UWA lens choice for Canon

[Seight_Returns]

I’m looking to buy an ultra wide angle lens – and as usual when I buy myself a lens, what should be an enjoyable process turns into an agonising one. Would appreciate your thoughts on what you’d buy if you were in my place.

My photography is mainly family, travel and holidays. My current 2 walkaround lenses are the EF-S 15-85 and EF 70-300L. I’m very happy with both of these, but often find myself wanting a bit wider for street/city scenes and beach/seaside landscapes.

I have a 7D and a 400D. I’ve no aspirations towards a full frame camera so lenses that are restricted to 1.6x cameras are fine.

I'm concious that my 15-85 is already pretty wide and to a point I resent paying for a range that I've already got most of which convered, so I've ruled out the Tokina and other lenses that start at 11mm or longer.

I’m down to a choice of 3. Canon EF-S 10-22, Sigma 10-20 f5-5.6 and Sigma 8-16. The pros and cons of each as I see it are:

Canon 10-22:
+ Excellent range, I could use it as a general zoom as well as UWA at a pinch when I only wanted to carry one lens.
+ I’d prefer to keep all Canon lenses.
+ The distortion correction software I use (DPP) will work with this lens.
- Expensive, particularly for a lens I won’t use all the time.
- I think I might resent all that money for a range that I already have 7/12ths of covered.
- Is 10mm wide enough when I could get 8mm ?


Sigma 10-20:
+ Least Expensive
- The least good IQ. Whilst my current 2 everyday lenses aren’t the ultimate, they’re pretty good and I don’t want to be cheap out on a lens that will be noticeably inferior
- I promised myself I’d only buy Canon lenses going forward after a so-so experience with a Sig 17-70.
- Don’t think the DPP distortion correction works with non-Canon lenses.

Sigma 8-16:
+ 8mm
+ Virtually no overlap with my current lenses, so I’ll resent the cost a bit less
- Expensive
- 8mm is pretty extreme, will I actually use it ?
- 8-16 isn’t a viable walkaround range, I’d need to take another lens out with me unless I was exclusively looking to shoot landscapes, which I generally don’t..
- Don’t think the DPP distortion correction works with non-Canon lenses.
- Worries about the vulnerability of the bulbous front element.

Would be grateful for your experiences/opinions.

[JJM]

Having been in a similar position last year I would recommend going for the Canon 10-22mm.

Initially I purchased the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 however I found the image quality across the range to be very disappointing, luckily Amazon have a great returns policy and I was able to get a full refund without any trouble.

Then a few months later I purchased the 10-22mm and it is well worth the additional investment.

Here is an example taken on my 450d at 10mm from a few weeks ago...


Hatfield Forest Sunset May 2011 by JJM_75, on Flickr

[Byker28i]

The canon 10-22 is small and light so really doesn't take up any space in the camera bag, yet has approx 170 degrees arc at 10mm. A great lens. I don't think the overlap would be too bad because if you are framing wide then you can use that range well. The 15-85 would be used as a walkabout lens so different.

[theRossatron]

JJM said:

Having been in a similar position last year I would recommend going for the Canon 10-22mm.

Initially I purchased the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 however I found the image quality across the range to be very disappointing, luckily Amazon have a great returns policy and I was able to get a full refund without any trouble.

Then a few months later I purchased the 10-22mm and it is well worth the additional investment.

Here is an example taken on my 450d at 10mm from a few weeks ago...


Hatfield Forest Sunset May 2011 by JJM_75, on Flickr

That's a stunning shot, is it only one exposure?

The 10-22mm would get my vote, I much prefered using it on my 400D than I do using my 17-40L on my 5D MK2.

Its' very sharp, focuses fast, light, fairly compact and 10mm was wide enough for me. At 22mm it's quite limited as awalkaround lens though. They also hold their value very well so I wouldn't worry too much about the money you spend on it.

[JJM]

theRossatron said:

That's a stunning shot, is it only one exposure?

The 10-22mm would get my vote, I much prefered using it on my 400D than I do using my 17-40L on my 5D MK2.

Its' very sharp, focuses fast, light, fairly compact and 10mm was wide enough for me. At 22mm it's quite limited as awalkaround lens though. They also hold their value very well so I wouldn't worry too much about the money you spend on it.

Thank you yes only one, although I was using my Cokin P-Series ND Grad to balance the exposure.

NB I had to modify one of my filter holders with a hacksaw to remove the two outer groves to stop it vignetting at 10mm.

[BigAlinEmbra]

Personally I don't really have a problem with the image quality of the Sigma, but maybe I'm just not refined enough?















I love mine, and it's not just a landscape lens imo. (Although that is what it does best)

Any C&C welcome on the shots btw.

[RobDickinson]

I'm looking at selling my sigma 10-20 f4.5-5.6 . Just not sharp enough off centre, though I think my copy isnt now one of the best examples.

Remember its more like 10.9mm rather than 10.0 mm too so an 11mm lens isnt going to be much less wide.

Considering the 11-16 and 10-22.

The 8-16 is the best optically, without a doubt. In terms of resolution its better than canons best zoom (70-200mkII).

The big downside is you cant easily use filters with it which is a total must for this kind of lens IMO.

