Best (cheapish) lens for wide-angle stuff?

C

custerc

Well-known member
Woo, financing finally came through and I am now the proud owner of a brand new 60D. Coming from the DVX100, I have no freaking idea how to use it though. But that's what the user's manual is for!

Anyway, in addition to the stock lens, I'm wondering if there's a good option out there for super wide angle stuff. Not fisheye lens, but as close as I can get without looking like I'm shooting a skateboard video. We're shooting a doc (the 60d is the Bcam, Acam will be an HMC150 we're picking up tomorrow) and i want to have something will do in a pinch in tight spaces, and that can also take in the sort of intense, panoramic views one occasionally gets while traveling around asia (without having to pan).

thoughts?
 
Well that sounds pretty unanimous! Thanks guys! Heading to the shop to pick up our HMC tomorrow anyway, perhaps we'll toss the tokina into the bag as well! Cheers.
 
teddybear said:
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8.
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Or even the Canon Ef 15mm f/2.8 It's a fisheye lens, but on a crop camera you only barely see it on the corners or at certain angles. It is easily one of my favorite lenses I have used. Ultimately though yo should rent before you buy.
 
I say rent several lenses before you drop the cash, the tokina is GREAT for stills but when I tried to use it for video it proved to be SO SHARP that it produced miore like no one's biz. Another question I'd ask is: What other lenses do you have? Just the stock? A super wide might not be the best investment right off the bat if it's the only lens you've got beyond that, I'd recomend a faster lens if your not going to be shooting in great lighting situations. Just some food for thought.
 
Tokina 11-16mm. Another vote for it. Trust me, it's the best wide angle lens for crop cameras. Keep in mind if you upgrade to full frame your Tokina won't be going with you.
 
I saw this super-wide angle lens in a Zeiss article where the lens had such a cinematic distortion as opposed to another Nikon lens that looked like a fish-eye toy. If you can find a Zeiss wide angle in a rental shop, it may give you a much more cinematic image, less like the skate-boarder look. But the lens talked about above (the Tokina) may be just as cinematic!
 
Nikon Glass

Nikon Glass

Old Nikon Glass works well on the Cheap//// Tokina 11-16 f2.8 works Very WEll otherwise
 
draven4 said:
Tokina 11-16mm. Another vote for it. Trust me, it's the best wide angle lens for crop cameras. Keep in mind if you upgrade to full frame your Tokina won't be going with you.
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That really goes for any wide angle. A wide angle that covers full frame won't be ultra-wide on a crop body. The only ultra-wide I'm aware of that'll cover full frame and still be super wide on a crop body is the Sigma 12-24. Of course, the tokina you can still use on the longer end. I'd still recommend the tokina. I've had two.

Snapper123 said:
I saw this super-wide angle lens in a Zeiss article where the lens had such a cinematic distortion as opposed to another Nikon lens that looked like a fish-eye toy. If you can find a Zeiss wide angle in a rental shop, it may give you a much more cinematic image, less like the skate-boarder look. But the lens talked about above (the Tokina) may be just as cinematic!
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You're probably just looking at a fisheye vs. wide angle. A rectilinear wide angle is supposed to keep verticals straight, most do a pretty good job of it. Nikon has a 10.5 fisheye, that may be the one you're thinking of. The Tokina 11-16 is not fisheye, just ultra-wide. I don't think zeiss has anything that would be considered ultra-wide on a crop body. They have that 18mm, but it's slower and not as sharp as the tokina.

Like HDKilledFilm said, watch out for moire if you get the Tokina. Same goes for any ultra-wide, but it is really sharp, which accentuates it.
 
draven4 said:
Tokina 11-16mm. Another vote for it. Trust me, it's the best wide angle lens for crop cameras. Keep in mind if you upgrade to full frame your Tokina won't be going with you.
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As a wide 2.8 at 15mm to 16mm it has very low distortion, for that alone it's worth it. The jump to FF is another plus.
The Tamron 17-50 2.8 is another good deal for an aps-c format in a standard wide zoom. They would make a great pair.
 
speedjunkie said:
Old Nikon Glass works well on the Cheap//// Tokina 11-16 f2.8 works Very WEll otherwise
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Big fan of vintage glass myself as well. I'm actually not sure what to get myself on the wide end either, and the Tokina is a bit more than I'm willing to spend right now. Got any suggestions? I'm considering just going 24mm prime, but wouldn't mind a good low range zoom...
 
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