Wide Angle Lens

[linpelk]

I need help deciding which wide angle lens to get. I love the idea of the Canon 10-22mm, but it's an EF-S lens and I want to eventually upgrade to a full frame sensor so it won't work for the long haul. I already have the 24-70m f/2.8L so anything from 20mm up seems too close to what I already have. I would love to get the 14mm f/2.8L, but don't have the $2000 to drop. Looking to spend up to about $1000. Maybe the 17-40mm f/4L (but I just don't know about being limited to f/4). Thoughts????

 

[Big Mike]

The trouble with owning a crop body camera while wanting to upgrade to full frame, is that there really isn't an option for an ultra wide lens that will be full compatible with a full frame body. Good quality lenses hold their value pretty well, so you could just buy one (the Canon or the Sigma maybe) then sell it when you upgrade or keep it with your current camera.

Actually, that might not be true. There is the Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG, which is plenty wide and still usable on full frame bodies.

 

[linpelk]

The trouble with owning a crop body camera while wanting to upgrade to full frame, is that there really isn't an option for an ultra wide lens that will be full compatible with a full frame body. Good quality lenses hold their value pretty well, so you could just buy one (the Canon or the Sigma maybe) then sell it when you upgrade or keep it with your current camera.

Actually, that might not be true. There is the Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG, which is plenty wide and still usable on full frame bodies.

Why wouldn't there be a wide angle lens that would be compatible with my 30D and *dreaming* my future 5D or 1D? As long as it wasn't an EF-S lens it should work right?

 

[chammer]

i was going to make a couple suggestions, but after some digging on them it looks like they were designed for cropped bodies only.

have you thought about the 16-35mm 2.8L? its still quite expensive...but not quite $2k.

 

[Dao]

If third party lens is fine, you can consider this

Tamron 14mm F/2.8

Photo taken with this lens (3 handheld bracketed shots)

 

[linpelk]

i was going to make a couple suggestions, but after some digging on them it looks like they were designed for cropped bodies only.

have you thought about the 16-35mm 2.8L? its still quite expensive...but not quite $2k.

Yep, there's that $1500 price tag...ouch!! That one sounds ideal though with the f/2.8 and that L-series glass. The more I save and spend on these darn lenses, the further I am away from that full frame sensor....sigh. Thanks for your input.

 

[linpelk]

Dao, Thanks. I haven't even looked at third party lenses. I just looked this one up on B&H and am actually surprised at the price tag. MUCH less than the Canon f/2.8L, but really not all that cheap at $800. Definitely something to consider. Thanks

 

[chammer]

im with ya on that one. ultimately i want a full frame body and other than my tamron 17-50 2.8...any lens i look at now has got to be ef/full frame compatible. only thing worse than spending hundreds on a lens...is spending hundreds on that lens...twice!

 

[Dao]

Dao, Thanks. I haven't even looked at third party lenses. I just looked this one up on B&H and am actually surprised at the price tag. MUCH less than the Canon f/2.8L, but really not all that cheap at $800. Definitely something to consider. Thanks

If you can locate a used one, they are usually $600 or less. Mine was less than $400 used bought it over a year ago on ebay.

- AF is not very fast. Kind of like the 50mm prime lens. But for what it usually used for, more than enough.
- Since the way the big front glass looks, I do not able to find a filter for it. CPL and ND filter will be nice.
- The build is pretty good. It feel better than my EF 85mm F/1.8. (heavier than my 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS USM)
- Since no long hood (esp for uw angle lens) and filter, I need to be careful not to scratch the from element. But the glass seems pretty strong, not easy to scratch. But still ....
- 14mm is not as wide as those 10-20mm lens on a crop body, but still pretty wide. Of course when it paired with a ff body, it is wide. (search flickr with "Tamron 14mm" will see some examples of 5D paired with this lens. My photo was taken with a XTi)

Hope this help.

 

[Big Mike]

Why wouldn't there be a wide angle lens that would be compatible with my 30D and *dreaming* my future 5D or 1D? As long as it wasn't an EF-S lens it should work right?

EF-S lenses are NOT compatible with full frame bodies. That's the problem. This also includes all the third part lenses make for 'digital bodies only'.
What's wide on a full frame camera isn't wide on a crop body...and what's wide on a crop body, is probably only made for use on crop bodies.

have you thought about the 16-35mm 2.8L? its still quite expensive...but not quite $2k.

Great lens, but not 'ultra wide' on a crop body. It's barely wider than the 18-55mm kit lens. Same deal for the 17-40mm F4L.

 

[linpelk]

Why wouldn't there be a wide angle lens that would be compatible with my 30D and *dreaming* my future 5D or 1D? As long as it wasn't an EF-S lens it should work right?

EF-S lenses are NOT compatible with full frame bodies. That's the problem. This also includes all the third part lenses make for 'digital bodies only'.
What's wide on a full frame camera isn't wide on a crop body...and what's wide on a crop body, is probably only made for use on crop bodies.

have you thought about the 16-35mm 2.8L? its still quite expensive...but not quite $2k.

Great lens, but not 'ultra wide' on a crop body. It's barely wider than the 18-55mm kit lens. Same deal for the 17-40mm F4L.

Thanks Mike. I get what you were saying now. If I buy a lens that is WIDE enough for the cropped body (ex: the 10-22mm) then it is going to be an EF-S lens. If I buy another wide lens that will fit the full frame then most likely won't be WIDE enough that it will be dramatically different than what I own for my crop body already. Thanks again for clearing that up.

And Dao, thanks for the info on the Tamron.