Wide Angle Lens Suggestions Please

[Guest]

I'm looking for a wide angle lens to compliment my collection of Nikkor AI-s primes, the widest of which is currently a 24mm 2.8 AI-s (used on D5300 and G6 with Speedbooster - so Super-35mm crop). Obviously I need something wider and there aren't really any decent manual prime options. It sounds like the Rokinon/Samyang 14mm isn't up to much.

 

I've narrowed it down to the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 and the Tokina 11-16 f2.8. I'm currently leaning in favour of the Sigma.

 

It's main use will be with my new monoCam (Glidecam style stabiliser), so communication with my D5300 will be handy for auto exposure (i.e. no touching the lens/camera while flying the stabiliser). Because I'll have it stopped down for use with the monocam, I won't usually need the extra speed of the Tokina (which looks pretty soft wide open anyway). The Tokina looks like it is sharper than the Sigma, but not by much at the apertures I'll be using it at. I prefer the look of the images I've seen taken with the Sigma, and I like the extra focal range.

 

Any advice/suggestions/experience before I go ahead and buy the Sigma?

[dahlfors]

I think I might have mentioned it to you in some other thread: if you're considering the Sigma, also take a look at the Tokina 12-24 f/4.

 

Edit: And on the other hand: If you already have a 24mm prime, it might not be too useful to have the range between 20-24mm - the extra 2mm at the wider end might be more useful on the Sigma.

[Mozim]

I've been using the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 on my Canon 600D for a while now and so far it's been a great lens. Build quality is very good, it is very sharp stopped down and usable wide open and the aperture is very useful when shooting in low light conditions. 

 

I'm not sure if you actually need the zoom range of the 10-20mm or even the 11-16mm. I don't think I've touched the zoom ring yet because I don't really see the point of zooming in with a ultra wide angle lens. If the 10-20mm is fast enough for the stuff you do, then I'd say get that one over the Tokina because 10mm vs 11mm actually does make quite a bit of difference. 

 

Another option to consider is the recently announced Samyang 10mm f/2.8... not sure when exactly it'll be out but it should be a bit cheaper than the Tokina and another decent and wide option.