Going for wide angle - suggestions welcome

[Overread20]

Ok so I've decided its time to add a new lens to my setup, and since I didn't win the lotto its going to be something more modest than the 300mm - so time for a wide angle lens.
I've done some reading around and I've boiled it down to the following options:

Tokina 11-16mm f2.8
Tokina
Bonus of this lens is both its constant aperture and the fact that it offers the widest aperture of all the macro lenses on offer - it does however have the smallest focal range coverage of the set

Sigma 8-16mm f4.5-5.6
Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd
Bonus of this is that it offers the widest possible focal range (without going fishy) of the set. It's downside is the variable aperture and its not the widest aperture either.
Note from what I've read this one is also a cut above (image quality wise) than the sigma 10-20mm and canon 10-20mm offerings as well (esp with less field curvature at 10mm).
Note 2 - this lens is also not compatible with regular filter systems though there are some tricks out there and LeeFilters are said to be working on a specific filter holder for this lens.

Sigma 10-20mm f3.5
Sigma Imaging (UK) Ltd
A solid choice for many (the variable aperture version) this version offers around the midpoint in aperture coverage.



So far I think I am warming a lot to the 8-16mm lens even with its no conventional filter factor (sue me I like the idea of working with square filters in a filter holder). However I'm open to being convinced of the merits of the others as well.

 

[JohnMF]

Don't have any experience of those lenses but I am selling a Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM if you want to buy that from me?

I was going to stick it on ebay but you can have first refusal if you like.

 

[myshkin]

I own the sigma 10-20 F4 and love it. I can't speak for the others but its a great value to price. If money is at all an issue I would really consider this lens.
I passed on the 8-16 for filter reasons and now I regret it. I wish I bought it

 

[Overread20]

Many thanks for the offer John, but I'll pass and say let it go to ebay. It will be a few weeks before I've the money together before I can afford any option and if I choose to go for a 10-20mm I'll probably pay the extra and go for the f3.5 version

 

[JohnMF]

No probs. Thought I'd ask seeing as you were looking for something in that range.

 

[ghache]

also check out the tokina 12-24 F4, i ordered mine today. I like the fact its also 24mm on the long end. reviews are A1

 

[psesinkclee]

I just got a Tokina 11-16mm two weeks ago and was in a very similar boat to you. I was mainly debating between the 11-16, sigma 10-20, and the tokina 12-24. I liked the idea of having a 2.8 constant aperture, but was worried that the 11-16 would be "too wide". I played with a friend's sigma 10-20 and was not happy with the variable aperture, so I ordered the Tokina 11-16 that night. I'm very happy with the lens, and find that its focal length is very workable and not too wide for regular use. I used it as a walk-around lens for a week or so around my uni and apartment and I love the pictures that I got from it (Tokina 11-16 F/2.8 Testing - a set on Flickr). Its amazing how close you get to objects and still see all its surroundings.

I was also really digging the range of the 8-16, but was not happy with the bulbous front element especially because I take my cameras everywhere and don't want to have to constantly worry about damaging them (I use Hoya Pro Protecting clear filters on all my lenses).

Hope this helps!

 

[Overread20]

It's sounding more and more that the only downside of the 8-16mm that many consider is the front element not allowing protection filters - more so than its variable aperture. To me this isn't much of a downside since I do not use protection filters all the time so I don't feel the pressing need to have one attached at all times.

Also to me the lack of all time manual focusing on the 11-16mm of the Tokina is a more major problem - I use backbutton AF control and generally like to control all AF from that point. Flicking AF on/off isn't hard, but its a pain to have to remember to do it, just after the split second event has passed by.

I'm feeling more and more that, even though it has the variable aperture and the smallest aperture range, the 8-16mm might be the best option