Wide-angle for a Canon

sdumaresq · Aug 9, 2010

Hey,

This is my first post, and im actually not a photographer myself, my girlfriend She wants to start using a wide angle lens. She has a Canon EOS...

What are some good entry level wide-angle lenses I should look at?

I know this is vague but any help would be appreciated.

fokker · Aug 9, 2010

Yeah, it's pretty vague. It is relevant exactly which canon eos she has. If it's digital and not one of the expensive ones it will have a crop sensor, which makes the lens effectively 'less wide'. If that is the case look at something like the canon ef-s 10-22mm or sigma 10-20mm lenses.

sdumaresq · Aug 9, 2010

Thanks,
The camera is a 400d.
is this one with a crop-sensor?
does it change anything?

Overread · Aug 9, 2010

It changes the field of view that lens gives you in comparison to if you use the same lens focal length on a fullframe camera body. This is important for wide angle is it somewhat changes what lenses are best suited to give you teh wide angle effect.

First question though is budget - consider how much this to cost
Second question is if you want to go for a zoom or a prime landscape lens- the former is good as a generalist option and good if she does not have any set demands/criteria whilst the latter is better if she already has wideangle experience and wants a set focal length to work with.

Some of the market options in the zoom catagory:
Canon 10-20mm
Sigma 10-20mm - there are two versions of this, the older f4-5.6
Sigma 8-16mm f4.6-5.6
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6
Tokina something (I forget its name but I'm sure someone will chime in with it as its fairly popular).

Robin Usagani · Aug 9, 2010

The "kit" lens that usually come with the camera 18-55mm is pretty wide already if you zoom all the way out. Sometimes when you shoot someone vertical and very tight frame you can see their body is not proportional. Thats why the call it a wide angle lens. The ones everyone is listing are SUPER wide angle. If you shoot people with it, it will not be realistic unless thats what you are aiming to do.

bazooka · Aug 9, 2010

I've got the 10-22.... I bought it new. It's got noticeable CA and softness in the corners, at least at the apertures and focal length I was shooting at. It's built solid though. I don't feel like it was worth the money, but it's as wide as you can get on a crop without a fisheye. I would recommend the Tamron 17-50 2.8... it's not nearly as wide but it has great optics. But if she has the kit lens, she already has this focal range.

bentcountershaft · Aug 9, 2010

The tokina that was mentioned by Overread is the 11-16 and can be hard to find at times.

Rendil · Nov 8, 2010

Gonna bump an old thread cause i'm in the same situation that sdumaresq was in. My g/f has a Canon T1i with a 18-55mm and a 55-250mm lens but she wants a wide angle lens, but what I read from this is that the 18-55mm already has a pretty wide angle.

My question is, would she really be and to tell the difference with a 10-22mm wide angle and is it worth the money? If it's not worth the money probably look at macro instead because those are the two that she wants. Thanks in advance for any help.

Overread · Nov 8, 2010

the mm in focal length at the shorter end of the scale make a lot more difference to the field of view you get than at the long end. In short you can clearly see a big difference between 10mm, 15mm and 20mm.

On the subject of gifts - best thing when getting something expensive that is also quite personal in use (eg a lens) is to do it in a manner that ensures the person you are giving it to gets the best possible thing they want. This means either asking out right - or gifting them the ability to make the choice (make the choosing part of the experience) - eg take them out to the camera shop - or cook a nice meal and after invite them to choose on the website

. Or you can gift vouchers for a store (this is better than money as it means the money won't get lost in general living expenses.

kundalini · Nov 9, 2010

I agree with Overread that lens purchases are a personal decision. IMO, it's best to offer up a gift card equal to the amount you are willing to spend particularly if you are not aware of a specific purchase. As a photog, she (isi he s a she?), anyway the recepient will / should know the result of your purchase. Lens purchase is a personwl decision.

Rendil · Nov 9, 2010

Yeah I agree that lens are a personal decision but she specifically told me that "I want a macro lens or a wide angle lens." I don't think she cares how good as long as she gets a decent one. She's one of those people that has a hard time spending that kind of money on herself, and I hate giving figt cards as gifts, it's so unpersonal to me.

Overread said:
the mm in focal length at the shorter end of the scale make a lot more difference to the field of view you get than at the long end. In short you can clearly see a big difference between 10mm, 15mm and 20mm.

On the subject of gifts - best thing when getting something expensive that is also quite personal in use (eg a lens) is to do it in a manner that ensures the person you are giving it to gets the best possible thing they want. This means either asking out right - or gifting them the ability to make the choice (make the choosing part of the experience) - eg take them out to the camera shop - or cook a nice meal and after invite them to choose on the website . Or you can gift vouchers for a store (this is better than money as it means the money won't get lost in general living expenses.

kundalini said:
I agree with Overread that lens purchases are a personal decision. IMO, it's best to offer up a gift card equal to the amount you are willing to spend particularly if you are not aware of a specific purchase. As a photog, she (isi he s a she?), anyway the recepient will / should know the result of your purchase. Lens purchase is a personwl decision.

Village Idiot · Nov 9, 2010

Schwettylens said:
The "kit" lens that usually come with the camera 18-55mm is pretty wide already if you zoom all the way out. Sometimes when you shoot someone vertical and very tight frame you can see their body is not proportional. Thats why the call it a wide angle lens. The ones everyone is listing are SUPER wide angle. If you shoot people with it, it will not be realistic unless thats what you are aiming to do.

18mm is not wide on an APS-C sensor.

BlueMountain · Nov 9, 2010

I have the Canon 10-22 for my 40D but the Tokina 11-16 produces some excellent shots as well. I have heard mostly good things about both lenses. It is a toss-up. I heard the 10-22 was better with flare and I live in sunny Colorado so went with it.