New UWA Lens required

[stu1984]

Hi all. I realsie this has probably been discussed many a time over the last couple of years on this forum so apologies in that regard. I am looking for an UWA lens for my 60D that I hope to use for landscape and architecture photography. I have a budget of between £350-400 and am currently looking at the either the Sigma 10-20 or the Tamron 10-24. The other options I have spotted is the Tokina 12-24 which on WEX is £439 or the other alternative is a used Tokina 11-16 or Canon 10-22.

Is there a noticeable difference between a focal length of 10mm and a focal length of 12mm? I have heard good reviews about the Tokina lenses but wanted to hear peoples views?

Thanks

[PJ S]

Have fun clicking and reading!

[RobDickinson]

the sigma is the best value. 10mm to 12mm is 1/5th wider, quite a lot.

[stu1984]

Thanks for the input so far guys. I have done a fair bit of review reading and am finding myself going round in circles. Think I just need to just take the plunge

[paul911]

I’ve used the Sigma 10-20mm and have been very pleased with what it’s produced. In this months Digital SLR Photography mag, they have a UWA lens test and the Canon 10-22 came out top, followed closely by the Sigma 10-20mm.

[markmullen]

Don't forget you can get distortion with UWA, not so much of an issue in landscapes but it is in architecture.

I shoot commercial architecture and interiors and compose really loosely and then correct the verticals in Capture One, you do need some free space around the frame to do this though.

[Seight_Returns]

I considered all those lenses and bought the Canon 10-22 which I'm extremely happy with.

The summary of my research was:

Tokina - excellent IQ and build, constand f2.8 nice but probably less useful on a UWA when you're likely to be stopped down to maximise DOF anyway, only 11mm vs 10mm on the others.

Tamron - Terrible reviews

Sigma - very good reviews, IQ apparently almost as good as Canon so in reality mere mortals probably can't tell the difference. only 20mm vs 22mm long end. I'm unfairly biased against Sigma having had a bad experience with poor copy of a 17-70.

Canon - excellent reviews for IQ, so-so build quality, widest available (unless you consider the sigma 8-16) 22mm equates to 35mm full frame equivalent, so you can just about get away with using it as a walkaround as well as a specialist UWA when you only want to carry one lens. Same filter size as my 17-55.

[Blukoo]

I got my Canon 10-22mm for £240 2nd hand. It's in absolutely flawless condition and it's a great lens.

[stu1984]

Thanks for the input guys - all very much appreciated. It's looking like either the Sigma or a used Canon.

[stu1984]

paul911 said:

I’ve used the Sigma 10-20mm and have been very pleased with what it’s produced. In this months Digital SLR Photography mag, they have a UWA lens test and the Canon 10-22 came out top, followed closely by the Sigma 10-20mm.

Thanks. Will pop into WH Smiths after work

[stu1984]

markmullen said:

Don't forget you can get distortion with UWA, not so much of an issue in landscapes but it is in architecture.

I shoot commercial architecture and interiors and compose really loosely and then correct the verticals in Capture One, you do need some free space around the frame to do this though.

A good point. Is this something I would be able to do in lightroom 4 do you know?

[stu1984]

Seight_Returns said:

I considered all those lenses and bought the Canon 10-22 which I'm extremely happy with.

The summary of my research was:

Tokina - excellent IQ and build, constand f2.8 nice but probably less useful on a UWA when you're likely to be stopped down to maximise DOF anyway, only 11mm vs 10mm on the others.

Tamron - Terrible reviews

Sigma - very good reviews, IQ apparently almost as good as Canon so in reality mere mortals probably can't tell the difference. only 20mm vs 22mm long end. I'm unfairly biased against Sigma having had a bad experience with poor copy of a 17-70.

Canon - excellent reviews for IQ, so-so build quality, widest available (unless you consider the sigma 8-16) 22mm equates to 35mm full frame equivalent, so you can just about get away with using it as a walkaround as well as a specialist UWA when you only want to carry one lens. Same filter size as my 17-55.

A useful summary - Thanks

[RobDickinson]

stu1984 said:

A good point. Is this something I would be able to do in lightroom 4 do you know?

The actual lens distortion on these is quite low for the type. And that is easily fixed.

The perspective distortion if pointed up or down is trickier and requires stronger perspective correction, this isn't a problem with the lens as such though.

[paul911]

stu1984 said:

paul911 said:

I’ve used the Sigma 10-20mm and have been very pleased with what it’s produced. In this months Digital SLR Photography mag, they have a UWA lens test and the Canon 10-22 came out top, followed closely by the Sigma 10-20mm.

Thanks. Will pop into WH Smiths after work

Also check out my double page spread on page 26/27 too

[stu1984]

If looking at the used market the following look particularly tempting - any thoughts as to what represents the best deal?

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-used-tokina-12-...
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-used-canon-ef-s...
http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

[Crafty_]

Just to add to the summary Seight_Returns posted:

Tokina - Its also only 16mm at the long end, for me that left a bit of a gap to my next lens at 24mm. Potentially the best IQ though ?

Sigma - Reading around the biggest thing that I saw was QC seems to vary - some people got a decently sharp lens and were very happy, others had suffered from soft lenses and never really managed to sort it out. One guy I saw posted about a lens he bought, it was soft down the left so he sent it back for replacement, this one was soft down the right hand side..
Also, from what I read the variable aperture model was preferred to the constant aperture one.

I ended up with the Canon and haven't had a problem, other than stopping my feet getting in pictures

[stu1984]

paul911 said:

stu1984 said:

paul911 said:

I’ve used the Sigma 10-20mm and have been very pleased with what it’s produced. In this months Digital SLR Photography mag, they have a UWA lens test and the Canon 10-22 came out top, followed closely by the Sigma 10-20mm.

Thanks. Will pop into WH Smiths after work

Also check out my double page spread on page 26/27 too

Ha! I was just looking at that image and noticed it was taken with a Sigma 10-20 lens. Great shot

[paul911]

stu1984 said:

Ha! I was just looking at that image and noticed it was taken with a Sigma 10-20 lens. Great shot

Sent you a PM mate