Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USMvs A1
Canon
Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (2018)
Starting from £1099 new
Best for Travel, weddings & general purpose
View Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel, Weddings & General Purpose — Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (2018): The definitive one-lens travel kit — L-series sharpness, 5-stop IS, and 24-105mm versatility built to professional standards.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The canon rf 24-105mm f/4l is usm is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (2018) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,099 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | f/4 constant (max aperture throughout zoom range) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | 45cm minimum focus distance (wide end) | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Nano USM — fast, near-silent for stills and video | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop optical Image Stabiliser (IS) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | — | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | — | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 700g | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 83.5 × 107.3mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | — | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | — | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | — | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | — | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Camera family history