How wide do you need to go - that is the question. Not exactly Shakespeare, but the burning question to how to make the right choice. Since I've been posting images taken with the Sigma 12-24mm lens lately, our readers have been raising the question about which of the two lens to buy. I think the wide angle lens choice discussion is pertinent to what we do here so here goes. The widest angle lens you can get for the Canon 40D is the 10-22mm. That translates up to a 16-35mm for a full frame digital 35mm camera so we get a 108 degree field of view. Sigma's 12-24mm lens on the Canon 40D would be about a 95 degree field of view. On the Nikon side you can get a 12-24mm lens for their D200 and D300. This lens would give the same field of view as the Sigma lens on the Nikon cameras.
OK, now things get a bit more interesting because now we have two full frame camera choices both Canon and Nikon along with the each company's new APS size chip cameras (Canon 40D and D300.) In the APS size chip cameras, Canon has the widest with their 10-22mm on the 40D - I own it, I love it. You can't get any wider perspective on this type camera.
OK, now things get a bit more interesting because now we have two full frame camera choices both Canon and Nikon along with the each company's new APS size chip cameras (Canon 40D and D300.) In the APS size chip cameras, Canon has the widest with their 10-22mm on the 40D - I own it, I love it. You can't get any wider perspective on this type camera. If I were shooting Nikon and thinking of both their D300 and D3 I might opt for the 12-24mm Sigma, since it fits both cameras and Nikon doesn't have a wider variation lens for their D300. On the Canon side I love the Canon 5D/Sigma 12-24mm lens combo. Until Nikon introduced their D3 just recently, this was the widest angle camera/lens combo on the planet.
The bottom line for me was to get the Canon 10-22mm lens for my 40D. Since I opted for the 5D as well, I also own the Sigma 12-24mm lens. Final, final bottom line - Canon still makes the widest angle camera/lens combo for the APS based cameras - read 40D, 30D, 20D but on the full frame digitals, you now have two camera choices with the Sigma. Dare I mention the Sigma lens is about $50 less for the Nikon version. In any event, 122 degrees of view is unbelievably wide. Just be sure you don't turn your "people" subjects into Mr. or Ms. Gumby.
The bottom line for me was to get the Canon 10-22mm lens for my 40D. Since I opted for the 5D as well, I also own the Sigma 12-24mm lens. Final, final bottom line - Canon still makes the widest angle camera/lens combo for the APS based cameras - read 40D, 30D, 20D but on the full frame digitals, you now have two camera choices with the Sigma. Dare I mention the Sigma lens is about $50 less for the Nikon version. In any event, 122 degrees of view is unbelievably wide. Just be sure you don't turn your "people" subjects into Mr. or Ms. Gumby.
Sorry David,
ReplyDeletebut I really do not understand why you are leaving out the great Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 EX DC HSM IF in this comparison, which really acompains the Nikon and Canon DX bodies very well on the ultra wide side...
Hi, thanks for the great blog. I've got to chime in and agree on the Sigma 10-20 4-5.6 EX DC HSM. I picked this up over the Canon 10-20mm because after trying both, I couldn't rationalize the massive price difference for an almost imperceptible quality difference. The Sigma 10-20mm's been great for the last 3 months, and I'd highly recommend it to people looking for that super wide lens without the super premium price tag.
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Canon 10-22 all the way. After tests were run it's got the goods.
ReplyDeleteSorry about missing the Sigma lens - busy day. Thanks for the heads up. --David
ReplyDeletecanon 10-22 cool, Thanks for review, it was excellent and very informative.
ReplyDeletethank you :)