Show me the wide angle!

[PeaPod]

I have seen a few threads that have helped with my question but a lot of it was about renting, and I want to buy. I want to invest in a really good wide angle lens for my Canon 40D. I agree with a lot of the other posts that 2.8 is important especially since I shoot a lot of dark ballrooms at conventions. It also needs to be REALLY wide. I keep hearing about the Tokina http://www.adorama.com/TN1116EOS.html Is $569.00 a good price? Is there anything better or even wider? Is Canon glass that much better? I'm willing to spend more but it has to be a considerably better lens for more than $600.00. How much difference are we talking between 10mm and 11mm? (As you can see I am still pretty new to equipment talk and to the forum concept but so far it ROCKS!!!!)
Thanks!!!
PeaPod

 

[frXnz kafka]

You won't find much difference between 10 and 11mm. Some 12mm lenses are actually "wider" than 10mm lenses.

The Tokina 11-16mm is one of the best ultra-wides on the market now, and I think most people would suggest it over Canon's 10-22mm. $569 is the standard rate, so yes that's a good price.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

You won't find much difference between 10 and 11mm. Some 12mm lenses are actually "wider" than 10mm lenses.

huh? how?

 

[JerryPH]

I was going to ask that too.. 11 is 11, and 10 is 10. One cannot bend the laws of physics.

Also, the wider the lens, the more distortion you will get. This cannot be helped, and I hope you are aware of this. Ballroom environments are smaller areas and using an ultrawide will give you a ton of distortion.

 

[table1349]

I was going to ask that too.. 11 is 11, and 10 is 10. One cannot bend the laws of physics.

Also, the wider the lens, the more distortion you will get. This cannot be helped, and I hope you are aware of this. Ballroom environments are smaller areas and using an ultrawide will give you a ton of distortion.

Apparently you haven't kept up with the latest video games. They can break any laws they want........ Oh wait, were talking about photography in the real world. My Bad. :blushing:

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

 

[epp_b]

Maybe he means that the focal lengths are not accurate?

 

[Ejazzle]

The distortion on the 10-22 isnt that bad...

I chose the Sigma 10-20 over the Tokina just cause i have a little more room to work and the f/2.8 didnt matter that much to me.

For your situations id go with the tokina. And yes, thats a fair price. Check out ebay too.

 

[frXnz kafka]

huh? how?

I can't remember now where I saw it, but it was a comparison of several UWA lenses. I believe it was between a few 12mm lenses and a few 10mm lenses. One of the 12mm had the same field of view as one of the 10mm lenses.

Maybe he means that the focal lengths are not accurate?

I suspect this is the case, or that actual focal length measurements aren't terribly accurate. You'll often find lenses of the same focal length that have different fields of view.

 

[benhasajeep]

If you are purely buying by angle of coverage you need to go to the lens manufactureres web site and check the specs.

I know one example where a 12mm-24mm lens is wider than a 10-20! By over 15deg of coverage. This is due to the front element being more curved design (going by lens coverage angles listed).

So you may want to compare the angle of coverages listed. Not alot of fast real wide angles available, in zooms anyway.

 

[ccssk8ter11]

I have the sigma 10-20 and it works perfect for everything i use it for. Its pretty much as wide you would ever really need to go imo.