I'll probably pick up the 11-16f2.8 but possibly go with the canon.

[mathewb]

I realise you ruled it out initially, but the Tokina 11-16 is still worth consideration IMO. In particular, it is f2.8 which is a big plus point for me over the alternatives.

I must admit I hadn't tried out the Canon 10-22 before purchasing but I'd tried both Sigmas you mentioned and found image quality to be disappointing. Also the AF was not great. Image quality with the Tokina 11-16 is excellent, it's the fastest of the bunch, and the AF works fine. If someone has used both this and the Canon 10-20 a direct comparison would be interesting.

[nonuts]

As per the other poster, maybe I've been lucky with my 10-20mm or I'm not looking closely enough, excuse the facebook photo, but this is printed out around A3 size on my desk at work and is sharp everywhere from what I can see, it is the Nikon fit one, but I can't see that would make a difference:

[dibbly dobbler]

I was hoping a thread like this would come up

I have a Canon 15-85 and a Sigma 10-20 but I don't seem to be doing much 'walkabout' photography so the 15-85 (my most expensive lens) is lying idle which is vexing me. Cunning plan number 1 is to chop in both of them for a Canon 10-22 and maybe put the remainder towards a new body So I'll be interested to hear what the concensus is on the preferred option.

I would think the OP will end up going for the 10-22 - I found the (on paper small) gap of 5mm betwen my 15-85 and my 10-20 was actually quite significant when out and about but I don't think I've ever felt the need to go wider than 10mm.

[BigAlinEmbra]

dibbly dobbler said:

I was hoping a thread like this would come up

I have a Canon 15-85 and a Sigma 10-20 but I don't seem to be doing much 'walkabout' photography so the 15-85 (my most expensive lens) is lying idle which is vexing me. Cunning plan number 1 is to chop in both of them for a Canon 10-22 and maybe put the remainder towards a new body So I'll be interested to hear what the concensus is on the preferred option.

I would think the OP will end up going for the 10-22 - I found the (on paper small) gap of 5mm betwen my 15-85 and my 10-20 was actually quite significant when out and about but I don't think I've ever felt the need to go wider than 10mm.

I hardly ever switch from the 10-20, but similarly don't do that much walkabout stuff either. If the 10-20 comes off it's a 50 going on.

I've got the kit lens and a cheapass Sigma 70-300 and I'm tempted to get rid of the pair of them for an 18-200.

[Seight_Returns]

Many thanks to everyone

dibbly dobbler said:

I would think the OP will end up going for the 10-22

Yes, I think you're right - that's probably what I'll end up getting.

I'd really like to get the Sig 10-20, it's temptingly good value and there's certainly nothing wrong with the excellent sample images posted here - but for everyone who likes theirs, I seem to be able to find someone with the opposite view - and this mirrors the reviews on Amazon and Fred Miranda - I don't think this can be down to individual perception and suspect as many say that there is significant varaiance in quality between copies and knowing my luck I'll get a bad one. Also didn't know that the claimed 10mm FL is actually nearer to 11mm - that might be the deciding factor.

Very tempted by both the range and the very positive reviews for the 8-16, but I think it's a very specialist lens for my modest abilities and requireemnts - and the convex front element/no filters thing bothers me.

The Canon isn't cheap, but as someone rightly says above, good glass is always resellable for most of its purchase price. The 10-22 range wold also give me the option of swaping my 15-85 for a 24-105L without a gap in coverage - which I've always secretly wanted to do.

I'll look again at the Tokina. I like nighttime street scenes, so the brighter apperture is tempting.

Thanks again.

[Comacchio]

I currently have a loan of my uncle's Canon 10-22mm ('Keep it untill you get your own' - great man he is) and the IQ is outstanding.

10mm

Vorlich-5 by Allan.Jones, on Flickr

14mm

Vorlich-9 by Allan.Jones, on Flickr

17mm

Vorlich-7 by Allan.Jones, on Flickr

22mm

Washed Up by Allan.Jones, on Flickr

Definately a great lens.

[JJM]

It may be worth looking on ebay, I was very lucky and picked up a mint one last year for £425.

This one looks pretty good...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-S-10-22-mm-F-3-5-4-...

[dibbly dobbler]

JJM said:

It may be worth looking on ebay, I was very lucky and picked up a mint one last year for £425.

This one looks pretty good...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EF-S-10-22-mm-F-3-5-4-...

Dammit that is tempting

[dibbly dobbler]

Comacchio said:

I currently have a loan of my uncle's Canon 10-22mm ('Keep it untill you get your own' - great man he is) and the IQ is outstanding.

I think you should do the decent thing and give him his 10-22 back - what if you broke it ?!

(then of course you'd need a nice cheap 10-20 to keep you going and I might know where you could find one .... )

[Comacchio]

Haha nice try Mike...

[dibbly dobbler]

Well that's part 1 of my masterplan put into action - the 15-85 is on eBay

Sigma 10-20 will go next then it's 10-22 time




(of course were I to receive a decent offer for either it would save on fees... )

[Comacchio]

Selling both and buying the 10-22 with the lens tokens?

[dibbly dobbler]

That's the plan

Should have a bit left over but not enough for a body upgrade (which is about all I can think of buying) so will turn a small profit for once