camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

With all due respect, if you are and advanced hobbyist for sure you know what a wide angle is capable of. Begin by understanding that while the foreground when using wide angle lenses is expanded the background is retracted. What I am saying is that your foreground gains in importance while your background recedes and becomes smaller in size. Because of this it is most important when using a wide angle to come closer to your subject. Composition needs attention because the majority of wide angles distort, specially near the corners although at the center barrel distortion is not that uncommon.

It is known that the best lens we can use when confronted with a subject is the lens we have at hand. It is our creativity and our expertise as a photographer what makes a difference.
Be assured the lens you want to buy will do its job if you do yours.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Gitchigumi and I have similar experiences with the Sigma 10-20 f/3.5. It is an older lens, very sharp from 10-20mm and it does have some barrel distortion that is easily corrected in LR. Just looked at KEH and they have one for Canon like new for $289.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I have and use the Canon 10-18, that would be my recommendation.

lehighjack Loc: somewhere in FL

I have a sigma 10-20 f 3.5 and used it for Real Estate photography on my APSC Sony A77m2. In use, it was a 15 - 30 effective picture. The color rendition is good and Lightroom adjusts the print to remove barrel distortion. NOW, I used it on my Full Frame Sony and find that for best effect, use it about 15-20 mm, and the 17mm seems to be the sweet spot. Anyway, it is a very good lens, reasonable new or used and worth investigating. Buy another lens with the $$$ you save. Have fun!!

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

You do not specify which Canon camera you're using.

If it is one of the APS-C "crop" models (currently 7D Mark II, 80D, 77D, T7i, SL3, T7 and earlier models in these series).... that lens will work.

If it's a full frame camera (6D-series, 5D-series, 1DX-series, 1Ds-series) or APS-H model (1D-series).... that lens will not work. It's a "crop only" lens, which Sigma designates "DC".

I'm going to assume you are using a Canon APS-C camera, and answer your questions accordingly.... ranking the lenses from "best" to "worst", in my opinion. Notice that there are a number of lenses I felt were "tied" for 4th place, for various reasons. Before purchasing mine, I tested a number of ultrawides myself, including many (but not all) the following:

#1 Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is the BEST you can get. It's well made, durable, has superb image quality throughout the zoom range and is highly resistant to flare. Moderate sized, it uses 77mm filters and currently costs $600. This makes it one of the more expensive, but I fell it's also one of the very best ultrawide, crop only lenses available. I bought mine used for around $400 and I feel it's very possibly the best ultrawide for crop cameras made by anyone (two Nikkors... 10-24mm and 12-24mm... are excellent too, but they are utterly ridiculously expensive and, of course, won't fit or work on Canon cameras). I use this lens now and the only thing I don't like about it is it's hood (sold separately) which is rather large diameter and hard to pack in my camera bag... But it works (I tested it), so I always use it on my lens.

#2 Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is the 2nd BEST you can buy. It's rather plasticky, but is one of the lightest weight and most compact. It also has excellent image quality and very good flare resistance, uses 67mm filters, and is one of very few ultrawide lenses that have image stabilization (maybe not necessary, but nice none-the-less)... best of all, it's also one of the most affordable at under $300.

Note: Both the above lenses do not include lens hood. As is the case with all Canon lenses except their L-series, the matched hoods are sold separately, but are highly recommended to protect the lens as well as improve image quality. The 10-22mm uses the EW-83E hood ($30), while the 10-18mm uses the EW-73C ($23). All the third party lenses listed below normally come with a matched lens hood included.

#3 Tokina AT-X Pro 12-28mm f/4 is very well made, looks and feels a lot like a Canon L-series lens. It's got very good image quality, uses 77mm filters and costs about $450. The earlier model 12-24mm f/4 (two versions, original and "II) is also very good and can be found used. After testing a bunch of different ultrawides, I ended up buying and using a 12-24mm for many years. (** See note about Tokina lenses below.)

#4 Tokina AT-X Pro 11-20mm f/2.8 is the only f/2.8 lens this wide. It has similar build quality to the 12-28 and 12-24mm, but is bigger and heavier. It uses 82mm filters and is currently on sale for about $470. The earlier model 11-16mm f/2.8 (two versions, original and "II") might be the sharpest ultrawide of all... however it's also the most prone to flare, which some users found to be a big problem. I ruled out the 11-16mm myself, due to the flare issues and because its got such a very narrow range of focal lengths (obviously). These f/2.9 Tokina are popular for night photography (astral, borealis, etc.) because they make for a bit brighter viewfinder with their larger max aperture. But, in fairness, the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 is only 2/3 stop different. (** See note about Tokina lenses below.)

