Which Canon Wide Angle Zoom Lens?
Discussion
So, Christmas is coming and I'm avoiding the freezing weather by looking at buying another lens 
I've been after a wide angle for a while, but I'm stumped on which to go for.
I've found both the Toki 11-16 and Canon 10-22 at around the same price new.
I want a good lens for landscape shots but also for getting really close to things like cars and for interior shots too.
I'm hopefully visiting a few cool places in 2012 so I'd like something quite portable and sturdy!
I've read millions of conflicting reviews of the 11-16 vs the 10-22, but in your experience, which is the best for a newbie-ish to Canon DSLRs?
Also, can anyone suggest any alternatives that would do the job equally as well?
I've been after a wide angle for a while, but I'm stumped on which to go for.
I've found both the Toki 11-16 and Canon 10-22 at around the same price new.
I want a good lens for landscape shots but also for getting really close to things like cars and for interior shots too.
I'm hopefully visiting a few cool places in 2012 so I'd like something quite portable and sturdy!
I've read millions of conflicting reviews of the 11-16 vs the 10-22, but in your experience, which is the best for a newbie-ish to Canon DSLRs?
Also, can anyone suggest any alternatives that would do the job equally as well?
Edited by v15ben on Monday 21st November 06:57
Hmm.
I've been enjoying playing with a Samyang 14mm prime. They also do an 8mm.
Fully manual but very well priced even in Europe. Made in Korea so probably even more affordable locally.
Very sharp. Manual focus not really an issue for 'landscapes' since once youhead out beyond about 2 or 3 mtrs focus distance pretty much everything appears sharp, even at f2.8. Much more exacting close up but not too difficult to master.
I bought manual since exposure is easy to check and AF on wide angle is of limited use in many cases. Might be worth seeing if you can find one or other of them to play with for self guidance on wide angle needs?
The other reason I choase Samyang is that I'd hired a Canon 14mm f2.8 and loved the images it offered even on a crop sensor but the over £2k list price (and about £1800 street price) was a bit more than I could justify. (Well,, OK, a lot more ....).
The Samyang 14mm f2.8 at £250 seemed like a viable option.
I've been enjoying playing with a Samyang 14mm prime. They also do an 8mm.
Fully manual but very well priced even in Europe. Made in Korea so probably even more affordable locally.
Very sharp. Manual focus not really an issue for 'landscapes' since once youhead out beyond about 2 or 3 mtrs focus distance pretty much everything appears sharp, even at f2.8. Much more exacting close up but not too difficult to master.
I bought manual since exposure is easy to check and AF on wide angle is of limited use in many cases. Might be worth seeing if you can find one or other of them to play with for self guidance on wide angle needs?
The other reason I choase Samyang is that I'd hired a Canon 14mm f2.8 and loved the images it offered even on a crop sensor but the over £2k list price (and about £1800 street price) was a bit more than I could justify. (Well,, OK, a lot more ....).
The Samyang 14mm f2.8 at £250 seemed like a viable option.
What about a Sigma 10-20 ?
I used to have one which I loved - 'upgraded' it to a Canon 10-22 and to be honest I wish I hadn't bothered! The dreaded purple fringing is much worse and I am struggling to think of anything which is actually better
(Although to be fair I am not good enough to be able to spot the finer differences in IQ)
In fact if you go for a 10-22 you can have mine - PM me!
I used to have one which I loved - 'upgraded' it to a Canon 10-22 and to be honest I wish I hadn't bothered! The dreaded purple fringing is much worse and I am struggling to think of anything which is actually better
(Although to be fair I am not good enough to be able to spot the finer differences in IQ)In fact if you go for a 10-22 you can have mine - PM me!
dibbly dobbler said:
What about a Sigma 10-20 ?
I used to have one which I loved - 'upgraded' it to a Canon 10-22 and to be honest I wish I hadn't bothered! The dreaded purple fringing is much worse and I am struggling to think of anything which is actually better (Although to be fair I am not good enough to be able to spot the finer differences in IQ)
In fact if you go for a 10-22 you can have mine - PM me!
DD,I used to have one which I loved - 'upgraded' it to a Canon 10-22 and to be honest I wish I hadn't bothered! The dreaded purple fringing is much worse and I am struggling to think of anything which is actually better
(Although to be fair I am not good enough to be able to spot the finer differences in IQ)In fact if you go for a 10-22 you can have mine - PM me!
For an experiment, if you have not already tried it, download the trail version of Capture One from Phase One and see what the lens adjustment functions do for your purple fringing. And any other CA for that matter.
Not sure if C1 has the Canon Lens data included but even the default generic seems to be a pretty good tool on any lens I have thrown at it. Alternatively maybe DxO software?
When you look at the 'compact' cameras and the new 'system' cameras that are around it becomes clear that the de facto standard for lenses is moving to 'build to a price/size/weight and fix the troublesome design issues (that add to price/size/weight if done using physics) with software. Seems to work pretty well for most practical purposes outside top end professional use and fine art.
