Conclusion

The Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM is a unique ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that's very capable but also very pricey indeed. Ideal for landscape and architectural photographers looking for an all-in-one zoom that can also give them a competitive edge thanks to the 11mm focal length, the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM is a stunning addition to the extensive EF lens range.

Given its L-series billing, the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM build quality is reassuringly excellent, although it's one of the heaviest wide-angle zooms that we've ever tested. Auto-focusing is quiet and quick, with the ability to manually override it and focus manually if required proving a nice touch.

Image quality is outstanding. Chromatic aberrations are very well controlled, bokeh is pretty impressive despite the slow f/4 aperture and the wide-angle nature of the lens, and the Super Spectra coatings successfully prevent contrast loss attributable to flare. The only real optical issues are obvious vignetting throughout the zoom range (but particularly at 11mm), predictably obvious barrel distortion at the 11mm wide-angle focal length, and a slight lack of both centre and edge sharpness when shooting wide-open at f/4 at the 24mm focal length.

If you can afford the massive price-tag and don't mind the 1kg+ weight or the slow f/4 maximum aperture, then we can highly recommend the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM as an excellent ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for Canon full-frame DSLR owners that really does provide a new view of the world.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	4.5
Image quality	5
Value for money	4