Superwide lens for Canon, revisited.

Posted by: Tony Lockhart on 30 March 2012

Nearly 18 months ago we had a thread on this subject, and Jamie Wednesday bought a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8. I'm about to take the plunge and buy a superwide, or maybe something less extreme. I have a 17-85mm at the moment, but it just ain't wide on a cropped sensor.

Any experiences or suggestions welcomed.

Tony

Posted on: 30 March 2012 by Andrew Everard

FWIW I bought one of these a year or so back, and I'm delighted with it.

Posted on: 30 March 2012 by JamieWednesday

Tony, I felt it boiled down to a choice of two, between the Tok and Canon 10-22. There are other, e.g. Sigma, options but from (unconfirmed) internet chatter, Sigma still seem to have a problem with consistency in their lenses

The Canon goes longer but I rarely use the Tok even at 16mm anyway

I just liked the feel of the Tok in my hand and the images and colours are terrific IMO

Try both at a shop like WEX if you can get over to Norwich or if you like, assuming I can make it to Cambridge, I'll bring the Tok with me

. .

Posted on: 30 March 2012 by Tony Lockhart

Thanks for the reply Jamie, and the lovely pics. Sigma will have to work hard for me to consider them, as I've seen their poor quality first hand. Having to return lenses til a goodun arrives isn't something I relish. I'll see if I can venture up to Norwich soon. I think I have my Austin 7 and demob suit somewhere.

Tony

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by Mike-B

I hear wot you're saying about Sigma, but IME they have got the act together in recent years

Have you considered this one ???

http://www.photozone.de/canon-...15-sigma816f4556apsc

I rate Photozone as a reliable www tester & good for general info, especially the customer test result assessment file. These are well populated & the collective opinions of a lot people tend to be close to the truth.

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by Tony Lockhart

Thanks Mike. I'll give the Sigma a go if I can, but I feel it's probably too extreme for me. The parting words of that review: "if you can find a good sample....". Hmmm. Tony

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by count.d

Tony, get the widest rectilinear lens you can afford. I use the 14-24 (full frame sensor) at it's widest all the time and if it went wider, I'd use that.

Spend as much as you can on the wide zooms, as cheap ones are pretty awful with anything outside the centre of the image.

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by Tony Lockhart

Thanks Count.

My nature is to spend everything I have, my wife being the safety valve. Unfortunately, without using a credit card or finance I'm limited to the 10-22, 11-16 and 8-16 lenses mentioned earlier in the thread. It's time to stop reading and try them out, preferably on my 40D.

Tony

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by count.d

Barrel distortion is my particular hate. It looks so wrong on images.

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by ianrobertm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/1022.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16mm.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/sigma/8-16mm.htm

I am a Nikon user... so can't comment on Canon lenses... However, the Tokina 11-16 seems to be highly rated generally. I have its cheaper cousin, the Tokina 12-24, which is enough for me. Its well made & works fine, IMHO.

Posted on: 31 March 2012 by Tony Lockhart

I'm in shock. We are off to WarehouseExpress (Wex) tomorrow. Best I behave myself tonight. Tony

Posted on: 01 April 2012 by Fabio 1

Originally Posted by count.d:

Barrel distortion is my particular hate. It looks so wrong on images.

Count.d,

try this one if funds permit:

Posted on: 01 April 2012 by Fabio 1

Sorry,

PC-E Nikkor 24mm f/3.5D ED

Posted on: 01 April 2012 by count.d

I have the PC-E 85mm and it's the "sharpest" lens I own. The 24mm PC-E would no doubt be of similar performance.

I get rid of barrell/pin cushion distortion easily in CS5, but at a small expense of edge image quality and cropping. I was really giving advice to Tony on the cheaper lenses out there.