wide angle lenses

[DVC Jen]

Sigma makes a great 10-20mm lens, it runs about 800$ last i checked. great quality My photo teachers recommended it over the canon one and Sigma lens are available for digital rebels. may be work checking out for you

I just got this lens from Beach camera and it was 479.00. I haven't had much time to really get out there and play with it - but I did try it out in my backyard and LOVED it. very sharp lens - and wow is it wide. I am going to love it.

 

[tksbaskets]

I just got this lens from Beach camera and it was 479.00. I haven't had much time to really get out there and play with it - but I did try it out in my backyard and LOVED it. very sharp lens - and wow is it wide. I am going to love it.

Is Beach Camera 'on line'? The camera store in town had the Sigma lens for ~$600.

 

[DVC Jen]

Is Beach Camera 'on line'? The camera store in town had the Sigma lens for ~$600.

yes beachcamera.com I have ordered from them several times and been very happy with them. quite a few others here on this forum have as well.

 

[Shutterbug]

I just bought the Tamron 17-50 2.8
So far I am liking it

 

[fitzperry]

You might also check out the Tokina 12-24. I'm a Nikon gal, but I assume it's available in a Canon mount too. Haven't bought mine yet, but it gets great reviews (perhaps slightly better than the Sigma 10-20, but not significantly). Not sure about the rest of your gear, but if you have an 18-55 kit lens, I guess you might find the range of the Sigma suits you better, but the Tokina is worth a look.

 

[orchjoe]

I rented a Canon 10-22mm when I went to WDW the last time. With the XT/XTI you will be dealing with the crop factor so the lens is like a 16-35 lens.

You can view some of the other images here.

 

[handicap18]

Hello,
I have said camera and am thinking of investing in a wide angle lens. One that can capture the entire DCL Magic ship or the beauty of Hawaai when we go next year.

OK, I admit to being a point-&-shoot kind of gal. Can you take a 'regular' picture with a wide angle lens or do you need to switch back to another lens to get a pic of the family in front of the ship?

Any lens suggestions?
TK

Unless your really into photography, I think you'll be fine with the 18-55mm kit lens. You'd have to be real close to the ship to have any problems with the 18mm end. You should be able at some points in the cruise to get a spot in port to get the whole ship in with no problems.

If you use a really wide angle lens to get a shot of the ship AND get your family in it as well. You family might get lost in the picture. They will look VERY small in comparison.

Best bet is to get near the front of the ship while its in port and take a picture of the family there with the ship in the background. I took a few like this on my last cruise, but that was 8 years ago and I don't have them scanned right now.

If you want pictures of the ship while on board, then yes you would need something wider than the 18-50mm kit lens. But like someone else mentioned. You can take 2 pictures and stitch them together for a lot less money.

 

[tksbaskets]

I rented a Canon 10-22mm when I went to WDW the last time. With the XT/XTI you will be dealing with the crop factor so the lens is like a 16-35 lens.

You can view some of the other images here.

I like your other images! Where did you rent a lens from? Perhaps that is what I should do for our cruise.

Thanks!
TK

 

[orchjoe]

lensprotogo but there are plenty of other rental places that other dis members would recommend. I didn't have any trouble with this company though.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I have a D40 and a job coming up that needs to get the musician and as much of the audience in the same shot as possible...

you guys have any recommendation for me?

 

[dr_zero]

Outdoor or Indoor?

How big a audience?

Bar room size or like concert hall size?

Just trying to get an idea of how wide and how much light you are going to have.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Outdoor. nighttime. no flash, concert(rock) lighting, stadium size crowd

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The Nikkor 14-24mm. It's good enough that Canon shooters are getting adapters and using it on their gear. It's hands down the best wide zoom sold today.

 

[Gdad]

I have read good things about the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 - not available quite yet for Nikon but hopefully very soon. I am seriously considering this lens. And probably about 1/3rd the price of Mark's fine lens recomendation.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Wow Mark! Waaay outta my price range...

I am fresh outta school and still unemployed.

Renting one is an option right?

GDad, the event I speak of is in August -

too soon for the Tokina to be available for Nikon?

Any suggestions Dr?

 

[Furgus]

I love my Sigma 10-20. Not great for low light, but is a great lens. Seems like if you are going to be shooting with little or no light you need a pretty fast lens, which is going to cost you a lot of money.....

Could try here to rent something also.
http://www.rentglass.com/

Good luck.

 

[Gdad]

GDad, the event I speak of is in August -

too soon for the Tokina to be available for Nikon?

Hard to say- I am going to the mountains in about 6 weeks and hoping I can pick one up before then. Time will tell.

 

[webshark3]

wide enough?

http://www.pauck.de/marco/photo/stuff/peleng_fisheye/peleng_fisheye.html

If you use a Fisheye, you can always try to de-fish it with software.

 

[dr_zero]

I have read good things about the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 - not available quite yet for Nikon but hopefully very soon. I am seriously considering this lens. And probably about 1/3rd the price of Mark's fine lens recomendation.

This was going to be my suggestion also! LOL

Check out ebay there are some sellers sending them over from japan now since it was released there allready.

 

[DixieDolphin]

I shot freelance concert work for about seven years, although I wouldn't touch that scene with a ten foot pole now.

Have you shot concerts before? For concert work, you're going to want the WIDEST possible aperture. f/2.8 at least. Anything slower and you'll be looking at blurry images when you get in dark environments.

On my Nikon D70s body, I had great success using a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens for wide shots. Just make sure you're set up waaay back from the stage for that, preferably with the camera stabilized with a tripod or (at the very least) a monopod. I highly recommend the 50mm prime lens as a staple in any photographer's bag.

This SHOT is one of those from my 50mm lens, at my final time shooting at the Hard Rock Live in 2007.

I also used a Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG for a lot of wide angle stage shots, it did a pretty good job /and/ it was versitile enough to get both wide and some closer images.

THIS is an image I caught with that lens at the Hard Rock Live in 2005 or 2006.

For my close-cropped, individual band member shots I typically used a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG.

Like THIS shot, also taken at the Hard Rock Live in 2005.

Most of these lenses, you can get for $100-$200 or so.. less if you buy them used or on eBay... the Sigma lenses may not be 'name brand,' but they're not bad quality. They've put up with some tough, tough conditions and survived!

Good luck! And if you need any further info on concert photography, send me a PM and I'd be happy to share some of the techniques I've learned over the years. =)