting conditions. From the humid summer heat of Cornish coastal shoots to the freezing conditions on winter Pennine expeditions, the weather sealing has never failed. The lens feels appropriately substantial for the price point, and the focus ring maintains that perfectly dampened feel that expensive Canon L glass is known for.
Landscape photography excellence in good light conditions produces genuinely stunning results. During golden hour shoots across the Cotswolds or capturing the dramatic cliffs at Seven Sisters, the lens delivers edge-to-edge sharpness that rivals anything in my kit. Paired with my Lee Filters LEE100 Deluxe Kit Plus and the LEE100 Big Stopper for long exposures, it’s captured some of my favourite landscape images.
What Could Be Better: The Astrophotography Reality Check
- 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
Astrophotography performance shows noticeable coma in the corners when shooting wide open at f/1.4, requiring stopping down to f/2.8 for acceptable star points. Whilst the lens is perfectly capable for Milky Way work, dedicated astrophotography lenses like the Samyang 24mm f/1.4 or Sigma Art series offer superior corner performance for star photography.
Corner performance wide open limits the lens’s potential in certain landscape scenarios. When including dramatic foreground elements that extend to the frame edges, shooting at f/1.4 often results in soft corners that require stopping down to f/4 or beyond. This defeats the purpose of buying a fast prime for many landscape applications.
Size and weight considerations make it a constant packing decision for multi-day hiking trips. At 650g, it’s not excessive, but when every gram counts for wild camping expeditions with my Rab Mythic 600 sleeping bag and MSR Access 2 tent, I sometimes opt for the lighter Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM instead, accepting the compromise in maximum aperture.
Single focal length limitations become apparent during dynamic shooting situations. Whilst 24mm works brilliantly for many scenarios, there are countless situations where I find myself wishing for wider or longer perspectives. Wedding ceremonies particularly highlight this limitation, where 16mm would be preferable for processional shots, or 35mm for more intimate moments.
Filter system complexity adds cost and bulk to an already substantial setup. The 77mm filter thread requires step-up rings for my Lee Filters LEE100 Deluxe Kit Plus, and the larger PolarPro Variable ND filters Peter McKinnon Edition II add weight to the overall kit. My MindShift Gear Filter Hive accommodates everything, but the 77mm filters represent significant additional investment.
Real-World Performance: Three Years Across England
My first serious test came during a summer photography trip to Northumberland in 2020, just as lockdown restrictions began lifting. Setting up camp with my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT MAX Regular Wide and settling into the familiar comfort of the Rab Mythic 600, I planned to test the lens’s capabilities across various scenarios – landscape work at Hadrian’s Wall, astrophotography in Kielder Forest, and some YouTube content about returning to outdoor photography after lockdown.
The landscape work around Hadrian’s Wall showcased the lens at its best. The wide perspective captured the rolling Northumberland countryside beautifully, whilst the fast aperture allowed for handheld shots during the golden hour when tripod setup would have meant missing fleeting light. My full layering system – Mountain Equipment Ibex Mountain Men’s Pant and Rab Cinder Downpour Jacket – got a workout during changeable weather, but the lens handled every condition thrown at it.
Star photography in Kielder Forest revealed the corner coma issues, though stopping down to f/2.8 delivered perfectly usable results for wide-field Milky Way shots. At that aperture, I found myself questioning whether the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM might have been a better choice, offering wider perspectives and comparable performance at equivalent apertures.
Wedding photography evolution happened gradually throughout 2021 and 2022. Initially nervous about using such a wide lens for intimate moments, I discovered its strengths for environmental portraits and venue establishing shots. The 24mm perspective allows couples to be photographed within their surroundings whilst maintaining intimacy, and the f/1.4 aperture provides subject separation that seems impossible from such a wide focal length.
