Need a good, inexpensive wide angle lens or wide angle conversation lens!

[alexiac]

Hello everyone! I mostly use the forum to read about topics I'm interested in rather than posting. Please bear with me as my photography "lingo" is far from what I've seen on most of the other posts.

I am in need of a wide angle lens but do not have the funds right now for what I'd like to get so I've been searching for a very "low budget" way to go about this until a little down the road when I am able to purchase a more expensive wide angle lens. I've seen many on Amazon with rave reviews but want to make sure I am not going to end up with something that doesn't work with my camera/lenses.

My gear:
Camera: Canon 60D
Lenses: Canon EFS 18-135mm & Quantaray 18-200mm

Any suggestions on a good (and compatible) wide angle conversation lens? I am definitely open to purchasing a wide angle lens but unfortunately want to spend less the $125 right now. If you have any recommendations for one in that price range please let me know.

Thanks!!


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[Dao]

The 18mm focal length on both of your lenses is consider as wide angle. If you are looking for a even wider view, you need to get a ultra wide angle lens in which the focal length can go down to around 10mm (+ or - 1 or 2mm)

Unfortunately, those ultra wide angle lenses are usually cost more than $125. Do not get any of those screw-on type *wide angle* add-on lens, those are usually junk.

For new lens, I think the best bet is the new EF-S 10-18mm STM lens which is around $300 new. For used market, the one I current have Sigma 10-20mm is around mid 2 hundreds.

 

[Jasii]

I too would love to get hold of an UWA and also have a canon crop body, hence will be watching this thread very closely. Besides the Canon EF-S 10-18 mentioned above, have heard good things said about the Tokina 11-16. I'd defo scan scan for a bargain deal on either of the above. Yes! as said above stay away from the cheap screw on UWA attachments.
Jasii

 

[Designer]

Any suggestions on a good (and compatible) wide angle conversation lens?

Hello yourself, alexiac, and welcome!

The type of "conversion" lens you are looking for simply screws onto the front of another lens, so check the thread diameter (it will be specified in millimeters). Buy from a reputable company, such as Adorama, B&H, or Amazon.

Since you own two very similar lenses, I think you should keep the one you like better and sell or trade the other one.

Some places accept used gear (you can ask one of the big photo dealers is they're interested) or check with KEH, which handles a bit more of the used gear.

Who knows, you may be able to make some kind of trade and end up with a wide angle lens!

Good luck!

 

[alexiac]

Wow! I am so thankful for all of the quick responses! The reason I have 2 very similar lenses are because I had purchased a 20D and the Quantaray 18-200mm was the lens I got with that. Due to an unfortunate accident, my 20D was dropped (inside my house - on carpet) & the battery compartment popped open and a few springs that are in that area popped out. It appeared to be okay until it began shutting off during photo shoots. I was using a piece of strong tape to firmly hold the door to the battery compartment closed and it was working okay but I had a friend who was a photographer that offered to sell me her 60D (18-135mm lens included in the price). I kept my 20D (with the intent of having that door latch repaired) so I could use as a backup & basically did the same with the lens.

I started realizing I need a wide angle lens when I started turning down Weddings & shoots with groups of people due to not having the lens to get the proper results.

I'm a full time mom & work full time so I really didn't mind turning them down & didn't need the extra stress. I stopped booking shoots regularly and stuck to reading the forums, learning & perfecting my editing. I kept my website, business, etc. up to date. I did a couple of boudoir & engagement shoots recently and started getting a ton of unexpected business in turn (plus it made me remember how much I love photography)! So here I am. Jumping back into the waters again, only this time, want to be prepared.

I hadn't thought about selling/trading one of my lenses but it makes total sense!! I think I'll take everyone's advice & purchase a wide angle lens that is a little more expensive. It'll end up paying for itself in no time at all!!


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[JoeW]

First of all, 18mm should be more than sufficient for most weddings.

Second, I would argue that for weddings, the larger issue is not going to be how wide-angle it is (especially if it's ultra wide angle like 10mm) but how fast the lens is (i.e.: a bigger aperture like an f2.8 or even f2.0). That's b/c lighting at weddings is typically bad, especially if done at night.

Unfortunately for you, you can't get a good new lens that shoots at f.20 for $125. I would argue that a lens with a wider aperture matters far more for you than a wider angle. A 10mm lens is going to have significant distortion. The ideal use for ultra wide angle lens would be interiors or buildings or landscapes. But for boudoir, you typically will not want bright light (more of a softer light) and lots of bokeh. So a big aperture (shooting at f2.0 for instance, in order to have eyes and face tightly in focus but then blur body parts that we want to minimize or hide some flaws with). For weddings, especially indoors or with low light, having a wide aperture (plus jacking up your ISO) will be critical. For portraits, bokeh (so a wide aperture is usually good) plus a medium focal length (like 85mm) is ideal.

 

[ak_]

Alexiac, of the conversion lenses Raynox, Olympus are the better makes that have like 55mm or 58mm screw threads. But they can be quite huge on the front of the lens and are not as good as modern 10-20mm zoom for crop sensor.

 

[Mr.Photo]

Not to mention that photographing people with an ultra wide will make many people hate the photo's due to the distortion.