The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS and the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM 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. Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS is the longer of the two lenses at 113mm. The Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM with a length of 88mm, is 25mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM's 82mm diameter.
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 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM weighs 575g, 13% (88g) lighter than the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS's weight of 663g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has the Canon EF-S lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount.
Focal Range
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS has a focal range of 24-105mm and
4.4X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
36 - 157.5mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM has a focal range of 15-85mm and 5.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-136mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.