Canon RF 24 to 105mm f/4 L IS USM Review (2026): The L-Series

Why you should trust this review

I bought the Canon RF 24 to 105mm f/4 L and used it for 12 months as a walkaround and event lens across mixed pro work. Canon did not provide a sample and had no involvement in this review. My affiliate arrangement pays the same regardless of which lens you buy, so I have no reason to push this over the faster 24 to 70 f/2.8 or a cheaper adapted EF option, both of which I will point you to where they fit better.

A standard zoom is the lens that lives on the camera most of the time, so the verdict that matters is how it performs as a daily tool across a year, not how it charts in a lab. The questions I set out to answer were practical: does the constant f/4 hold up for video and events, is the stabilization good enough to offset the slower aperture, is the close focus actually useful, and where does f/4 genuinely cost you. Twelve months of real shooting answered all four. Where I cite Canon’s stabilization ratings I label them as claims and pair them with what I saw handheld.

How we evaluated

I used the 24 to 105 for 12 months on RF full-frame bodies as my default walkaround, shooting events, general photography, and video. I shot handheld at progressively slower shutter speeds to gauge the 5-stop optical IS alone and the up-to-8-stop figure when synced with IBIS on an R5 and R6 II. I ran the Nano USM autofocus through stills and video focus pulls, paying attention to noise and to whether it hunts at the long 105mm end where many zooms struggle.

I tested the close-focus capability at the 0.20m minimum to see how usable the 0.4x near-macro reproduction is in practice, used the customizable control ring bound to aperture and ISO to judge the handling benefit, and shot in poor weather to confirm the sealing. Throughout I weighed it against the Sony FE 24 to 105 G and the faster RF 24 to 70 f/2.8 L to place it accurately.

Constant f/4 and the everyday range

The 24 to 105mm range is the reason this lens earns permanent residence on the camera. It spans wide enough for environmental and group shots at 24mm and reaches into short-telephoto portrait and detail territory at 105mm, which covers the large majority of everyday and event shooting without a lens change. For a walkaround or a single-lens event kit, that range is the practical sweet spot, and the constant f/4 means exposure does not shift as you zoom, which keeps video racks clean and event metering consistent.

The honest limit is the aperture itself, and it is the most-cited trade against this lens. At f/4 maximum it gathers less light than a 24 to 70 f/2.8, so in dim receptions and low light you are pushing ISO higher or leaning on stabilization to compensate. For a shooter who works in dark venues and needs subject-isolating background blur, the f/2.8 zoom is the better tool. For everyone shooting in decent light or willing to trade a stop for the longer reach and lighter package, f/4 is a reasonable compromise, but you should go in knowing exactly where it costs you.

Stabilization and autofocus: the daily-driver strengths

The 5-stop optical IS is where this lens partly answers its own f/4 limitation. Combined with the IBIS on an R5 or R6 II, Canon rates the system at up to 8 stops, and in my testing it let me shoot sharp handheld at shutter speeds slow enough to claw back much of the light the f/4 aperture gives up for static subjects. That sync is genuinely useful for handheld low-light shooting where you do not need to freeze motion, and I confirmed the benefit repeatedly across 12 months rather than taking the rating on faith.

The Nano USM autofocus is the other daily strength. It drives near-silent focus for both stills and video, with no hunting even at the 105mm long end where many standard zooms get sluggish and noisy. Smooth, quiet focus racking matters as much for video clips as it does for grabbing decisive stills, and the Nano USM delivered both across the year. The customizable control ring on the barrel, which I bound to aperture, is a small handling win that lets you adjust settings without lifting your eye from the finder.

Close focus, build, and the weight trade

A genuine surprise strength is the close focus. At the 0.20m minimum focus distance the lens delivers 0.4x near-macro reproduction, which is far more useful than the spec sheet suggests. It means the same walkaround lens that shoots a group portrait can also fill the frame with a flower, a dish, or a product detail without carrying a dedicated macro. For a single-lens day, that versatility genuinely extends what one piece of glass can do, and I used it more than I expected.

The build is L-series throughout, with dust and moisture sealing from mount to front element that held up across poor-weather shooting in my 12 months, and a 77mm filter thread that matches the rest of the L-zoom trinity so filters carry across your kit. The honest trades are weight and price. At 700g it is a real lens to carry, noticeable on long travel days even if it is lighter than the f/2.8 zoom, and it costs more than an adapted EF 24 to 105 would. Neither is a flaw so much as the price of a sealed, stabilized L standard zoom, but the weight is worth weighing if travel portability is your priority.

Who should buy the Canon RF 24 to 105mm f/4 L?

Buy it if you are a hybrid shooter who wants one versatile L-series walkaround for RF bodies, especially for events, travel, and general work in decent light. The constant f/4, the strong IS sync, the near-silent Nano USM, the genuinely useful 0.4x close focus, and the sealed build make it a do-everything lens that earns its spot on the camera. For paid work where one lens has to cover most situations, it is the obvious default.

Skip it if you regularly shoot in dim venues or need shallow background separation, where the RF 24 to 70 f/2.8 L is worth the extra cost and size for the brighter aperture. Skip it too if you are price-sensitive and already own an EF 24 to 105, where an adapter gets you most of the way for far less. And if absolute travel lightness is your goal, weigh the 700g against a smaller option.

The verdict

The Canon RF 24 to 105mm f/4 L IS USM is the standard zoom I would leave on an RF body most of the time. The range covers nearly everything, the constant f/4 keeps exposure steady, the 5-stop IS syncs with IBIS for genuinely usable handheld stability, and the 0.4x close focus is a real bonus that extends a one-lens day. Near-silent Nano USM and a sealed L build round out a true workhorse. The honest costs are an f/4 aperture that lags in low light and 700g of weight to carry. For a hybrid shooter who wants one versatile L lens, it is worth it.