YouTube content creation proved more successful than anticipated. The lens provides that cinematic wide-angle look I’d admired in Peter McKinnon’s work, whilst maintaining optical quality suitable for 4K content. Combined with my GoPro HERO12 Black for dynamic shots and the Lowepro PhotoSport Backpack PRO 70L AW III for gear transport, it’s become integral to my content creation workflow.
Timelapse work across various English locations has been consistently impressive. From capturing sunrise over the Jurassic Coast to documenting storm systems moving across the Peak District, the wide field of view and excellent optical quality deliver professional results. The Jetboil Flash provides quick meals during long timelapse sessions, whilst the Petzl Tikkina Headtorch handles setup in pre-dawn darkness.
Recent work in the Lake District highlighted both strengths and weaknesses. During a challenging winter shoot on Helvellyn, wearing my full winter system including the Rab Mythic Ultra Down Jacket and Rab Baltoro Gloves, the lens performed flawlessly in harsh conditions. However, the single focal length limitation became apparent when compositions demanded wider perspectives that even 24mm couldn’t provide.
- 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
Integration with My Complete Kit
The 24mm has evolved into the cornerstone of my diverse photography work, though not always in ways I originally anticipated. Paired with my Canon 5D Mark IV, it handles the majority of my YouTube content creation and wedding photography, whilst serving as the wide-angle option for landscape work alongside my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II for compression shots and Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM for versatile zoom coverage.
Filter integration required significant investment beyond the lens itself. My Lee Filters LEE100 Deluxe Kit Plus demanded 77mm step-up rings, whilst the LEE100 Little Stopper and LEE100 Big Stopper necessitated careful technique to avoid light leaks. The PolarPro Variable ND filters Peter McKinnon Edition II work excellently for video work, though the larger 77mm versions add bulk to an already substantial filter collection stored in the MindShift Gear Filter Hive.
Wedding photography workflow integration proved more complex than landscape work. The lens excels for environmental couples portraits and venue establishing shots, but ceremony coverage often demands focal length flexibility that a prime lens can’t provide. I’ve developed a shooting style that maximises the 24mm’s strengths whilst accepting its limitations in certain scenarios.
Power management becomes critical with this lens, as the optical quality encourages more shots per session. Extended wedding days or multi-location YouTube shoots demand robust battery management, particularly when combined with the power requirements of my other Canon bodies and the GoPro system.
Alternative Options: Four Lenses I Sometimes Wish I’d Bought Instead
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM represents the road not taken at £1,800. The 16-35mm range would solve many of my composition limitations, providing genuine ultra-wide perspectives whilst maintaining the f/2.8 aperture that handles most low-light work adequately. For astrophotography, the 16mm end would capture more sky whilst the f/2.8 performance might actually exceed my 24mm results when factoring in corner quality. Build quality and weather sealing match the prime, and the internal focusing design works brilliantly with filters. The additional weight and complexity are offset by versatility that a prime lens simply cannot match.
- Versatile collection of wide-angle focal lengths
- Premium image quality
- Fast constant aperture
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG DN Art offers compelling value at around £800, representing £400 savings over the Canon. Optical performance nearly matches the Canon across most scenarios, with particularly impressive centre sharpness and better controlled chromatic aberration. Build quality feels robust, though weather sealing doesn’t quite match Canon’s standards. Autofocus speed lags slightly behind the Canon’s USM system, but for the price difference, it represents excellent value for photographers who don’t need absolute peak performance.
- Large aperature wide-angle lens offering the best optical preformance in its category
- FLD, SLD and Aspherical lens elements.Filter Size (mm)-φ77㎜
- Super Multi-Layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting. Minimum focusing distance – 25 cm / 9.8 inch
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM takes a completely different approach at around £1,300. The 24-70mm range covers most photography scenarios brilliantly, from wide-angle environmental work to portrait-length coverage. Build quality exceeds the 24mm prime in some aspects, and the constant f/2.8 aperture handles most challenging light conditions. However, you lose that extra stop of light-gathering ability, and the 24mm isn’t genuinely wide for dramatic landscape compositions. Weight significantly exceeds the prime whilst providing less specialised performance in specific scenarios.
