17-40 or 12-24

acetone

acetone

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Later in the year I'll be having a trip to Berlin, and not sure what lens I'll need/want.

Currently I have 24-70 and 70-200 and can have the free use of a 24-105 (probably leave the 70-200 at home.), but feel I may need something wide, so how wide really is 17-40 on a 1.3 crop, or should I go all out ultra wide with a sigma 12-24, there is no way I can afford the Canon 14mm nor what I'd really like a 17 TSE.

Nor am I sure what the policy is for hiring a lens to take abroad for a week.
 
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I can't help with x3 crop but the Siggy 12-24mm is pretty impressive on full frame.
 
I have both (well, the older 12-24, not the new one). The 17-40 is the better lens (better colours, more contrast, sharper), but doesn't go as wide as the 12-24 (umm.. obviously!). There are times when you need the extra width - but you have to use it properly. 12mm on full frame with no thought to the composition and subject is just really boring!

You can hire lenses to take abroad - just make the person you're hiring from aware.
 
Thanks for the reply's, I expected the 17-40 to be the better lens and on a full frame would be my instant choice, I know what that FL is like on a 1.6 crop it was just the 1.3 in between that you don't see mentioned in any review about lenses.

Andy I hadn't really thought how much extra thought would be needed in composition at the very extreme 12mm :thinking: but I have seen some very good images taken around there.
 
On 1.3x I was happiest with Tokina 12-24mm (14-24mm effective range) - sharp and takes 77mm filters

Sigma 1224 doesn't take filters, and it doesn't quite have the reputation of a razor sharp lens.

17-40 is very wide, but not ultra wide, and there are still some bad edges. I'm almost convinced that it's a lens for APS-C, that works on FF after f/11. As you can guess it is just a matter of time till I shift mine.
 
acetone said:
Andy I hadn't really thought how much extra thought would be needed in composition at the very extreme 12mm :thinking: but I have seen some very good images taken around there.
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The problem (with 12mm on FF) is that the field of view is MASSIVE - just over 112.5 degrees. On a 1.3 crop, it's 99 degrees - which is still MASSIVE. The perspective effects this gives when compressing an image into a picture that isn't viewed at that wide field of view means you really need to nail the subject. Whilst I don't normally like Ken Rockwell, take a look here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-to-use-ultra-wide-lenses.htm to see what I mean.

Looking at that page now, I was at those very same places last year (Death Valley, Las Vegas, Bodie...) and I didn't get as good pictures as Ken did.... :(
 
daugirdas said:
As you can guess it is just a matter of time till I shift mine.
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And if you replace it with a 16-35, I think you'll be moving that on as well - that doesn't do corners well either....

TBH, I think your expectations of what's possible with a UWA (based on the comments you've made on my pictures) are different to what's physically possible ;)
 
Composition does take thought, wide angle lenses are probably amongst the most challenging lenses to use but put the thought and effort in and the rewards are there to be had.

BTW, my Siggy 12-24mm is sharp, and the HSM allows full time manual adjustment should you need it. I can only really see one disadvantage... you can't use filters without the "bucket" in place but would filters work well with such a wide lens anyway?
 
woof woof said:
BTW, my Siggy 12-24mm is sharp
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It probably isn't in an absolute sense, but I'm not going to argue with you over that as neither you nor I can prove it one way or the other....:p

Certainly my 17-40 is sharper than my 12-24. It just depends what your expectations are I guess ;)
 
Well, I could post 100% crops that prove how sharp it is on my cameras... :D

I've no doubt that the 17-40mm is sharper, maybe in some areas only, maybe all over the frame. However, the Siggy 12-24mm was a groundbreaking design when first introduced and it goes to 12mm. That alone sold it to me :D and I have no complaints about sharpness - on my cameras and if the widest angle is your goal there are a limited number of contenders and as you know 5mm is a lot at this end of the range.

I did read somewhere that an updated version was either due or had been introduced so that might be something to look at if interested in this lens.
 
It's not just sharpness, but there's also colour rendition and contrast. Let me put it this way: 17mm and over, I will use the 17-40 because it produces better pictures. Less than 17mm I use the 12-24 ;)

I agree the 12-24 is a special lens - which is why I still have it.
 
I'm not too bothered about contrast and colour, I do have lenses that give different results but TBH I only shoot RAW and find that after processing there's no significant difference.
 
arad85 said:
And if you replace it with a 16-35, I think you'll be moving that on as well - that doesn't do corners well either....

There is one way to find out :thinking: At least I can get some Zeiss glass and it looks like I'd be happy with it.

TBH, I think your expectations of what's possible with a UWA (based on the comments you've made on my pictures) are different to what's physically possible ;)
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My expectations are based on real images I had from Tokina at f/4-5.6 (yes, on FF) and how 24-70L performs in the range. Sadly 17-40 is the distant third, except for excellent flare resistance.
 
I had the 12-24 for my 5D2 and is was shockingly soft on the right side, so that could've been defective, but I did read other reports of similar behavior. I replaced it with 17-40 and it was night and day difference. Shame as I loved the ultra wide ability of the Siggy, could be good to try the new 12-24 and see if that's any good.
 
I really liked the 17-40 on 1.3x crop, infact I think it's better on that than on FF.
 
Tokina 12-24 rocks my world. best purchase ive made
 
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