wide zoom lens - but which?

[Jonsv8]

I've been looking at getting a new wider lens for my d7000 so dx format but the reviews I've read all seem to end up with issues in the corners, low contrast, softness, vignetting etc which isn't filling me with confidence.

I've looked at the tokina 10-24 and neatly bought as £250 or so can get you one, and the seemingly better Nikon 10-24 but that comes at a price. There's a tokina where the older version with variable aperture seems better the newer version and then a sigma... Lots of choice but I can point to a negative review on all including the Nikon. Maybe its just the nature of these lens and they will all have these issues

So I started looking at fixed focal but haven't really landed on a purely positive review either (possible because I looked at an ultra side Nikon lens which was getting on to be a fisheye).

Any thoughts on a go to lens that's pretty wide. I'd prefer to stay below 350 but I'd prefer more to buy glass that's worth buying. I'll be taking landscape shots with things in the foreground rather than looking for heavily distorted pictures that the fisheye stemmed to give?

Ps I saw the post about the wide macro lens and was almost tempted but feels a bit expensive for an unknown brand to me and for features I might not use
TIA

[RobDickinson]

Honestly you will have to compromise esp for the budget.

UWA lenses are notoriously tricky to get sharp corners with. Its one reason I moved to FF , better choice of wide primes (and zooms).

By fixed focus you mean manual focus? or primes? Samyang do some nice wide primes, a 12/2.0 etc The 14mm is ok but has distortion that is worse on crop than ff.

What did you want to shoot wide? often shooting a pano with a longer lens and stitching gives much better results but does require more time.

[Jonsv8]

RobDickinson said:

Honestly you will have to compromise esp for the budget.

UWA lenses are notoriously tricky to get sharp corners with. Its one reason I moved to FF , better choice of wide primes (and zooms).

By fixed focus you mean manual focus? or primes? Samyang do some nice wide primes, a 12/2.0 etc The 14mm is ok but has distortion that is worse on crop than ff.

What did you want to shoot wide? often shooting a pano with a longer lens and stitching gives much better results but does require more time.

Thanks - I meant fixed focal/prime. But you've confirmed what I've been reading.

I like shots with massive depth of field like a couple of rocks close up (maybe a couple of meters away at most) with a view across a lake to mountains in the distance. I don't think I'll get the depth of field easily stitching pictures taken with a longer lens together. I'll look at the samyang as they were a brand I've skipped over as I'd not heard of them

[andy-xr]

Sigma 10-20 will always be one to come back to. Shoot at F8 and you'll not have many problems. Correct in DXO or similar and away you go, just remember to shoot wider than you need to be for the correction crop

[Simpo Two]

A wide macro lens?

Anyway, bear in mind that quality lenses don't lose much value. So transfer some of your loot from bank account to a lens that will do the job you want, and when you have finished with it, transfer 90% back. I say get the Nikon

[Jonsv8]

I get that logic but then you get a review like this...

http://improvephotography.com/1140/nikon-10-24mm-l...

Never seen the site before or know if they're respected but it makes me think buy the tamron 10-24 or sigma or a tokina in that bracket used off eBay for a lot less and flog that on.

[GravelBen]

I bought a cheap second hand Tokina 12-24mm f4 and have been enjoying it, wonder at times if I should have forked out a bit more for the 11-16 f2.8 though.

[Simpo Two]

Jonsv8 said:

I get that logic but then you get a review like this...

Sir simply needs to transfer a little more...

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-12-24mm-f...

[Jonsv8]

Simpo Two said:

Sir simply needs to transfer a little more...

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-nikon-12-24mm-f...

Looking more like it! And circa £400 on ebay
Thx

[Simpo Two]

Yep, second hand is perfectly valid.

[jodypress]

GravelBen said:

I bought a cheap second hand Tokina 12-24mm f4 and have been enjoying it, wonder at times if I should have forked out a bit more for the 11-16 f2.8 though.

I've got the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 and it's a lovely lens. I rarely use is below 14mm but it's a cracking lens. I bought it second hand for not mega money at all a few years ago and it's always in my bag with my Nikon 50mm f1.4.

[slyelessar]

I love my Sigma 10-20mm. I've gotten some fantastic shots with it.

The cheapy Tokina's are nice as well.

[anonymous-user]

jodypress said:

GravelBen said:

I bought a cheap second hand Tokina 12-24mm f4 and have been enjoying it, wonder at times if I should have forked out a bit more for the 11-16 f2.8 though.

I've got the Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 and it's a lovely lens. I rarely use is below 14mm but it's a cracking lens. I bought it second hand for not mega money at all a few years ago and it's always in my bag with my Nikon 50mm f1.4.

+1

I think the 11-16mm Tokina is very, very hard to beat. The construction quality and images it produces are both superb.

I've had mine a few years and paid about £450 for it new, but I think you can get them for about £350 brand new now?

Read the reviews. There isn't anything better for the money.

[NTEL]

slyelessar said:

I love my Sigma 10-20mm. I've gotten some fantastic shots with it.

The cheapy Tokina's are nice as well.

I have this one too It's a great lens IMHO and I always have it with me.

[JonV8V]

Picked up a 12-24 f4 nikon for £350. Just about half price and its less than a year old. Haven't go my hands on it physically but lots of email with the guy selling it.