Sharpest wide angle lens for canon mount?

[dcmoody23]

I'm really wanting to buy a wide angle lens, but don't want to lose out on sharpness .. What would you say is the sharpest wide angle lens for a canon mount? I know it could be expensive, but I'm not spending over $2000 on a lens either (if there's a big, big difference though, let me know so I can start putting my pennies in the piggy bank ) Thanks for any input!

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

For crop sensor the Canon 10-22 EF lens. If shooting full frame, you probably would be good with like the 17-40L

 

[reznap]

If you want a sharp ultra-wide angle lens, I hear the tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 can't be beat. It's also a great low light lens..

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Not to argue, because I am a huge fan of Tokina lenses, and agree that the low light option is nice to have....but the Canon 10-22 beats all of the competitors in every sharpness test I have ever read on wide angles for canon crop sensors.

 

[pgriz]

I've got the Canon 10-22mm, and lent it to a friend who has at least 100 functional lenses, half a dozen bodies (Nikon, Canon, Konica), and his own optical lab, and when he borrowed my 10-22mm, he told me it beat just about anything he had in the ultra-wide category. It IS sharp. But the issue is not the lens, but how well you can focus it. For critical focus, I put the camera on a tripod and use "live-view" to focus manually. Then I know that the focus is on the right spot, and I have the correct amount of DOF to cover whatever it is that I'm shooting. This becomes really important when you are using the lens's ability to expand the space between the foreground and the background, and you want both to be in focus.

 

[dcmoody23]

Thanks a lot guys! The 10-22 is officially on my radar
And thanks for the link - I'll check it out in a bit.
Don't own anything Tokina, but I'll look into that as well -

Thanks!

 

[Big Mike]

You didn't say (and I'm surprised that nobody asked) if you are shooting with a crop body or a full frame body....because the 10-22mm isn't compatible with full frame cameras like the 5D etc. (although you can modify it to work, but it will vignette)

If you are using full frame (or APS-H or even 35mm film) then I'd think that the sharpest wide angle zoom lens would be the 16-35mm F2.8 L II.
I don't know much about the few wide angle primes.

I do own the Canon EF-S 10-22mm, and it is a fantastic lens. But like most/all wide angle lenses, the optical performance falls off dramatically as you get to the corners of the frame...especially at the wide end of the zoom.

 

[syphlix]

you don't have an awful lot of choice... esp if you going w canon lenses... theres only the 10-22mm (for crops)...

i have it... i like it... i can't say if it's better or worse than antyhign else though cuz it's the only one i have lol

 

[MohaimenK]

I use 16-35 2.8 and it's really sharp but I'm guessing this would have to be the sharpest

EF 14mm
f/2.8L II USM

Canon U.S.A. : Consumer & Home Office : EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM

 

[dcmoody23]

You didn't say (and I'm surprised that nobody asked) if you are shooting with a crop body or a full frame body....because the 10-22mm isn't compatible with full frame cameras like the 5D etc. (although you can modify it to work, but it will vignette)

If you are using full frame (or APS-H or even 35mm film) then I'd think that the sharpest wide angle zoom lens would be the 16-35mm F2.8 L II.
I don't know much about the few wide angle primes.

I do own the Canon EF-S 10-22mm, and it is a fantastic lens. But like most/all wide angle lenses, the optical performance falls off dramatically as you get to the corners of the frame...especially at the wide end of the zoom.

Using a Canon 7D (crop body) :'( I won't be making an upgrade any time real soon... Maybe in the spring if I feel ready for it (and have the cash )

 

[Naphtali14]

Tokina f/2.8 11-16mm. I love it.

 

[McNugget801]

One more for the Tokina 11-16!
Such a sick piece of glass, its a landscape MACHINE!

 

[bigtwinky]

I have a 7D and the 10-22 and love the combo for city shooting, landscapes and so on. The other option would be the 16-35, which is constant 2.8. Great for low light hand held events.

But really, if you want ultra wide, look at the 10-22. Sigma makes a great 10-20, but I prefer the Canon

 

[Derrel]

The Nikon 14-24 on a Canon 1DsIII - A landscapers report.

 

[McNugget801]

I have a 7D and the 10-22 and love the combo for city shooting, landscapes and so on. The other option would be the 16-35, which is constant 2.8. Great for low light hand held events.

But really, if you want ultra wide, look at the 10-22. Sigma makes a great 10-20, but I prefer the Canon

care to post an example?
I have a 7D and my 11-16 rarely leaves the body, i would love see some photos with the two lenses side by side.