Best Ultra Wide Lens

I vote for Tokina 11-16 based on Photozone results and my experience with the 12-24, which has superb build and excellent IQ. Something else I have not seen mentioned is the advantage of the focus clutch mechanism. I was shooting in extremely low light one night and with USM the focus would hunt, camera would not shoot without focus lock, and AF/MF switch was hard to find. With the Tokina, you just slide the focus ring inward and you're done!

I've had the Sigma 10-20, Canon 10-22 and Tokina 11-16. The Tokina is the sharpest from edge to edge and has the best build quality--it's a joy to work with. In my opinion, it's the best choice for landscape work. The narrow zoom range keeps the IQ high at all settings and gives you just the amount of play you'd need to tweak a composition. But if you're looking for an UWA 'walkaround' lens, I'd say the Canon is your best bet. It has the widest zoom range, has less distortion on the wide-end and is sharp as well. It's great to have so many excellent options! Good luck, Mike

thats nice, I never tried that system but from what I hear its a huge advantage

OOPS! I think Tokina makes the new 11-16mm (DOAH!)
Tamron has announced a 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5, but don't know when it will be released. Could be a better bet than the Sigma as it's longer and almost a stop faster at the long end. One complaint about my Sigma is the f/5.6 at the long end.

egordon99 wrote in post #5508426
Tokina 10-17mm is fisheye, TAMRON 11-16mm is a (fast!) rectilinear.

Jman13 wrote in post #5508276
I also love my Tokina 12-24.

Send for 12-24 Tokina.. Love it

I'm not a huge Ken Rockwell fan, but the link below is an interesting comparison of UWA lenses.

I recently tried a Canon 10-22 and a Tokina 12-24. The Tokina is a very solid lens, much better build then the Canon for less money, but I wanted the extra 2mm so I bought the Canon.

I've found Sigma's to be crapshoots quality-wise and I haven't tried the Tamron. Good luck!

http://www.kenrockwell​.com …wide-zooms/comparison.htm

dino8031 wrote in post #5509471
I'm not a huge Ken Rockwell fan...

Is anyone?

Thanks for all the advice guys, it is really hard choosing a lens. I really like the Canon and the Tokina, think I will have to toss a coin to choose.

It's a tough call between the Canon and Tokina. It really comes down to the way you'd use the lens. If you plan on doing only ultra wide work at 11mm, or shooting in quite low light then the Tokina has the edge. It is supposedly sharper and has a wider aperture.

Why go for the Canon? Firstly it's still a very sharp lens and if you only plan on using the lenses at f/8 in sunshine, the Tokina loses it's egde. Second the 17-22mm range turns the lens into a wide angle walk around. The extra range and lower distortion allow you to take full length portaits. 16mm would be too wide for portraiture IMO. Finally, the Canon has a closer minimum focusing distance (24cm) vs the Tokina (30cm). Maybe not so important but it makes it easier to do do those funky distorted perspective shots.

I've not owned the Tokina so I can't comment on it's particulars.

i bought a canon to use canon lenses

Sigma 10-20 is a great lens if you get a good un!

I would however get the Canon if i had the cash. The Sigma is cheaper and you get a hood with it.

No probs with mine.

Best Regards

Ian

ninext wrote in post #5514033
i bought a canon to use canon lenses

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

the only third party lenses i'd buy are the ones canon can't cover. like the peleng 8mm.

I don't understand this...so you'll use a Canon lens over a third party lens even when the third party lens is superior to the Canon lens for less money? Just to have 'Canon' on the barrel? In my opinion, one of the best things about the Canon system is that you have access to the full Canon lineup, plus all of Sigma, Tamron and Tokina's lenses, as well as a huge number of older (and in some cases spectacular) manual focus lenses like Carl Zeiss, Leica, Olympus, Pentax, and Nikon. It's wonderful.

Try finding something in the Canon lineup for $250 that can match my Zeiss Sonnar 85 f/2.8. In fact, the cheapest lens that gets you that kind of image quality is probably the 135L. Now, I'm obviously not a Canon hater...I've got 4 Canon lenses and have owned three others (50 f/1.8, 135L and 80-200L), and they are great, but I'll never turn down fantastic glass at a great price just to have the Canon brand name on it.

I just got the Tokina 12-24 and love it. Colors are near "L" quality, and build is super.

I have had the Canon f10-22 for over 2 years and it has been a truely remarkable lens!

If it was my money I'd get the Tok 11-16 too. But that's just me.