Sigma 10-20, Tamron 10-24 or Samyang 8mm?

[jamiebae]

I want a wide angle lens and can't decide what to go for. The Samyang is tempting because it's cheap, but being fixed at 8mm I think it's probably a bit of a one-trick-pony which I might get bored of. The other two have a more useful range but are over £100 more expensive.

I have a Pentax K20d, and there is a Pentax 10-17mm option but it's more money again and as this is a hobby and not something which makes me money I'd rather not go too much over £300.

Thoughts? Who has these lenses now and what do you think?

[Crafty_]

Sigma is better than the Tamron.
I think the 8mm will be a bit restrictive.

That said Sigma QC can be iffy, so check the lens carefully after purchase.

[Simpo Two]

The Tokina 11-16mm seems well liked, just to confuse the issue...

[jamiebae]

It's also not available in Pentax fit, to make the issue slightly less confusing...

[RobDickinson]

The 8mm is not rectaliniar, its a fisheye, nice but limited.

[binliner]

From that list I'd go for the Sigma, I've been using one for several years, originally bought with the intention of probably upgrading to the canon 10-22mm at some point but have never actually felt the need

[RobDickinson]

I dont think my sigma was ever the same after I dropped it. So I suggest you dont do that. Apart from that it was a decent UWA.


Storm Dawn by robjdickinson, on Flickr


A pier in the mist by robjdickinson, on Flickr


Sit back, enjoy the view by robjdickinson, on Flickr

[Simpo Two]

Ah, Pentaces - rare beasts these days. Been selling a few film versions recently and discovered the company was actually called Asahi, with Pentax just the name of a product. However it was so popular they eventually changed the copmpany name to it.

[tinman0]

Simpo Two said:

The Tokina 11-16mm seems well liked, just to confuse the issue...

+1.

Still bitter about my dead Sigma as well. different lens maybe, but the reliability of my Tok beats the crap out of my broken Sigma

[a340driver]

I liked the Sigma. Tried a friend's for a while but got a great deal on a Nikkor 12-24 F4. Not an option for you I realise! This was the Sigma in Mallorca:

[jamiebae]

Just to close this one off, I've gone for the Tokina, and a 60d to mount it on!

As my wife has just got an 1100d and I have a couple of mates who have lots of Canon gear I decided now was a good time to jump ship so there's lots of lovely Pentax bits on eBay and I'm starting from scratch again, I'll concentrate on the stuff in my bag I actually used and spend more on that, and not carry so many lenses about with me!

Any Pentax users, or if you want a nice DSLR for not a lot of cash have a look here....
Mod edit - no ads....

Thanks for the help, next up the search for an everyday lens without spending a fortune. I got sniped on a Canon 17-85 at £175 last night on eBay which I was annoyed about so need to keep searching. I like the look of the 40mm pancake too, my wife already has a 50mm f1.8 on order so I will 'borrow' that as well..

Edited by GlenMH on Tuesday 24th July 10:40

[Oxygen2k10]

I have the Sammyang and it's a great little lens. Really good fun to mess about with. However it's wide, really really wide, which is great for some situations and not so great for others. It doesn't suit landscape shots particularly well as everything appears so damn far away. I use mine mainly for urban/street photography but even then i still have to do a fair amount of cropping to get the subject to stand out.

If you've got the extra money I would go for one of the other two purely for the extra flexibility they give.

[dibbly dobbler]

jamiebae said:

Just to close this one off, I've gone for the Tokina, and a 60d to mount it on!

As my wife has just got an 1100d and I have a couple of mates who have lots of Canon gear I decided now was a good time to jump ship so there's lots of lovely Pentax bits on eBay and I'm starting from scratch again, I'll concentrate on the stuff in my bag I actually used and spend more on that, and not carry so many lenses about with me!

Any Pentax users, or if you want a nice DSLR for not a lot of cash have a look here....
Mod edit - no ads....

Thanks for the help, next up the search for an everyday lens without spending a fortune. I got sniped on a Canon 17-85 at £175 last night on eBay which I was annoyed about so need to keep searching. I like the look of the 40mm pancake too, my wife already has a 50mm f1.8 on order so I will 'borrow' that as well..

Edited by GlenMH on Tuesday 24th July 10:40

Be interested to hear how you get on with the Toki - in my ceaseless quest to find further things to buy it's in my sights as an upgrade/downgrade (delete as applicable) from my 10-22

PS - I fancy the shorty forty too

[jamiebae]

Other lens purchases now on hold as I might have accidentally just bought a 17-40 L series lens too...

Having lots of availability of shiny things second hand is dangerous for my bank balance! I wonder how long I'll cope with nothing above 40mm before I have to buy something else? Maybe a 55-250 would be a sensibly priced addition, the primes can wait for now.

[Crafty_]

thats some accident

55-250 is a great budget lens.

[jamiebae]

I thought I might as well spend a couple of hundred more and get a really good lens so I can stop blaming my equipment for the poor photos I take

[tenohfive]

Crafty_ said:

55-250 is a great budget lens.

That's next on my hit list having just bought the Tokina 11-16mm. I've not had much chance to use the Tokina for it's original purpose but for messing about around the house it's actually a real giggle.

[Crafty_]

For a UWA go find a big city to play in. I took my 10-22 to NYC:


Empire State Building by c20let, on Flickr


Times Square by c20let, on Flickr


Downtown Manhattan by c20let, on Flickr


I pinched the old mans 55-250 too, since I didn't want to lug my 100-400 around.


Empire State Building by c20let, on Flickr


Chrysler Building by c20let, on Flickr

[jamiebae]

Lovely shots there. I find myself taking a lot of shots of towns and cities at 18mm with my current set and wishing it went wider and that's what convinced me to make this jump. I'm off to Paris in a few weeks so will have some fun with it there, probably from the top of the Montparnasse tower, (the best view in Paris, because it's the only one without the Montparnasse tower in it) and a few other trips planned too. I just have to wait for it to arrive now, getting impatient already!