Recommendations for wide angle lens

[Digifrog]

Helloo

I was wondeing if anyone can give me an idea for a GooooooD wide angle lens. The wider the better, budget £250-300. It will need to be a Nikon fit (D80), and be a storming good all round WA lens. Any images given as an example of the lens' capability will be very appreciated. No Fisheyes please.

Many thanks.

Scott

[zan]

I use Canon, so I can't advise you on Nikon lenses, but have a look at the Sigma 10-20mm. From what I hear it's a very good lens (as long as you get a good copy - Sigma's quality control is a bit notorious, but they have excellent customer service and will correct any issues as necessary).

I eventually opted for a 10-17 tokina fisheye, to suit my UW photography, but I was very close to buying the sigma for a long time!

Zan

[davetucker]

Hi I would second the Sigma 10-20mm lens, I have one and the quality of landscape images is very acceptable

Dave
The Yorkshire Birder

[glsammy]

I also have the Sigma 10-20mm and rate it very highly, a very versatile lens. One of my favourites.

Not many images here taken with it, but a few

Firstly used as a close up flower lens:



A bit hard to tell the real quality from these, but some night scene shots:



These were both taken at the 20mm end.

[HowlinWolf]

Originally Posted by Digifrog

Helloo

I was wondeing if anyone can give me an idea for a GooooooD wide angle lens. The wider the better, budget £250-300. It will need to be a Nikon fit (D80), and be a storming good all round WA lens. Any images given as an example of the lens' capability will be very appreciated. No Fisheyes please.

Many thanks.

Scott

If you want a good wide angle zoom (and I mean good), I suggest saving for longer and get the Nikkor 12-24 f/4 lens. Although not at its best at 12mm, the rest of the focal lengths are excellent, with edge-to-edge sharpness, no chromatic aberration and no optical vignetting that is the bain of the wide angle lens. Plus, it's constant aperture.

HW

[Oy]

Originally Posted by HowlinWolf

If you want a good wide angle zoom (and I mean good), I suggest saving for longer and get the Nikkor 12-24 f/4 lens. Although not at its best at 12mm, the rest of the focal lengths are excellent, with edge-to-edge sharpness, no chromatic aberration and no optical vignetting that is the bain of the wide angle lens. Plus, it's constant aperture.

HW

Or even better - the newer Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8. I have it and it's a stonking lens!

On a budget - the Sigma 10-20mm takes some beating!

[eeyore]

I'm another sigma 10-20 user and rate it highly - however boddie had/has the sigma 12-24 (which for reasons i dont quite get actually has a wider anfle iof view at the 12mm end than the 10mm ) and using them side by side i came to the conclusion that the 12-24 was the better lens - however it is arround 100 quid more so it should be really.

[HowlinWolf]

Originally Posted by Oy

Or even better - the newer Nikkor 14-24mm F2.8. I have it and it's a stonking lens!

Agreed. It's the lens I'm going to replace my 12-24 with when the D700 comes out!

HW

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Digifrog

I was wondeing if anyone can give me an idea for a GooooooD wide angle lens. The wider the better, budget £250-300. It will need to be a Nikon fit (D80), and be a storming good all round WA lens. Any images given as an example of the lens' capability will be very appreciated. No Fisheyes please.

I'm not sure what you want this lens for.

However, if it is just a few in-house shots, or landscapes you could do what my daughter does - she does wedding photography work in south Africa on a very tight budget - which is take two shots and stitch them as panorama in Photoshop or whatever. So she gets away with no wide angle lens, and reckons it takes no longer than changing lenses on a shoot to do the stitching later when she is in any case stuck in front of the computer for 2-3 days (and time at a shoot is often important in her work).

[Digifrog]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

I'm not sure what you want this lens for.

However, if it is just a few in-house shots, or landscapes you could do what my daughter does - she does wedding photography work in south Africa on a very tight budget - which is take two shots and stitch them as panorama in Photoshop or whatever. So she gets away with no wide angle lens, and reckons it takes no longer than changing lenses on a shoot to do the stitching later when she is in any case stuck in front of the computer for 2-3 days (and time at a shoot is often important in her work).

Hi

It will be used for cityscape/landscape and the lens will often be used with a 10 stop ND filter. Yet another wallet emptying must.

Thanks for the suggestions. The Sigma 10-20mm is a good call (in my budget range) but I also have come to view that the Sigma 12-24mm as being a better lens (even if it's slightly out of my price range). The 12-24mm offers 122 degrees angle of shot as opposed to the 102 degrees from the 10-20mm. As for the Nikkor 14-24mm... not sure. At £1050.00 a bit pricey perhaps.

Scott