ultra wide lens advice

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I'm looking to pick up an FX ultra wide zoom. As much as I'd love it, I can't afford the $1500 Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, so I've narrowed it down to these two choices, both Sigma's.

12-24mm f/4.5, $697 from Amazon
15-30mm f/3.5, $299 from eBay

I've read good (and bad) about both. Which would you pick and why? I'm leaning toward the 15-30mm.

[Furgus]

What no Sigma 10-20?? :)

[H.E. Pennypacker]

What no Sigma 10-20?? :)

Nope. I'm looking for an FX lens. I think the 10-20 is DX format.

[Furgus]

Nope. I'm looking for an FX lens. I think the 10-20 is DX format.


Yep, my mistake, carry on :)

[Gdad]

I have heard good things about the Tamron 17-35.

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=184717&page=2

[toomanycars]

In the opinion of the Dis photographers which ultra wide Angle zoom should I buy before my WDW trip.

[Uncle Greg]

no option for the lusted after Tokina 11-16 f/2.8?

My vote is none of the above...get a fisheye if you want wide.

[Frantasmic]

Of the ones you mentioned, the Tokina.

I bought the f4.0 for my cruise in March and have had fun using it.

The wide angle lens cult crew really likes the Tokina f2.8, but it is $200 more. But, if you can swing it, I'd go with the f2.8

Here's a picture I took of my son last weekend at his baseball game.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4630594264_8535254dd4.jpg

[WDWFigment]

Other: Tokina 11-16.

[cpbjgc]

Just picked up the Tokina 11-16 f2.8. Sweet lens indeed!

[zackiedawg]

Well someone's gotta rep the Tamron...so I'll rep the Tamron! (Actually, they're all pretty good...including the write-in vote everyone else is mentioning). I've been happy with the Tamron 10-24, and use it extensively. BTW, you might also include the Sigma 10-20 F4-5 - it's cheaper than the Sigma you listed, and has a few of its own fans too.

[toomanycars]

Do you have any sample photos you can share from the Tamron? The reviews online make it sound like a soft image lens.

[zackiedawg]

A whole gallery actually - about 200 photos of assorted types. Feel free to browse:

http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/tamron_1024mm_f3545_lens

[toomanycars]

I walked into my hometown camera store today and they had the Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 in stock for $579.00. So I got it. Now it is time to test my new toy!

[Jax1023]

Hi all-

I appreciate all the advice I have gotten here. I really need to share some picks, but we've had 3 people resign in 3 months at my job and its been eating all my time.

I just booked a trip to Italy for late October. One of the main reasons I bought a dSLR was the lack of wideness on my pns in Germany last year, so I am considering an ultrawide lens and want some time to practice with it before we go.

Does anyone have any opinions on the tokina 11-16 vs the sigma 10-20? I have a canon, but the canon 10-22 is out of my budget.

I'm having a hard time deciding which is better, the larger zoom range vs the f2.8. I'm currently leaning towards faster lens as I know it can be dark in those old european cathedrals I'm looking to photograph.

Thanks for any input you may have!

[mom2rtk]

I've been wondering the same thing. I have the Tokina 11-16 f2.8, but find myself wondering what it would be like to have just a touch more range. That 16 still seems SO wide. I'm wondering if I had the 10-20, if I would be less likely to need to switch lenses so much.

I can't afford to keep the Tokina AND buy the 10-20, so I'd have to sell it if I went the other direction. I too am wondering though if I'd miss the 2.8.

Why oh why can't they just make one f2.8 that goes from 10 to about.... say ..... 200????

[zackiedawg]

That's exactly why I got the Tamron 10-24! Goes down to the 10mm I wanted, with a crop camera it goes up to a nice, standard 36mm equivalent, and it starts at F3.5. The Sigma 10-20 was fine too - but the Tamron just edged it out for my own needs and wants.

[bentos]

without a doubt go for the bigger opening of the f/2.8. you can always use your feet to zoom a few more meters but the amazing benefits you will get from the f/2.8 especially during low-light scenes make it the winner.

[WDWFigment]

That's exactly why I got the Tamron 10-24! Goes down to the 10mm I wanted, with a crop camera it goes up to a nice, standard 36mm equivalent, and it starts at F3.5. The Sigma 10-20 was fine too - but the Tamron just edged it out for my own needs and wants.

Maybe you're different than me, but I never use the longer focal length on my ultra-wide.

What about option #3, the brand new 8-16mm Sigma? I have considered getting rid of my Tokina 11-16 for that.

For what it's worth, I have the Tokina 11-16 and the Tokina 10-17 (fisheye), and the extra half stop (I think that's what it is...2.8 v. 3.5...I'm not a math/science person, someone correct me if I'm wrong) has been huge to me. I plan on selling the Tokina fisheye as soon as I find a Sigma 2.8 fisheye for a good price. As for the 10mm v. 11mm debate...yeah, that is a big difference. Good luck in making the decision.