Note: In the Canon mount, there is virtually no difference between the original and "II" versions of the earlier Tokina lenses. There were much bigger differences in the Nikon mount versions.

#4 Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 is a moderate sized lens with good build and good image quality, but was discontinued a few years ago and can now only be found used. The main thing I noticed when I tested this lens was that it had a tendency to render "coma", where specular highlights were distorted toward the edges. For example, if it were used to shoot a night sky, the stars in the corners would appear somewhat mis-shapened. Otherwise it's pretty good and reasonably well made. It sells for around $200.

#4 Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 is a big, heavy lens and one of the few of this type with a non-variable aperture. It has good build and image quality. Used to be one of the most expensive, but Sigma has drastically reduced the price the last year or two. I never tested this lens because it was too pricey and too big, compared to others I was considering. But it's now offered for $329. (Note: Many ultrawides have dropped significantly in price, ever since Canon shook things up when they introduced their EF-S 10-18mm.... the first UWA to cost less than $300 AND the first to have stabilization.)

#4 Tamron SP 10-24mm VC HLD is a significantly improved lens, with better image quality, more reliable focus, better build and image stabilization added... compared to an earlier version that I wouldn't rank as highly. The current lens is selling for $500, so is one of the more expensive. (If you shop used, you might find a Tamron 11-18mm, which was one of the first ultrawides for crop cameras. It isn't very good and should be avoided.)

#4 Sigma 8-16mm is the widest of the wide, aside from a fisheye lens. This is a somewhat specialized lens. It goes where no other lens does, but has some fairly strong inherent wide angle distortions and exaggerations (though not as much as a fisheye). It cannot be used with standard filters, due to a protruding convex front element and is one of the most expensive at $579 (on sale in Canon mount).

#5 Sigma 12-24mm (several versions, including current f/4 "Art") are actually full frame capable lenses. As such, they're big, heavy and expensive. They are among the widest lenses available (aside from fisheye) for full frame. But would be a waste of money if only planning to use them on a crop sensor camera. Current version costs $1600! Older versions typically sell for $500 and up on the used market.

#5 Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM is an absolutely amazing lens. But it's also a full frame design, which makes it big, heavy and very expensive. While it certainly would make superb images on crop cameras, much of the $2700 this lens costs would be wasted not using it on full frame.

There are also some prime lenses (not zooms) that are considered "ultrawide" on APS-C cameras (15mm or shorter focal length). Most people opt for a zoom, though... for the versatility. And for crop cameras, that's where the manufacturers have put most of their efforts.

Wide angle lenses of all types can be a bit challenging to use. Best way I can describe it, telephotos are sort of "subtractive".... they can isolate subjects from foregrounds, backgrounds and distractions around them. Wide lenses, on the other hand, are "additive"... their wide angle of view encompasses more objects sharply defined. Using wide lenses the photographer often has to balance and work with a more complex composition, than they do with a telephoto.

Wide lenses just can't be beat for a lot of things! But ultrawides in particular, and to a lesser degree wide angle lenses in general, also can have some distortion or exaggeration effects. They can be tricky to use for portraiture, for example. Also, objects near the edges and corners of the image area will distort to some extent... here's and example:



Notice how the car appears "stretched", the way the car tires appear to be different sizes (perspective exaggeration) and how the palm trees on the right appear to tilt (they are actually perfectly vertical).

These are natural wide angle effects that can never be completely avoided when using ultrawide lenses. But even slightly movements of the your positioning can change the effects and relationships of various objects in an image.

** Note regarding Tokina lenses above: All those lenses are somewhat unique. Tokina lenses use reverse rotating focus and zoom rings, as compared to Canon lenses (Tokina lenses rings rotate the same direction as Nikon... Tokina also uses the "DX" and "FX" designations, same as Nikon.) I wondered if this might be a problem when I bought a Tokina lens some years ago, but found it hardly noticeable when actually working with the lens.

Another thing that's unique about Tokina lenses is that they use a "focus clutch" mechanism. To shift the lens from manual to auto focus you slide the focus ring slightly forward or backward. As a result, when set to AF the lens' focus ring is disengaged. It has to be shifted to the MF setting if you want to tweak the focus manually. This is unlike Canon USM and STM lenses, as well as Sigma HSM and Tamron USD, which allow "full time manual focus" (Canon calls it "FTM") where you can tweak focus manually at any time, even while AF is still enabled. (DO NOT do this with Canon "micro motor" lenses, which tend to be more entry level and can be damaged if you override AF manually.) Again, I wondered if this might be a problem. I sometimes like to defocus a lens to cause the camera to refocus, which can be done quickly and easily with an FTM lens, but not with the Tokina focus clutch mechanism. However, in real world use I found it no problem, mainly because ultrawides such as these have so much depth of field that focus fine tuning or re-focusing is virtually never needed.

