UWA lens for Canon DSLR

Posted by: JamieWednesday on 04 December 2010

I figured some time ago I'd like one of these, landscape and architecture photography and for HD video of kids etc. and could have really used it yesterday while out and about.

Stacks of commentary on web already. I have 7D and am unlikely to be moving to full frame,

I've decided it's between:

Canon 10-22mm - trusted brand, useful range, quality user reviews along lines of almost 'L' quality etc.

Tokina 11-16mm - good reviews again, build quality good, less useful range but 2.8 all the way

Sample of pictures taken with both are good. One dealer recommended Tokina, the other Canon! I suspect I will get a good, useful product either way.

(Lots of ref. to Sigma alternatives but the same old issues of flakey quality show up too often)

Both handle well, I just can't make up my mind, if I bought the Canon, would I miss the extra stop of the Tokina, if I bought the Tokina, would I miss that slightly greater range of the Canon? Despite my temptation to stick with the Canon product all the way, I'm tempted to think I'd use the 2.8 over 3.5 for those low light, evening shots more than the 10 mmm over 11mm. I look at it like this, if the Canon didn't exist and I had the Tokina, would I be wishing for 10mm? If I had the Canon and Tokina didn't exist, would I be wishing for the extra stop?

Before plumping for one, thought I'd test the forum waters to see if anyone's got any practical experience?
Posted on: 04 December 2010 by Tony Lockhart
HD video of kids? Crikey, good luck with the focusing!
I've been thinking about buying the Canon since it was launched, but just never get round to it. I'm not sure the extra stop of the Tokina is important for low light. At 10mm, you should be able to easily hand hold at 1/8th second, and I doubt a narrow depth of field is what you'd be after! Mmmm.

Tony
Posted on: 04 December 2010 by JamieWednesday
quote:
HD video of kids? Crikey, good luck with the focusing!


Yeah, more outdoors than in...
Posted on: 04 December 2010 by Tony Lockhart
So maybe an aperture of, say, f/8 will be used more than 2.8 anyway? What's the edge and corner performance like with the tokina when wide open?

Tony
Posted on: 04 December 2010 by JamieWednesday
Some confusing comments out there but on balance both seemed good to me. Some report poor CA with Tokina lenses, some say Canon less sharp. CA is one click fix on PC if an issue, sharpness less so.

I couldn't say myself that either were bad. I think it only becomes apparent if you have two prints together and really, really peer at them. Both seem more than good enough to me in their own right. So quality for either just doesn't seem an issue. Both give great colour and image dynamics. They are both excellent lenses. It's more down to usability.

You're right, either will do for the video side, it's more about slightly better low light performance from what is near enough a prime lens or greater zoom range I think. If one were greater range and wider open then it would win. Either is a compromise slightly but neither I think would be bad choice. I'm just looking for percentages really I guess.
Posted on: 04 December 2010 by Manu
One more thing to consider is the Canon is an EFS mount, so not compatible with more upscale Canon bodies.
For image quality it is fantastic, on par with my 24-105 L.

BUT you have not told us what other lens you have.
When I was using it with a 40D, I was mostly in the 15 to 22 range, rarely at 10: distortion was to high.
For me the 10 to 16 had limited usage...
Now I am full frame (5DII) and i do not miss anything wider than my 24-105 (24 equivalent to 15 with a cropped frame). These focal width are already doing quite un-natural picture. Going wider is more for artistic pictures than for family ones.
Posted on: 05 December 2010 by JamieWednesday
I too use the 24-105L. + 50mm prime and the 18-55mm I got with my original 450D some years back. I also have 28-200 mm which I don't use so much since I got the 7D and the 24-105. And you're right, UWA would be for more artistic photos.
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by Tony Lockhart
Jamie, did you decide? Pretty much the only negative I could find about the Tokina was on Ken Rockwell's site:


Canon

If you shoot Canon, get the Canon 10-22mm, since it doesn't cost much more and has a much wider and longer zoom range. I have not compared its sharpness, however the Canon's distortion control is superior.

Distortion can, if you are concerned, be corrected in Photoshop.

Tony
Posted on: 12 December 2010 by JamieWednesday
Yeah likewise - I think I'm going for the Tokina - Seen a lot of other people's pictures and generally pretty pleasing, both seem decent but I'm taken with the colour and tone usually seen with this lens compared with the Canon.