The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II is the longer of the two lenses at 118mm. The Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM with a length of 104mm, is 14mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II also has a larger diameter of 84mm compared to the Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM's 83mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM weighs 525g, which means it is 270g (33%) lighter than the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II which has a weight of 795g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM and the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
24-105mm but while Canon 24-105mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM has the fastest aperture of
F3.5 - F5.6, the Canon 24-105mm F4L IS II's widest aperture value is
F4.