recommend me a wide focus lens

[stigmundfreud]

My camera is mainly used or portraiture but recently I've been frustrated with the widest length available to me, 24mm. I want to go wider but still keeping image quality. I accept some CA and vignetting is inevitable but I also want to keep costs down as it isnt my main thing.

The camera is an eos5d and I am a fan of the canon lenses but find no justification to spend the ££££ on an L series lens for what I need/want it for.

I'm looking at either a 10-20 or poss a 16-40 length. Wide f stop is not an issue as most of my landscape stuff is done in hdr. I am a fan of Sigma for their price vs quality and currently use their 24-135 most of the time and am actually very happy with it for the price.

So can anyone recommend me a lens from personal experience? I've noticed with some of the sigmas you can go fish eye or remove the hood for normal full frame... if the consensus is to avoid and save for the canon I shall - but if so, which one

This is the sort of stuff I enjoy doing but I feel with a nice wide shot it would give me more depth... also indoor shots would be easier...

[megy]

Sigma and Canon do a reasonably cheap 10-20, though the Canon will not fit due to it being an EF-S mount, and the Sigma will produce a circle with a black border, I am sure there will be more expensive glass that focal length that will fit.

The lens I would recomend is the Canon 17-40 F4L, its a cracking lens and isnt too unreasonably priced, and is designed for the full frame sensors and even that old thing called film.

[gregorio!]

I have the Sigma 10-20mm. Its pretty sharp, 10mm is fun although rather warped at the edges. Its good, but its not amazing.
If i had Canon stuff, i'd have definitely gone for the 10-22mm Canon over the sigma. Its only £90 more, and has far better reviews.

[Andy M]

Think the Sigma 12-24 is the one you should be looking at, but for an extra £100 could have Canon's 17-40L which would be the better choice IMO.

Shop around and I reckon you'll be able to get one for approx £400

Contact this guy away from eBay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-CANON-17-40MM-F4-L...

Edited by Andy M on Thursday 14th June 09:41

[tertius]

Is the 5D full frame?

I have the Sigma 18-50 F2.8 which I really like but its only suitable for the smaller sensors (APS-C?), also it may not be wide enough for you, but hey any excuse for ...

a few recent pics:

[stigmundfreud]

its still nearly 500 quid for a hobby lens but I have been looking at those for such a long time now!

The 12mm sigma is a possible - I'd like to go wider than 17 as in the studio it can produce some nice effects too...

Interested to see some of the 10mm images if I can? I'm not ruling canon out in favor of sigma either even though it might sound like it!

[stigmundfreud]

yes it is full frame otherwise I'd stick on my efs 18-55 old kit lens and be happy

[Andy M]

Not sure the 10mm Sigma fits the 5D?

[stigmundfreud]

oh eff it I'll get that L lens as I promised myself the 24-135 l lens ages ago but cant justify the outlay for the minor benefit over my sigma 24-135

the missus will kill me, I'll have to use my rent income for it and I was setting that aside for some more work on the car you evil bastards

[stigmundfreud]

actually has anyone got an example of the 17mm at 17mm so I can see the vignetting? thanks

[stigmundfreud]

Andy M said:

Not sure the 10mm Sigma fits the 5D?

I'm not sure, am certain that they do a ff 10mm but have seen the 10mm digital only lens....

going for the L lens, hate myself for it but there you go

cheers all

[Andy M]

[stigmundfreud]

is that hte extent of the vignetting? From reports it seemd like it would really cut in.

Its on its way, got a new one for 409 quid in the end

[Andy M]

That's as bad as it gets for me

[Famous Graham]

I have the Sig 10-20 on my 1DMkIIN (Which is a 1.3 sensor). Vignettes at 10-11 but by about 11.5 it's clear.

With the hood on

10mm



12mm



14mm



20mm

[stigmundfreud]

Andy M said:

That's as bad as it gets for me

on a full frame?

Cheers for the pics, you too FG

interestingly the vignetting makes a frame like we used to create in college on our film pics

[Andy M]

stigmundfreud said:

Andy M said:

That's as bad as it gets for me

on a full frame?

Yep, on my 5D

[stigmundfreud]

Andy M said:

stigmundfreud said:

Andy M said:

That's as bad as it gets for me

on a full frame?

Yep, on my 5D

wtf are they on about re vignetting? You should see it creep in at 24mm on the sigma when using a screw in polorising filter...

[franv8]

stigmundfreud said:

Andy M said:

Not sure the 10mm Sigma fits the 5D?

I'm not sure, am certain that they do a ff 10mm but have seen the 10mm digital only lens....

going for the L lens, hate myself for it but there you go

cheers all

have just bought the Sigma 10-20mm for use on my 350D - I can confirm that whilst it will fit full frame cameras it is NOT a full frame lense, the instructions threaten vignetting if used on a full frame.

Shame - I'm well impressed with it for £300!

[stigmundfreud]

hmm so it has an ef mount not an efs?

everywhere I've seen says it will not fit the 5d ef mount - ah well I think the 17-40 will fill my boots for now