Nikon (DX) shooters, what wide do you use

[dxbtiger]

Thinking of adding a wide angle to the kit.

The Nikon 10-24 3.5-5.6 seems well received (in Ken Rockwell's dream team fwiw) but having looked at the prices it's out of budget at the minute (with 2 holidays and a house move to fund).

All the usual suspects have an offering, Sigma's 10-20 for example, just wondered what everyone here uses?

Cheers

[andy-xr]

10-20 is awesome

[Simpo Two]

Sigma 10-20. No doubt Nikon's offering would be better but as I only use UWA for about 0.5% of the time it wasn't justified. The 17-55mm f2.8 goes wide enough for almost everything I need except some interiors.

[dxbtiger]

Which Sigma do you have, just had a peek on Amazon and there are two options

- Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Nikon fit lens by Sigma
- Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras with APS-C Sensors

[Simpo Two]

dxbtiger said:

Which Sigma do you have, just had a peek on Amazon and there are two options

- Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Nikon fit lens by Sigma
- Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras with APS-C Sensors

Just the ordinary one; I don't think the faster one was out when I got it. It is slow but the focal length mitigates the longer shutter speeds that can result.

[andy-xr]

I sold mine when I went full frame, but mine was the slower one. There wasnt really much requirement for it to be quick for what I shot with it

[dxbtiger]

Great help so far, cheers all

[GetCarter]

I also use the slower Sigma on a DX Nikon. It's fine (but can't be used on a FF sensor)

[Gad-Westy]

I understand that the 3.5 Sigma isn't as sharp as the older, slower model so seems little point in paying more for it.

I fancy a UWA as well and for me it's probably between the Sigma 10-20 and the Tokina 12-24 II.

[ian in lancs]

I had the Sigma 10-20 but after the initial flurry of excitement it didn't get much use so I sold it. If I want a wider static shot than 18 (on DX) or 24 (on FX) I go the panorama route and get PS to stitch them together for me. Cheaper, lighter to carry and works for me.

ETA;m unfinished but you get the idea.



Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong. Shot on a D300s with a 24mm f/2.8 (done with overlapping portrait orientation shots).

Edited by ian in lancs on Monday 9th May 12:32

[central]

http://www.digitalslrguru.com/tokina-11-16mm-f28-r...

[Lucas CAV]

ian in lancs said:

I had the Sigma 10-20 but after the initial flurry of excitement it didn't get much use so I sold it. If I want a wider static shot than 18 (on DX) or 24 (on FX) I go the panorama route and get PS to stitch them together for me. Cheaper, lighter to carry and works for me.

ETA;m unfinished but you get the idea.



Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong. Shot on a D300s with a 24mm f/2.8 (done with overlapping portrait orientation shots).

Edited by ian in lancs on Monday 9th May 12:32

And a very nice lens it was too -

Although I reluctantly came to the same conclusion as you.

[nonuts]

I've got this one:

- Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Nikon fit lens by Sigma

And love it, didn't seem the need to get the F3.5 from the reviews as it didn't seem worth the extra money from reading all the reviews.

[dxbtiger]

Seems pretty overwhelmingly weighted towards the Sigma, with Central's Tokina suggestion as the exception.

Tokina seems to be placed in between the Nikon and Sigma pricewise, but is faster than the Sigma.

[K12beano]

I do love the 10.5mm Nikkor when I take it out to play. However I notice it's gone up in price since I got mine and they don't look very convincing for the money at RRP. If you can get one secondhand it's a blast.

Otherwise, I don't go too wide normally - 17-35mm at the short end maybe, but will often take a set for stitching later into a panorama in PS. I find that the software is so good nowadays that a hand-held set (often from a 45mm or 50mm lens in portrait orientation) will produce a good "wide-angle" and quite convincing (when you remember to manually set the exposure!).

[central]

Here's Dom Bower's review of the Tokina -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxiFxui0W-M

[YorkshirePudding]

I have a Tokina 11-16 and really like it, feels solid and well built.

[K12beano]

central said:

Some Time-Wasting You Tube Stuff

Eh?? can I have the last six minutes of my life back please!??? What a waste of space/time.

Tokina have always made good solid lenses, fair enough....

....then again this guy doesn't seem to know his shutter from his aperture! Not a good review!

[BigAlinEmbra]

I've got the 4.5 Sigma 10-20mm and love it. Very rarely does another lens see much time on my camera!

[tinman0]

central said:

http://www.digitalslrguru.com/tokina-11-16mm-f28-r...

^ This chap.

Made by exNikon people, and I have one on my Canon as my main lens these days.

All the UWAs are well regarded, not a munter in them. However, the Tokina, despite having a slightly narrower zoom, has f2.8 throughout (which I like) and in some tests is sharper than the Canon/Sigma/Nikon/Tamron alternatives.

However, the bit I love about this lens is the build quality. The ring movement absolutely beats the living whatsits out of the other lens.

The only downside of this lens is that at 77mm filter size and f2.8 it's considerably wider at the front than the other UWAs (iirc), which means vignetting if you use Cokin P filters. You'll need the UWA Cokin P filter frame and even then you'll vignetting at 11-12mm. (Hence it really needs the Cokin Z-Pro/Lee 100mm filter frame as I've recently discovered - thanks RD).