Jump to content

Wide angle lens advice


Jordan Lee
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hey all, I'm looking to get a wide angle lens and just wanted to get a second opinion/see if I'm missing anything. I've got a BM6K (where my current widest lens is the 18-35 Sigma) as my Acam and an A7III as my Bcam/stills camera. 

Even though I could get a better/cheaper/wider APS-C only lens, I was thinking about getting the Irix 11mm F4 because it's full frame, and it'd be nice to have it somewhat future proofed and useable on my A7III on occasion. This way I can get a pretty wide shot on the BM6K that would give me a noticeably wider FoV than the 18mm, but also have the option of going really wide on my A7III when needed. Or, if I ever upgrade to a full frame ACam.

Am I missing anything in my train of thought here? Are there any other options I should consider with my current camera setup? Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EOSHD Pro Color 5 for Sony cameras EOSHD Z LOG for Nikon CamerasEOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs

The first thing I thought of was the Tokina 11-16mm but that's APS-C. Do you absolutely need 11mm? Is your budget in the $500ish range? 

You can often get a good deal on Rokinon/Samyang lenses used. They're faster than the Irix, and are pretty decent lenses especially for the price, though the Irix likely has better build quality. Reviews say the Irix is soft wide open, so be aware of that.

The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 would go really well with your 18-35mm but I think it's $1100, so that might be too much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, newfoundmass said:

The first thing I thought of was the Tokina 11-16mm but that's APS-C. Do you absolutely need 11mm? Is your budget in the $500ish range? 

You can often get a good deal on Rokinon/Samyang lenses used. They're faster than the Irix, and are pretty decent lenses especially for the price, though the Irix likely has better build quality. Reviews say the Irix is soft wide open, so be aware of that.

The Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 would go really well with your 18-35mm but I think it's $1100, so that might be too much. 

I used to have that Tokina lens back when I had a 7D, and it was the first one I thought of initially. But ya, it's only APS-C, which isn't a dealbreaker, but I was just hoping to cover my bases by getting one that I could also use on a FF cam. I've also actually owned a couple of Rokinon's 14mm lenses (one EF mount and one Sony mount), but the moustache distortion on them is quite bad. Also 14mm on APS-C isn't quite wide enough for my needs

As for budget, ya I'd say I'm looking to spend less than 700ish. Also I don't need a zoom, a prime would be fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What focal length do you actually need?  ie, what precise focal length, rather than just wider than 18mm.

I'm a huge fan of super-wide-angle lenses, and my second most used lens is a 15mm FF equivalent, but you want to hit the sweet spot.  

If you go wider than your sweet spot then you will either crop and throw away pixels, or you will get closer and get more wide-angle-distortion.  If you go narrower than your sweet spot then you will have to go further back to get the framing you want, and if that's not possible then you won't get everything in frame that you want to.

When I was in the market for a super-wide, I got my GoPro, worked out what FOV it was equivalent to, and then did a bunch of test shooting with it to emulate the kinds of shots I wanted to get.  I then experimented with cropping to simulate various longer focal lengths (easy to do - double the focal length is half the width/height of the frame) and worked out where the sweet spot was for me.

If you're unsure but want to buy something now, get the Tokina 11-16mm second hand, shoot a bunch with it, work out what focal lengths you want, then sell it and buy what you need.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, kye said:

What focal length do you actually need?  ie, what precise focal length, rather than just wider than 18mm.

I'm a huge fan of super-wide-angle lenses, and my second most used lens is a 15mm FF equivalent, but you want to hit the sweet spot.  

If you go wider than your sweet spot then you will either crop and throw away pixels, or you will get closer and get more wide-angle-distortion.  If you go narrower than your sweet spot then you will have to go further back to get the framing you want, and if that's not possible then you won't get everything in frame that you want to.

When I was in the market for a super-wide, I got my GoPro, worked out what FOV it was equivalent to, and then did a bunch of test shooting with it to emulate the kinds of shots I wanted to get.  I then experimented with cropping to simulate various longer focal lengths (easy to do - double the focal length is half the width/height of the frame) and worked out where the sweet spot was for me.

If you're unsure but want to buy something now, get the Tokina 11-16mm second hand, shoot a bunch with it, work out what focal lengths you want, then sell it and buy what you need.

I think 16mm FF equivalent would be good - which is why I was thinking 11mm (approx 17.6mm with a crop) would be close enough. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Jordan Lee said:

I think 16mm FF equivalent would be good - which is why I was thinking 11mm (approx 17.6mm with a crop) would be close enough. 

Sounds like you know what you want.  I'm no expert on what the alternatives to the Irix are, but I know that when you're going as wide as this there aren't that many options to choose from.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Super Members

If you want to tick every wide angle box for both cameras then Canon's full frame 11-24mm f4 L would certainly be the front runner.

Unfortunately, even the used price of them means you'd also be ticking the box that said "please make me considerably poorer".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • EOSHD Pro Color 5 for All Sony cameras
    EOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs
    EOSHD Dynamic Range Enhancer for H.264/H.265
×
×
  • Create New...