I bought the Canon 10-22.
It seems that if you get a good copy of the Sigma you're ok, but there are lots of people out there that seen to get bad copies - soft in the corners, or down one of the sides.
One guy on TP bought one to find it soft down the left side, he returned it and the replacement was soft down the right! That one went back too.
I tried one and it felt cheap and flimsy to me. The Sigma used to be quite cheap, but its £400+ now, so not far away from the Canon.
From what I can see the Tokina has great IQ but you pay for it with a limited range.
It seems that if you get a good copy of the Sigma you're ok, but there are lots of people out there that seen to get bad copies - soft in the corners, or down one of the sides.
One guy on TP bought one to find it soft down the left side, he returned it and the replacement was soft down the right! That one went back too.
I tried one and it felt cheap and flimsy to me. The Sigma used to be quite cheap, but its £400+ now, so not far away from the Canon.
From what I can see the Tokina has great IQ but you pay for it with a limited range.
RobDickinson said:
I wouldnt call the sigma 10-20 cheap and flimsy?
Good construction and HSM motor. A good one is IMO better than the 10-22 on most fronts.
The zoom ring was loose and had play side to side and back to front, just didn't feel very good. Not a show stopper in itself though.Good construction and HSM motor. A good one is IMO better than the 10-22 on most fronts.
LongQ said:
DD,
For an experiment, if you have not already tried it, download the trail version of Capture One from Phase One and see what the lens adjustment functions do for your purple fringing. And any other CA for that matter.
Not sure if C1 has the Canon Lens data included but even the default generic seems to be a pretty good tool on any lens I have thrown at it. Alternatively maybe DxO software?
When you look at the 'compact' cameras and the new 'system' cameras that are around it becomes clear that the de facto standard for lenses is moving to 'build to a price/size/weight and fix the troublesome design issues (that add to price/size/weight if done using physics) with software. Seems to work pretty well for most practical purposes outside top end professional use and fine art.
LQ - thanks for the comments For an experiment, if you have not already tried it, download the trail version of Capture One from Phase One and see what the lens adjustment functions do for your purple fringing. And any other CA for that matter.
Not sure if C1 has the Canon Lens data included but even the default generic seems to be a pretty good tool on any lens I have thrown at it. Alternatively maybe DxO software?
When you look at the 'compact' cameras and the new 'system' cameras that are around it becomes clear that the de facto standard for lenses is moving to 'build to a price/size/weight and fix the troublesome design issues (that add to price/size/weight if done using physics) with software. Seems to work pretty well for most practical purposes outside top end professional use and fine art.
Not tried C1 - however I have been pondering a move to Lightroom and I see that it too has lens correction functionality which reportedly could deal with 'the dreaded pf'. Call me naive though I would actually quite like a lens that didn't do it in the bloomin' first place!
dibbly dobbler said:
LongQ said:
DD,
For an experiment, if you have not already tried it, download the trail version of Capture One from Phase One and see what the lens adjustment functions do for your purple fringing. And any other CA for that matter.
Not sure if C1 has the Canon Lens data included but even the default generic seems to be a pretty good tool on any lens I have thrown at it. Alternatively maybe DxO software?
When you look at the 'compact' cameras and the new 'system' cameras that are around it becomes clear that the de facto standard for lenses is moving to 'build to a price/size/weight and fix the troublesome design issues (that add to price/size/weight if done using physics) with software. Seems to work pretty well for most practical purposes outside top end professional use and fine art.
LQ - thanks for the comments For an experiment, if you have not already tried it, download the trail version of Capture One from Phase One and see what the lens adjustment functions do for your purple fringing. And any other CA for that matter.
Not sure if C1 has the Canon Lens data included but even the default generic seems to be a pretty good tool on any lens I have thrown at it. Alternatively maybe DxO software?
When you look at the 'compact' cameras and the new 'system' cameras that are around it becomes clear that the de facto standard for lenses is moving to 'build to a price/size/weight and fix the troublesome design issues (that add to price/size/weight if done using physics) with software. Seems to work pretty well for most practical purposes outside top end professional use and fine art.
Not tried C1 - however I have been pondering a move to Lightroom and I see that it too has lens correction functionality which reportedly could deal with 'the dreaded pf'. Call me naive though I would actually quite like a lens that didn't do it in the bloomin' first place!
By remarkable coincidence (almost spooky in fact) an email from Cambridge in Colour popped into by inbox this afternoon and announced their latest tutorial which just happens to be 'Camera Lens Correction' and discusses the various types of lens aberration an how they can be dealt with.
I have just read it before re-visiting this thread. Looks like a good summary of what is what and how to go about corrections. Recommended.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/lens-co...
ETA: I should also mention that the aforementioned Samyang 14mm prime seems resistant to CA as well but is not fully corrected for all distortions. However in the main with most subjects and on a crop body I rarely feel the need for correction in the sort of shots I tend to be taking. In fact I often use it as part of the result.
Not tried it on full frame yet.
Edited by LongQ on Monday 21st November 21:36
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