Wide Angle lens

[CaptainSlow]

ok so SWMBO's birthday is coming up and I know she wants a wide angle lens for panoramic shots. She is an enthusiastic beginner and doesn't know herself which to get. She has a Canon 450D. Any advice please? Budget wise is the lower end of decent please. Second hand possible. thanks

[14-7]

Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 would be an ideal choice and will probably be the next lense I'll be looking at buying.

You can pick them up for £399 brand new or a bit less through fleabay.

There is one used on ebay at the moment, £205 with 5 days left to run so I would imagine it will reach the wrong side of £300.

I'd prefer to buy new at those prices as they hold their value well.

Have a look through the "which lens" post here. Down near the bottom for the Sigma 10-20mm.

Edited by 14-7 on Tuesday 22 June 12:40

[4hero]

You are buying your wife something second hand for her birthday? You are a braver man than me!

I'd go for the Sigma 10-20 if you are on a budget

[LongQ]

Probably the wrong end of the budget range (I thought these were supposedly going to be inexpensive?) but depending in what definition of 'panoramic' your other half is looking for one of these might provide endless hours of amusement.

http://gigapansystems.com/gigapan-epic-pro-product...

[GetCarter]

LongQ said:

Probably the wrong end of the budget range (I thought these were supposedly going to be inexpensive?) but depending in what definition of 'panoramic' your other half is looking for one of these might provide endless hours of amusement.

http://gigapansystems.com/gigapan-epic-pro-product...

I REALLY wished you hadn't shown me that!

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

If it's a wide angle, then the Sigma (as above) certainly does the biz (though I very rarely use it for landscapes - too wide for me). This from this morning, an exception:



(sorry - cross post from 'Random Photos, but thought it was worth it)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 22 June 15:29

[LongQ]

GetCarter said:

LongQ said:

Probably the wrong end of the budget range (I thought these were supposedly going to be inexpensive?) but depending in what definition of 'panoramic' your other half is looking for one of these might provide endless hours of amusement.

http://gigapansystems.com/gigapan-epic-pro-product...

I REALLY wished you hadn't shown me that!

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

If it's a wide angle, then the Sigma (as above) certainly does the biz (though I very rarely use it for landscapes - too wide for me). This from this morning, an exception:



(sorry - cross post from 'Random Photos, but thought it was worth it)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 22 June 15:29

Hehe. Always interested in testing people's willpower where gadgets are concerned ....

Love the pic GC. The way it looks like someone has splashed a large tin of green paint over the rising land is rather magical. Good capture and nice processing despite your reservations on the other thread. I think its the sort of shot that can work with different amounts of HDR, which is great because how can you tell how others are seeing it?

[RobDickinson]

I've had the 10-20 for 5 years or so now.

Love it but since egtting the 17-55 I'm using it very infrequently, relying more on 17mm or stitched shots.

There are situations (like above) where you need the UWA to get the view your after and for that I still love it.

Tempted to sell it on for the 8-16 though.

[mrmr96]

GetCarter said:

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

Umm, the OP _does_ say wide angle.

[RobDickinson]

mrmr96 said:

GetCarter said:

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

Umm, the OP _does_ say wide angle.

"she wants a wide angle lens for panoramic shots."

You can shoot panoramics with a wide angle and crop into them but from my experience your better of shooting a longer focal length and stitching for a panoramic.

A wide angle is more use for shots where you have a lot of foreground and /or sky with intrest that you want to get in as well as the background.

[GreigM]

RobDickinson said:

Tempted to sell it on for the 8-16 though.

Being bored (and a bit stupid) I've just gone and bought the sigma 8-16 and it gives some interesting results, but you've really got to consider what you want it for - it does demand a higher skill level to get good results (something I don't have but will hopefully work up to, having seen your work Rob - you'd be good with it!), and as Steve said above, it can be way too wide for landscapes, its more for getting right up close with your subject.

Here's a few sample pics - so far very pleased with the lens itself, as I said its me which is letting it down...so if you're buying anything very wide for someone else make sure its the right thing for them...

[GetCarter]

mrmr96 said:

GetCarter said:

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

Umm, the OP _does_ say wide angle.

The O/P wants a wide angle for panoramic shots. Wide angles are not the best lenses for panoramic shots!

[mrmr96]

RobDickinson said:

mrmr96 said:

GetCarter said:

I was a bit confused by the word 'panoramic' as well. I'm guessing the O/P just means wide angle.

Umm, the OP _does_ say wide angle.

"she wants a wide angle lens for panoramic shots."

You can shoot panoramics with a wide angle and crop into them but from my experience your better of shooting a longer focal length and stitching for a panoramic.

A wide angle is more use for shots where you have a lot of foreground and /or sky with intrest that you want to get in as well as the background.

Ah, ok. I gotcha. See, I know what she meant by pano - i.e. WIDE landscapes getting a lot in. But what I (and maybe she) missed was that a pano is actually a crazy aspect ratio wide. I see.

[Pvapour]

you can have my 10-20 sigma if you like, hardly used, more into my macro TBO, make me a decent offer

[z06tim]

I've heard good things about the Tamron 10-24. It's a similar price to the Sigma and much cheaper than the Canon.