Review on Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Wide Angle Lens - Fixed - Black, Model 2750B002 by David Schweigert

I've been using L series lenses for a few years now, from 17-40 f/4L to 135mm f/2L. I currently have a Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 70D, 24-70mm f/2.8L Mark I, 135mm f/2L and this 24mm f/1.4L II. Fixes, zooms, whatever, they're all pretty darn good. However, prime lenses generally have better image quality than zooms in all respects (with some exceptions in the 24-70mm f/2.8L II and, as far as I know, the 70-200mm f/2.8L II), and the 24mm f /1.4L II is no exception. The wide open f/1.4 aperture ensures excellent sharpness. I had a 50mm f/1.2L and sold it at a loss after a month because it was SO soft at f/1.2. I didn't lose focus (I know this because I also used Live View and it wasn't great), it just wasn't sharp. This 24 f/1.4 is superbly made. It's classic L quality, both inside and out. Focus ring, filter thread, USM motor, all on top. I always carry it on one of my cameras and it's always the first thing I want to use when I'm shooting. The focus ring is very smooth and has decent travel from close focus to infinity focus. The autofocus is very fast and accurate, so all I have to worry about is quick framing or shooting. On my 70D, the live view/video focusing is really amazing. It's fast, accurate and quiet. Compared to manual focus videos, you can see the difference in the benefits of autofocus. There is one thing I noticed about this lens that bothered me at times. When shooting a near or semi-near subject with a brighter background, overexposure draws attention. This fits in with other "subjective" desires and preferences for photography, so it's up to you to decide if that makes a big difference. The attached image shows an example of the problem when looking at the grass on the right, but it also shows sharpness when viewed with the narrowest eye. All in all, I love my 24mm f/1.4L II USM, even with (for me) eye-baffling bokeh. It's by far my favorite lens I've come across, with the iconic 135mm f/2L USM taking an equally solid second place.