Finally, I also was a bit concerned that the micro motor focus drive of the Tokina would be slow... But it wasn't with these wide angle lenses because they only need to move their focus elements a little to go all the way from closest focus to infinity. In fact, the Tokina ultrawides (one of which I used extensively in the past) are quite fast focusing... near instantaneous.

Any worries about manual override and focus speed MIGHT be more of a concern with telephoto lenses, than it is with wide angles such as the above. I really don't know, because I don't use any Tokina telephotos.

Hope this helps! Have fun shopping.

jayluber Loc: Phoenix, AZ

My Sigma 14-24 Art lens is wonderful on my 6D and 77D. I feel like the clarity and color transmission are superior to the Canon 16-35 2.8 L. Just wish it went that extra 10mm.

rcarol

Why?

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I love my Nikon cameras. Nikon LOVES my money! In my humble opinion Nikon wants sin-fully ridiculous money for their lenses and accessories. More than $500 for a speedlight? A couple hundred for a battery grip? Other than their kit lenses and the 200 to 500mm f5.6 all my lenses and accessories are third party. And I'm convinced that it doesn't hurt my results one bit. I own the Tokina 11 to 16mm and it's sharper and every bit as good as any Nikon lens of similar make.

Keen

There is no such thing as "the best lens." Such wide lenses tend to produce vignetting, and softness, in the corners, and barrel distortion between the center, and edges. Most of the lenses in that range that I have seen are crop frame items. Prime lenses will always be slightly sharper than zoom lenses, but will you notice the difference? It depends upon how sharp your eyes are, and how much you enlarge the prints. If you don't mind carrying more lenses, go with primes. If you want fewer lenses in a smaller bag, go with fewer zooms. Many ultra wide zooms can not use screw in filters. You either go filter-less, or use a non screw in filter system, and suffer the vignetting, and flare that can produce. I prefer Primes, but do have some zooms. Your preferences, and pocketbook, will be the deciding factors. Some editing apps can correct the barrel distortion, and cropping can cut out the portions of an image which are soft, or has vignetting, so the 'flaws' of ultra wide lenses need not be a problem. I'm less familiar with modern made for Canon gear, as I am a Nikonian. Any of several wide angle lenses should suit you well enough. Whether you prefer screw in filters, or not, whether you can spend $1,000.00+, or want to get by for closer to $500.00, how much distortion you find acceptable, etc, will be for you to decide. I have heard nothing bad about Sigma. Youtube may have videos on the lens, as well as videos comparing it to Tamron, Canon, etc, counterparts....or not. Check, and see. One thing to consider.....A third party lens-Sigma, Tamron, etc-MAY fit your current Canon / Nikon camera, and function well enough with it....zooming, focusing, etc, as it should....BUT that may not always be so. Canon / Nikon may change it's system to the point where third party lenses will no longer mount, or will mount but not function, on their next round of cameras. If you have a dozen Tamron, Tokina, Sigma, etc, lenses, and suddenly can't use them on your next camera....a Canon 7D Mk2, or whatever....what will you do? If you stick to Canon lenses for Canon cameras, you will have fewer such incompatibility problems less often.

Jsykes

I bought an EFS 10 -18 for my Canon T6. Recommended by the UHH community and has proved absolutely terrific for Landscape

josquin1 Loc: Massachusetts

the Canon 10 - 18 also has image stability and that does come in handy. I've used it for over 3 years and it is very reliable.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

Fish eye lenses have have a fisheye effect. Corrected wide angle lenses do not. Focal length, however, affects perspective. Corrected wide angles have no more "distortion" than do telephoto lenses just a different kind. The sigma lens you mention is pretty good. The Tamron 10-24mm is even better optically. The Tamron lens has a somewhat smaller filter size making a bit more economical.

Incidently, fish-eye lenses can be defished in post (ans sometimes in Camera). The results can quite acceptable.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

This description is one of the best I've read in a long time - it will help anyone looking for a wide angle lens!

georgeretired Loc: Manitoba Canada

I have a 50D and 70D Canon. Bought the sigma 10-20, then returned it and got the Canon 10-22. I saw the difference and was comfortable with my final choice. It is wide, but like most things one buys, it takes time to lean and perfect your pictures with any lens. After staying with Canon, i.e.: 24-70 I bought my 70-200 from Sigma. Faster lens and great price.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

I use ultra wide angle when I want a more "intimate" {you are right there beside me} experience.

This view is 10mm ..... Sigma 10-20mm on APS-C camera.