New new lens/wider angle

I am in the market for a new lens....I need something wider than what I have. I am needing something to help get good group shots without standing too far back.
Thanks!

Wider than what? You've already got a 50mm and a 28-200. An 85 is more narrow than both of those.

My 28mm is from my film camera so I lost the width on it, and I can never get a group shot with my 50mm without backing waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up.....

This is confusing. Your 28-200 can work on your dSLR, it simply has framing similar to 1.6x focal length, as used on a film SLR. So 'wider' to people owning that lens would mean anything less than 28mm -- which is why you are confusing us in asking about 85mm lens!

3kids1036 wrote in post #2002951
My 28mm is from my film camera so I lost the width on it, and I can never get a group shot with my 50mm without backing waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up.....

Then 85mm would be exactly the opposite of what you want.

Oh ok. I see what you are saying. Didn't mean to be confusing. I was under the assumption that the 85 was wider than what I had and would allow me to get better group shots, without having to back up so far.

angryhampster wrote in post #2002984
Then 85mm would be exactly the opposite of what you want.

So what would you suggest?

There's a group buy going on now....8mm Peleng

https://photography-on-the.net …t=212107&highli​ght=peleng

on second thought.. this may be too wide and not the right lens for what you're doing.

3kids1036 wrote in post #2002994
So what would you suggest?

It all depends on your budget, really. I'd personally suggest a superwide zoom. Sigma makes a 10-20mm lens with FANTASTIC quality that can be had for under $450. The Canon 10-22mm (also superb quality) is a couple hundred more. Tokina makes a 12-24mm lens as well.

Check out the lens sample images archive for examples:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=141406

3kids1036 wrote in post #2002994
So what would you suggest?

What I replied in my first message...ANYTHING WIDER (smaller number focal length) than 28mm.... less than 28mm... falling into 10-24 mm

Ok, can you explain this lens to me? I am a newbie to the lens thing. This won't give me too much distortion?

With the 20D's crop factor it'll put it about 16mm on the wide angle which will slightly bend your horizon (not badly I shouldn't think) and fixable in photoshop. It's about as wide as I'd go (I use a 17mm on a FF with the same type of effect) in order to not have distortion. If it was made for a FF, I'd be considering this lens. It's supposed to be fantastic if you like wide angles.

Ok, thanks so much!!!!!!

Where does the Op mention the 85mm - I can only assume they have edited the original post?
For group shots I would not go any wider than about 17mm on a crop body, not unless you want people to look distorted at the edge of the frame...
Obviously there is the Canon 17-40L, 17-85mm IS or the new 17-70mm not to mention some from Sigma... but I'm not sure how much the OP wants to spend?

It really depends on the budget.

3kids1036 wrote in post #2003028
Ok, can you explain this lens to me? I am a newbie to the lens thing. This won't give me too much distortion?

'Distortion', with a very wide lens, is usually caused by 'perspective distortion' imagine how big someone's nose looks when you are 2" away from it, compared to the size of their ears. On your 20D, something between 15mm and 27mm is fairly modest and less likely to permit perspective distortion to enter the pictures you take. Unfortunately, for cameras like 20D, getting a fast wide angle lens is more problematic and expensive than a fast wide angle for a FF camera. For example, 15mm f/2 lens to be used on 20D would be exceeding difficult (impossible) to find, whereas a 24mm f/2 lens used on FF is easy to find. (That is one advantage to FF camera, but you would have to spend over 2x what you spent on your 20D to buy a 5D!)

15mm on 20D does not cause distortion at the edge of the frame, but it can certainly cause perspective distortion! I will state that 17mm would be better for people (groups) because it is less likely to cause perspective distortion than a 15mm focal length.