sploo wrote in post #15995886
Consider the Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 14mm. The quality control is, errr... variable, but if you get a good one (send bad ones back for replacement) then it's really very good indeed.
I'm told that the internals aren't that great in terms of build quality (i.e. not the most robust) but I've had one for quite a while, it's travelled a fair bit, and I've been very pleased with it. For the price it's a great optic.
This. But I'd emphasize the QC issue, and based on my experience, great copies are the exception rather than the rule. I had to return two to Amazon before scoring the third time, and that was a lot of hassle, especially as they became reluctant on my second return. However, the final copy I got is rather amazingly sharp in the corners from about f/5.6 down.
I also have the 17-40L. If you want decent corners, you're talking f/9 or f/10 down. I mean, I expect a big dropoff as you approach wide open (f/4 for this lens), but I seriously feel like even f/8 (which was my go-to aperture on crop) is noticeably weaker than f/10. This is highly annoying in situations where light isn't of the utmost abundance, since it requires either a tripod or upping the ISO. But, in the end, I've decided it's the right tool for my job. Aside from the corner sharpness weakness, it's very well-built and has great colors and contrast, especially for the price ($500-550 used).