In any case, don't worry about the longer end of the spectrum!

[Luv2Scrap]

Great thread, I was going to be posting this question soon too. Last night my step-mom borrowed me her Sigma 10-20 to play with. The Tall Ships are coming in today so I'm on my way down to the lake to try it out. :banana:

Just from the few pictures I took last night, and from what I've seen people do on here, I know my next lens will be a wide angle lens... just need to figure out which one!

[cpbjgc]

I have the Tokina 11-16 F2.8. I wanted the speed, but I have to say I am very impressed with the IQ on this lens - I have found it to be very sharp and the colour rendition is excellent. If you have a chance, take your camera body down to your local camera shop and try out the lenses you are interested in and then do some pixel peeping at home. You may find that you do prefer one over the other based on IQ or the actual field of view on your camera.

I would also agree with WDWFigment that the bottom end of the range is way more important than the top. When I use the lens it is probably 90% of the time at 11 mm and maybe 1% at 16.

Just a warning - once you go wide, you never want to go back!:thumbsup2

[zackiedawg]

Unquestionably the bottom of the range is much more important, and the primary reason I bought the lens. And no, I actually don't use the 15-24mm end very often - though on rare occasion it has come in handy. It was in fact the Tamron's on-center sharpness both wide open and at the widest setting edging out the Sigma 10-20 that made me lean towards purchasing it - the Sigma was actually slightly sharper at 16-20mm or so than the Tamron - but it was the sharpness at the wide end I really wanted most.

[Code]

I would generally say don't worry about the long end, but then when you're on vacation, having something that isn't "ultra wide" at the long end is very valuable. I used 20mm on my Sigma 10-20mm a fair amount when I was there with my wife, simply because I was snapping a candid shot and I didn't want/have time to change lenses.

Just something to muddy the decision waters even more :P

[WDWFigment]

Unquestionably the bottom of the range is much more important, and the primary reason I bought the lens. And no, I actually don't use the 15-24mm end very often - though on rare occasion it has come in handy. It was in fact the Tamron's on-center sharpness both wide open and at the widest setting edging out the Sigma 10-20 that made me lean towards purchasing it - the Sigma was actually slightly sharper at 16-20mm or so than the Tamron - but it was the sharpness at the wide end I really wanted most.

After re-reading what you originally wrote, I can't say why I thought you were suggesting the Tamron for the 20-24 range. I really thought I saw that in your post...guess not! Well, my response was 'good' advice anyway (hopefully!). :confused3

I would generally say don't worry about the long end, but then when you're on vacation, having something that isn't "ultra wide" at the long end is very valuable. I used 20mm on my Sigma 10-20mm a fair amount when I was there with my wife, simply because I was snapping a candid shot and I didn't want/have time to change lenses.

Just something to muddy the decision waters even more :P

You have longer arms than me, I'm sure, but on a somewhat related note, we found the fisheye awesome for self-portraits. You have to be careful to avoid distortion with the wider lenses like that, but if you dead-center yourself, it does work wonders!

[AlbertZeroK]

We use the Sigma 10-20mm at work for shooting real estate on a T2i. I can't tell much of a difference between that lens and my EF-S 10-22mm, in fact, I think the Sigma feels a little better built.

We also use the Tamron 18-200mm at work and I'm not at all a fan of that lens. It works for what we need it to do, but I took it to the Safari park for a day, and not only wasn't I happy with the images (they seemed merky both in color and focus) but the construction quality isn't as high as I'd like it to be. Compared to the Sigma 10-20, it feels very consumerish if that makes any sense.

[zackiedawg]

Don't judge Tamron on the 18-200...it wasn't a very good lens. The 18-250 Tamron blows it out of the water. And the 10-24mm is a much better lens too. I've got Tamron & Sigma lenses, and find both to be pretty equal in construction, quality, reliability - no problems recommending either of them. But like any company, they've both made some good lenses and some not-so-good lenses. Sigma's EX line has a nicer finish on the plastics, but I readily abuse both brands, and they both can take it.

[WDWFigment]

^Definitely agree regarding Sigma's EX line. Almost crazy to think the same company makes such drastically different lenses, quality-wise.

[Jax1023]

Ok this thread has tons of good advice, except I'm still as undecided as ever.

I'm headed home NY in about 2 weeks and have plans to meet up with some friends in NYC for dinner, so maybe an earlier trip to check out both lenses at the camera stores is in order. Sadly Pittsburgh is lacking in camera stores.

I considered the 8-16 sigma but the price tag of 699 is a bit high right now. And since I keep hearing that these lenses have a big learning curve, I'm not sure I should wait another 2 months if I want to use it for a big trip in October.

I think I'm leaning towards the Tokina if I can find one. They seem to be sold out everywhere. I guess thats a good sign.

Now the next dilemma? Do I buy a lens when the dinner plans after include going to a place where the main draw is a 2 Liter boot of beer? :rotfl: We're supposed to have gotten over doing things like that by thirtieth birthdays?