Beginner Needs Input

I'm pretty much of a beginner and am looking for some advice. I have a Canon Rebel XT and am thinking about getting a wide angle lens, if they aren't too expensive. What would be a decent, entry-level lens for a beginner who just shoots for pleasure, vacations, etc? Any advice would be appreciated.

sigma 10-20 =)...you would really enjoy that lens

+1 for the sigma 10-20. It was my first wide angle lens and it blew me away. You'll be amazed by how much you can take in with it. Check out the lens archive for the 10-20 and see for yourself.

Sigma 10-20 is an ultra wide angle. 17mm is wide angle. But if your looking for a cheap ultra wide then the sigma is the way to go.

do you have the kit (18-55) if that's not wide enough (and it's not really too wide), I'm another one that will advise the 10-20 sigma... One of my friends owns it and I borrow it once in a while and it's wiiiide loads of fun!

Another vote for the Sigma 10-20 (on the Rebel XT). It's a great lens and you can have some creative fun with the distortion at 10mm.

Kathy without knowing what you have It is difficult to help. If you don't have lenses wider than a normal lens, typically 50 or so mm in focal length I would recommend one of the new 18-55 IS kit lenses or the Canon 17-85 f4.0-5.6 IS
http://www.pixel-peeper.com/lenses/?len​s=13

If you have a lens in this range and want something wider I have and recomend the Sigma 10-20 mm ultra wide. However at it's widest it is Very wide

http://www.pixel-peeper.com/lenses/?len​s=3

Canon also makes an ultra wide EF-s 10-22 which is a little longer at it's long end but is also more expensive.
http://www.pixel-peeper.com/lenses/?len​s=12

I hope this helps rather than confuses the issue.

Wayne

I recently purchased a Canon ef-s 10-22, but I was having a hard time between all the options. I chose the 10-22 (used) because I could get it for less then the price of a sigma 10-20 new.

When i was choosing, many people told me I could go wrong with many of the choices:

Tokina 11-16
Tokina 12-24
Canon 10-22
Sigma 10-20

All of these lenses get a lot of respect from POTN members.

Hi and welcome Kathy,

Yep, I agree with bigland, this it the list to chose from (listed in order of cost low to high)

Sigma 10-20
Tokina 11-16
Canon 10-22

There are pluses and minuses for each so look for reviews of them and go with the one that fits your budget.

I left out the Tokina 12-24 as its not wide enough to be with the others The loss of 2mm is quite noticeable at this focal length.

Start with something like the new 18-55 IS lens.

XTshooter wrote in post #6358590
Another vote for the Sigma 10-20 (on the Rebel XT). It's a great lens and you can have some creative fun with the distortion at 10mm.

Does anyone have some pics of the sigma at 10mm with that distortion you are talking about?

Kathy,
If you think you'll ever move to a FF sensor, consider the Sigma 12-24 (Popeye). One advantage of the Popeye, is there is no linear distortion (the edges do not curve). This lens will cover the full frame sensor. Real nice for real-estate work inside houses because of the straight lines.

If you are looking for something wider than the kit 18-55, and you are not thinking in terms of full frame, and some mild distortion os OK, then the Siggy 10-20 is fun, too.