Canon Wide Angle Lens - Choices

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Rick_Luke

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So I fancy getting myself a wide angle lens and don’t know which one to buy!

Money no object = Canon EF14mm f2.8 II L Series, no question! BUT I dont want to spend that much on a lens I’m not sure how much I will get out of it.

Cheapest Alternatative = Samyang 14mm - much better cost but lacks AF and as I would really rather have AF than not I dont know how much use this would be to me, unless other users can voice their view?

Good Compromise = Sigma 12-24mm II - gets decent reviews by all accounts and gives a very wide angle, my question is at 12mm how much distortion would be in the image, like wise as it moves through to 24mm. Also lacks the aperture of some of the other glass.

A tempting alternative = Canons new 16-35mm L F4 IS - Its an L, so helps my OCD as it would match my other L lens (LOL) plus its not as expensive as the 14mm, but its also not as wide, I already have the 24-70 so I just don’t know how much more noticeable the 16-24mm gap in focal length is going to be over the 24-70.

My heart really wants the Canon 14mm and anything else is just compromising but unless I can find a copy (even 2nd hand) for under £1k then its just not something I can justify spending so much money on without knowing its a lens I would get a lot of use from.

Come on kind folks, help me choose! :) What would you pick and why, are there lenses I haven’t considered?
 
I wouldn't want to own canon 14mm since I have Samyang, which is cheaper and better alternative. Why do you think you need AF with something so incredibly wide? In fact why do you want such an incredibly wide lens that it practically sits unused all the time? 16-35mm f/4 is the sensible choice
 
indeed why not the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8
or the tokina 12-24 f/4
both optically excellent and great alts to the canon and sigma UWA.
 
Byker28i said:
Is the correct question.

I have a samyung 14mm for my 5dk3. Focus is no issue. Stick it on f11 at 3 feet and you've a huge depth of field ;)
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Indeed it is, I'd assume we are talking full frame based on the options the OP has suggested as otherwise the 10-20 type lens would also be in the mix...

Having just got the Samyang 14 myself I have to say I love it to bits amazing lens, but then I was expecting a lot of it after owning the 8mm for a long time now
 
 
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sorry, yes I should have clarified I shoot on 5D3 so full frame and I’m looking to use it more as a creative tool rather than for landscapes etc etc, I shoot mostly automotive/rig work/motor sports etc.

The Rokinon is basically the exact same lens as Samyang I believe (or didn’t it start out that way?) but for some reason people prefer the Samyang?

Zeiss Optics are obviously VERY good but for the money I think I would be tempted to stick with the 14mm L series.

I have just had a look and found the Samyang at a tempting price here: https://www.eglobalcentral.co.uk/samyang-14mm-f2.8-ed-as-if-umc-lens-canon.html

Anyone used them/heard of them before? Whats the build quality like with this lens?
 
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Hadn’t actually looked for prices on the 16-35mm F4 IS Lens but can’t find any for sale apart from one on Amazon which is more expensive than the 16-35mm F2.8 version?

I just dont know if 16mm is going to be wide enough but then the Samyang at around £250 is tempting enough to give it a try and still buy another lens on top.
 
Wide enough for what?
The samyang 14mm is plenty wide on FF and is the best buy value wise.
 
The Sigma 12-24 is incredibly well corrected as far as pincushion and barrel distortions go. What some people describe as distortion in the shots it produces is actually just exaggerated perspective and is down to the laws of physics not the lens. One potential problem is the difficulty in using graduated and polarising filters on it - solid colours and NDs can be slotted in behind the rear element but any that require adjustments take a little ingenuity!
 
I went for the obvious choice of 17-40 f4 L but have no regrets.

I know a Samyang 14mm user - quality lens, it has to be said.
 
Rick_Luke said:
I have just had a look and found the Samyang at a tempting price here: https://www.eglobalcentral.co.uk/samyang-14mm-f2.8-ed-as-if-umc-lens-canon.html

Anyone used them/heard of them before? Whats the build quality like with this lens?
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Build quality is what you'd expect for a £250-300 lens (I paid £265 for mine at the last Focus show).

Image quality is pretty good for the lens. There's a profile for it in Lightroom that's from a Nikon user and appears under a Nikon selection but works quite well at correcting the distortion.
Edge distortion is acceptable, not perfect but great for the money compared to the Zeiss or canon 14mm offerings.

You can't add a filter to it as the lens hood is fitted, you have a cap type dust cap that comes off. I have however elastic banded large ND filters over the end before

Personally I love it on my 5D mkIII

here's one from a recent project on the tube. Manual focus set for 3 feet, F11 are the probable settings and then shot from the hip.
154585430.jpg
 
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Byker28i said:
Build quality is what you'd expect for a £250-300 lens (I paid £265 for mine at the last Focus show).

Image quality is pretty good for the lens. There's a profile for it in Lightroom that's from a Nikon user and appears under a Nikon selection but works quite well at correcting the distortion.
Edge distortion is acceptable, not perfect but great for the money compared to the Zeiss or canon 14mm offerings.

You can't add a filter to it as the lens hood is fitted, you have a cap type dust cap that comes off. I have however elastic banded large ND filters over the end before
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Build quality is plastic and selotape if you need to look inside. That makes it easy and quick to readjust :)

IQ is certainly surprising. There is also downloadable profile for 5DII, which is close enough to mkIII sensor. It really needs to be used.

Distortion - ha ha, it is a crazy ultra-wide and edge distortion is an integral part of it. No mega bucks zeiss will do it any differently (apart from not needing LR profile)

There is actually KOOD filter holder in the same style as Lee SW150 for nikon 14-24. I never tried one as I simply don't use the lens enough.
 
It's certainly wide.
Landscape
156430997.jpg


and a building showing the distortion - this was at f2.8
156430993.jpg


and a dirty car
156431012.jpg
 
some great advice coming in so thank you all for your posts. Its a tough one I must admit, I think I will see if I can score one of the Samyang 14mm used for the right money and see how I get on with it for now :)

Thanks Folks :)
 
Rick_Luke said:
sorry, yes I should have clarified I shoot on 5D3 so full frame and I’m looking to use it more as a creative tool rather than for landscapes etc etc, I shoot mostly automotive/rig work/motor sports etc.

The Rokinon is basically the exact same lens as Samyang I believe (or didn’t it start out that way?) but for some reason people prefer the Samyang?

Zeiss Optics are obviously VERY good but for the money I think I would be tempted to stick with the 14mm L series.

I have just had a look and found the Samyang at a tempting price here: https://www.eglobalcentral.co.uk/samyang-14mm-f2.8-ed-as-if-umc-lens-canon.html

Anyone used them/heard of them before? Whats the build quality like with this lens?
Click to expand...

Given you stated main use I think a more conventional UWA is the way to go for you, something that has a filter thread for the likes of a ND or polarising filter which rules out some of the more exotics
 
I have a Tokina 11-16mm for sale on here if its any good to you. I loved the lens, but switched to Fuji so my canon gear is going.
 
dean messenger said:
dont think the the tokina 11-16 works on FF.. only the new 16-28?
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yes, but it's not that new now, and cannot take any filters. Add £200ish more and you have the new Canon from HDEW or Panamoz.
 
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