Advice needed...some quick responses please

[jmiller66]

I need a wide angle lens for team pics. Has anyone used Sigma's 17-70 2.8-4.5 DC Macro. Is it sharp enough for individual portraits? I currently use a 70-200 4.0 L but sometimes I feel like I'm in another state when I shoot team pictures.

[sirsloop]

the 70-200/4L probably isnt a bad lens for single portraits. Its super sharp, and if you can take a couple steps back and zoom in a little you can really blow out the background nicely. The 85/1.8 comes to mind as well for this task.

In order to not distort people on team shots... I'm thinking you'll want to be somewhere around 30-35mm minimum focal length. A prime will work well. If you go ultra wide, the people on the ends may look distorted. Canon 35/2 or Sigma 30/1.4 would be good choices to investigate. Both are very sharp stopped down.

[jmiller66]

I have a 1.6x body so is it 30-35 mm before or after the conversion factor.

[sirsloop]

30-35mm on a 1.6x camera. Thats roughly a 50mm (normal) lens.