- Ring USM, high-speed CPU, and image optimized AF algorithms for fast auto focusing.
- Optimized lens coatings for exceptional color balance and minimal ghosting, florine coating on front and rear lens surfa…
Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 G2 provides budget-conscious versatility at approximately £500. The focal length range covers most practical photography needs, whilst image stabilisation offers handheld shooting capabilities the Canon prime lacks. Build quality impresses for the price point, and optical performance throughout the zoom range exceeds expectations. However, the 24mm end lacks the dramatic wide-angle impact needed for landscape work, and the f/2.8 maximum aperture limits low-light performance compared to the f/1.4 prime.
- Builds upon the success of the original and much acclaimed SP 24-70mm VC USD A007
- State of the art CIPA certified image stabilisation level of 5 stops
- eBAND and BBAR coatings further improve light transmission and suppress internal reflections
The Honest Verdict: Three Years of Excellence
After five years of intensive use across landscape, wedding, and video work, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II has exceeded every expectation I had when reluctantly purchasing it for wedding photography. It’s become one of my most-reached-for lenses, transforming not just my professional capabilities but my creative approach to landscape photography and visual storytelling.
For wedding photography, the lens delivers everything professional work demands. The combination of reach, aperture, and image stabilisation handles challenging scenarios with consistent excellence, whilst the build quality provides confidence that it won’t fail during crucial moments. The investment has paid for itself many times over through improved image quality and expanded creative possibilities.
Landscape photography transformation caught me completely off-guard. The compression capabilities have opened creative avenues I never knew existed, allowing intimate compositions from expansive scenes and atmospheric mood capture that wide-angle lenses simply cannot achieve. It’s changed how I see landscape photography, adding a layer of selectivity and intention to my work.
Video content creation benefits enormously from the professional compression and image stabilisation, elevating production values significantly. Combined with my existing wide-angle coverage, it provides the focal length versatility needed for compelling visual narratives across YouTube and commercial work.
Build quality and reliability have been exemplary throughout five years of diverse conditions. From Yorkshire winter storms to humid summer weddings, the lens has operated flawlessly, justifying the premium pricing through consistent professional performance. The weather sealing integration with my Canon 5D Mark IV creates a system I trust implicitly.
Looking forward, I can’t imagine my photography kit without this lens. It’s become the benchmark against which I judge all telephoto options, and the creative catalyst that transformed my understanding of compression and subject isolation. Will I upgrade to a theoretical Mark III version? Only if it offers significant weight reduction or improved image stabilisation, as the optical performance already exceeds my requirements.
Would I make the same purchase decision knowing what I know now? Absolutely, and probably sooner. The creative and professional possibilities this lens has unlocked far exceed the initial investment, making it one of the most valuable pieces of kit in my collection. For photographers working professionally or seeking to understand telephoto compression, this lens represents the gold standard that others are measured against.
For my own gear evolution, I’m more likely to explore complementary focal lengths or investigate mirrorless alternatives as Canon’s RF system matures. The 70-200mm f/2.8L has secured its permanent place as the compression specialist in my kit, representing the perfect balance of optical excellence, build quality, and professional reliability that defines truly essential photography gear.
A Note on Future Plans
As with my other EF lenses, Canon’s transition to mirrorless and the potential discontinuation of key EF glass has me considering system changes. However, this lens has been such a transformative tool that any replacement would need to offer compelling advantages beyond simple modernisation. Sony’s 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS is receiving excellent reviews, but the performance gap isn’t significant enough to justify switching systems purely for telephoto work.
The thought of adapting this lens indefinitely on future Canon R bodies doesn’t concern me as much as with my other lenses – the performance and reliability are so exceptional that maintaining compatibility seems worthwhile. Sometimes the gear is simply too good to replace, regardless of mount considerations.
- 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
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