Lens recommendation? (prime, T2i)

[Randall_Oelerich]

Looking for recommendations.

I want to buy a prime for my Canon T2i, something for a wide angle, low light filming, without having to go to the Mafia loan sharks for the money. The list of possible candidates, searching bhphoto.com for prime lenses with mounts that fit the Canon EOS (I have a Canon T2i) and that are wide angle, seems to come down to this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Fixed+Focal+Lengths_10mm&ci=274&N=4288584247+4294185281+4261208130+4261208131+4261208132+4261208134+4261208135+4261208136+4261208138

What I have so far for my T2i (Canon lens mount):

Canon 50mm prime, EF, f1.8, autofocus and manual
Canon 18-55mm EF-S f3.5-5.6 with Image Stabilization, autofocus and manual
Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-6.3 AF (EF) Aspherical XR IF, autofocus and manual

 

[J Davis]

Hi. scratch anything with the word 'fisheye' in its description as it is unsuitable for 99.9% of narrative shots. You will also notice that everything in that list is $500+. If you want a modern AF lens with eos mount and in-camera aperture control then the best value for money is the canon mount tokina 11-16mm f2.8. This might not be a bad way to go as modern glass (as opposed to vintage) will match better with your current lenses. Also I think I saw someone selling the tokina in the market place.

The other option is to go vintage. Normally I would recommend an inexpensive nikon ais 24mm f2.8 but you already have 28mm covered with your tamron. The logical choice would be to go to 20mm nikon ais. Some available here
http://www.keh.com/search?store=cam...de=Class&grade=Grade&sprice=0&eprice=0&r=SE&e

 

[J Davis]

I just noticed you had the kit lens. So 18mm is not wide enough? If you have to go wider than 18mm the the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 is the clear choice. They also hold their resale value very well.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

Hi. scratch anything with the word 'fisheye' in its description as it is unsuitable for 99.9% of narrative shots. Y...

How severe a negative would that fisheye factor be though since the Canon T2i sensor has a 1.6x conversion factor? So if a lens is 15mm, in reality it is more like 24mm if comparing to a full frame 35mm film camera.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

I just noticed you had the kit lens. So 18mm is not wide enough? If you have to go wider than 18mm the the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 is the clear choice. They also hold their resale value very well.

Just that prime lenses have much sharper edges and are faster. But you are right in that I would not buy an 18mm prime unless it was significantly faster that the 18mm I get on the zoom lens I have.

 

[J Davis]

Hi Randall, swing by your local camera store, they should let you try a fisheye on your camera, take a few pics in the store and look at the straight lines. For me any fisheye is useless but there's a slim chance it might serve your purpose. I'm willing to bet that it won't.

As for the lenses you have ... you can already shoot at f3.5 at 18mm. Lets say you are shooting your interior close ups at 50mm f4 (to keep actors in focus) then you should be able to light your interior establishing shot and get it at f3.5. The new lenses you are looking at that are f2.8 are only half a stop brighter.