Help selecting a wide angle lens (Page 2): I have the 17- 40 mm and find it fine. The setting the f stop at f11. The mid range of a lens is the best.

studavis

I have the 17- 40 mm and find it fine. The setting the f stop at f11. The mid range of a lens is the best.

bud 77 Loc: Long Beach, WA

studavis wrote:

I have the 17- 40 mm and find it fine. The setting the f stop at f11. The mid range of a lens is the best.

Thank you. I have tried larger apertures (f8 -f11) and not seen to much difference but The old saying practice makes perfect is right I guess. I will keep trying.

bud 77 Loc: Long Beach, WA

bull drink water wrote:

if you have a real good nifty fifty try that. since you are using a tripod try stitching 2-4 shots together. landscapes do not always mean wide angle or panoramic shots.

Thank you. I have a 50mm f1.4. I will give that a try.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

An UW prime for crop sensor would be the Korean 8 mm. I had a chance to buy one and to try it out. It was just too wide. If and when I get to FF I am looking to get 15 mm. That may be used on a 5 D 10, HaHaHa.

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

Hi, You may want to look at KEH.com for a used Canon EF-S 10-22mm USM lens. KEH rates there used lenses very conservatively so look for one rated E or E+. It will look like new when it arrives. You'll also save money on the used lens. KEH also has a great trial period, and warranty.

B

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Echo the Canon 10-18!!! It is for APS-C sensors and @ $299.00 can't beat that value!

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

bud 77 wrote:

Hello UHHers br I need a little help here. I like ... (show quote)

Is f22 the optimum aperture for sharpness with your lens? Have you tested it at each lens opening on a tripod using your exposure techniques to see which f stop is sharpest? Is your tripod sturdy? Not using the extended center column? Are you sure it is lens sharpness, and not a possible back or front focus issue , or wind shake during a long exposure? tell us more of what you are shooting and post an example.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

romanticf16 wrote:

Is f22 the optimum aperture for sharpness with your lens? Have you tested it at each lens opening on a tripod using your exposure techniques to see which f stop is sharpest? Is your tripod sturdy? Not using the extended center column? Are you sure it is lens sharpness, and not a possible back or front focus issue , or wind shake during a long exposure? tell us more of what you are shooting and post an example.

f/22???? Not an aperture that I would use if I wanted sharp images. By f/11 for most lenses things start going downhill, most lenses are their sharpest between f/5.6 and f/8.0

Maybe the OP is confusing DOF with Sharpness.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Bob Yankle wrote:

Canon 16-35mm f/4L IS is the latest and greatest, but the slightly older (and less expensive) 17-40mm f/4L is equally as sharp, but doesn't have image stabilization. However, as you shoot from a tripod, that shouldn't matter in the least. (Used - "Like New" at Amazon.com for $575.00). I own them both and have used them extensively.

Actually, the 17-40/f4 does not even come close to the sharpness compared to the 16-35/f4!! ( I used to have the 17-40, but prefer the 16-35/2.8 II over it, because besides other things, it is sharper, but even the 16-35/f2.8 II can not match the sharpness of the 16-35/f4)!

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

Blurryeyed wrote:

f/22???? Not an aperture that I would use if I wanted sharp images. By f/11 for most lenses things start going downhill, most lenses are their sharpest between f/5.6 and f/8.0

Maybe the OP is confusing DOF with Sharpness.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/diffraction-photography.htm

What you say is true. I checked at photozone.de and it appears this lens is sharpest at f/5.6 or f/8 for most focal lengths. Surprisingly it is sharpest at 15mm wide open according to their test results.

At the f/22 that the OP has used the lens is probably getting a little soft due to diffraction.

I generally shoot at f/8 with most of my lenses....usually a good choice for maximum (or near maximum) sharpness with many lenses.

rocketride Loc: Upstate NY

bull drink water wrote:

if you have a real good nifty fifty try that. since you are using a tripod try stitching 2-4 shots together. landscapes do not always mean wide angle or panoramic shots.

If you do a panoramic, try shooting the individual frames in portrait mode and take enough so you have about 1/3 overlap between frames.

daddybear Loc: Brunswick, NY

Linda From Maine wrote:

I have a T3i and am one of the very happy 10-18 mm users (note that it has image stabilization). Here are some shots:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-244382-1.html

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-232036-1.html

I have a T3I and am one of the very happy Tokina 10-16 f2.8,
non-IS users

bud 77 Loc: Long Beach, WA

romanticf16 wrote:

Is f22 the optimum aperture for sharpness with your lens? Have you tested it at each lens opening on a tripod using your exposure techniques to see which f stop is sharpest? Is your tripod sturdy? Not using the extended center column? Are you sure it is lens sharpness, and not a possible back or front focus issue , or wind shake during a long exposure? tell us more of what you are shooting and post an example.

Here is a sample:Canon 50D, f22, 1/80 sec, ISO 100, manual, focal length 35mm with a EFS 15-85 shot on a Manfrotto 055 CXPro3 center column collapsed down, Shutter release 2sec delay.Thank all of you for the input but my question about a prime lens remains unanswered.

imagesintime Loc: small town, mid-America

bud 77 wrote:

Hello UHHers br I need a little help here. I like ... (show quote)

I suggest you google 'lens diffraction' and stop using f/22. Probably will save you the money of buying a new lens.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

imagesintime wrote:

I suggest you google 'lens diffraction' and stop using f/22. Probably will save you the money of buying a new lens.

We have already suggested diffraction to you and I posted a link in an earlier comment, another concept that will help you out a great deal in shooting landscapes is hyperfocal distance, here is a link for that....

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/hyperfocal-distance.htm

If you still feel the need for a prime lens, Canon will soon be releasing a 24mm pancake that will price in the $160 range, it will have 7 curved aperture blades and if it performs as well as the 40mm pancake it will be quite the value. If you are looking for the best wide angle primes and money is not a major concern.... well then

Sigma has a 35mm f/1.4 that is supposed to be exceptional although you may find it a bit long, Canon has a 28mm f/2.8 IS that is highly regarded, and they have a few L lenses that are wider and faster but again, like the Sigma lens you are getting into serious money. I am surprised that you are finding your 15-85 soft, it may be the very small aperture that you are using, I find mine to be very sharp, but I rarely shoot above f/11, I do have a vignetting problem with that lens, but have never considered it to be soft.