What wide-angle lens?

gramps

gramps

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Following my day with Pro Derek Rigg doing some landscape/city shooting in the Bristol Docks area, (see Here), I have been thinking of getting a wide-angle lens - something I have never used in the past, previously choosing mainly telephoto/zoom lenses.
I use a Nikon (D3) but I don't want to spend mega-bucks as I'm not sure if I'll truly make use of a wide-angle lens - what would you guys recommend as a good but economical w/a lens and why?
 
What do you define as mega bucks and how wide are you talking?

You can get a Tokina 19-35mm for about £215 but i don't know what the quality would be like. After that you are getting into the £400+ price range for a wide angle on FX
 
£200 is fine £400 is possibly more than I want to spend on it now - I've seen a Sigma for £199. I know Nikon but I'm unsure of who comes close after that Tamron, Tokina, Sigma :shrug:
 
I'm looking at a Sigma 17-35 f/2.8-4 at £199, slightly under mint (Exc++) - I've got a Nikon 24-120 so don't really need over 35mm ... I think!
Is Sigma a good choice?
 
I use a Sigma 12-24 f/4.5-5.6 on my D700 and film bodies. Not a cheap option new (£629, Mifsuds price) and not that common 2nd hand (I have seen a couple but not many since FF DSLRs have been released) but significantly cheaper than the closest Nikon equivalent (14-24 f/2.8) @ £1229 (again, Mifsuds price).

While I've got the Mifsuds ad open in front of me, I see they have a Sigma 15-30 2nd hand, rated M- @ £269. All their other wide stock seems to be Dx/DC/DiII so not ideal for FF.
 
TBH, I bought it way back when I was on a Canon 20D because I couldn't afford the Canon 17-40mm. Good, solid lens with good sharpness, although wide open at 17mm there was some edge distortion that some people objected to, although i didn't mind it. It probably doesn't get much attention these days because of its age and the changing maximum aperture but I'm sure on a modern body where high ISOs can be used to compensate for the slower aperture at 35mm it'll be sound.

Have a serious look at that Sigma 15-30... couldn't believe how sharp it was when i first used it; as good as a 17-40mm L.

Also, have you considered a fixed prime, something like a 14mm (that'll be crazy wide on FF), or one of the Sigmas, maybe the 20mm f/1.8?
 
I have the Sigma 15-30 and haven't used it all that much as I had an idea in my head that it wasn't sharp. Don't know why though as I took it out the other day and was quite impressed with the results. Corners are fairly soft at 15mm but that's surely to be expected on FF at such focal lengths?

The Sigma 20mm 1.8 is certainly a cracking lens if you don't need to go wider.
 
Just put my Sigma 15-30 back up for sale due to buyer failing to come up with the cash. :thumbsdown:
 
WillieL said:
Just put my Sigma 15-30 back up for sale due to buyer failing to come up with the cash. :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...

I'll check it out - I've put a bid on one last night and that finishes today so we'll see how that pans out first.
 
If you don't mind manual focus, have a look at the Voigtlander 20 f/3.5.

I'm not much into wide angel lens, even for landscape, but thought of buying this for a bit of street photography, and I have to say I'm very impressed. I've already had the 58 f/1.4 and was impressed by that. This one just added to my love for manual focus lens, and the Voigtlander range.
 
Willie, isnt your a canon mount? Gramps is shooting with a Nikon D3
 
I started out with Nikon DSLR kit and I still have a Nikon D70 and a few lenses which I will eventually sell. :thumbs:

Did you win the auction?
 
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