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Good wide angle zooms
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:45 pm    Post subject: Good wide angle zooms Reply with quote

Hi,

Unlike most of you I like zooms for the versatility (however, I am on holidays now and most of the time I am having my Flekto 20/4 in my 30D).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, any recommendation on a good short zoom, kind of 17-40 or 17-55, but MF and as fast as possible?

As always, thanks,

Fer


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think pretty good one Tamron SP-24-48mm
Tamron SP-28-80
Tamron SP 35-80


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Attila,

I have already the Tamron SP 35-80 and I was looking for something really wide, something starting at 20 or less if possible...

Any ideas?

Regards,

Fer


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fernanrl wrote:
Thanks Attila,

I have already the Tamron SP 35-80 and I was looking for something really wide, something starting at 20 or less if possible...

Any ideas?

Regards,

Fer


I never seen any in MF.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

... Crying or Very sad in that case my other option is to change my 30D for a full frame camera so the lenses work as they should (my widest is a 20 but because of the crop behaves like a 32...)

I guess that then that Tamron you mention would do me good.

In the mean time, since I am not going to change my camera, please keep me updated if you see something around.

Many thanks,

Fer


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Good Wide Angle Zoom


That goes into a sentence like:

"Military Intelligence"
"Honest Politician"
or "Reasonable Woman"

Sorry, I think it is as rare as unobtainium in manual focus.

Allegedly Nikon has a 16-? AF Zoom lens that is well respected.
Also very expensive Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a Panagor 18-28 but it was slow (f/4.5-5.6 if I remember correctly).

But why, why zoom?
Especially in super wideangle, they are pest.
Making a good performing superwide zoom is nearly imopssible. The reason is the extremeness of the optical scheme and the necessity of changing focal lenght with zoom which means impossibility to optimize image quality for everything. A simple few numbers difference (say from 15mm to 18mm), which would be insignificant for a tele zoom, means a world of difference for a superwide zoom.
Canon is trying to make superwide zooms because exactly of people wanting the zooms, but their results are poor.

Take with you a good superwide.
If you need a smaller FOV, just crop the photo!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have not seen MF zoom starting from less than 20mm, but
AF Tamron 17-35/2.8-4 is a good candidate, since this lens can be
used as an MF lens. Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Orio wrote:
I had a Panagor 18-28 but it was slow (f/4.5-5.6 if I remember correctly).

But why, why zoom?
Especially in super wideangle, they are pest.
Making a good performing superwide zoom is nearly imopssible. The reason is the extremeness of the optical scheme and the necessity of changing focal lenght with zoom which means impossibility to optimize image quality for everything. A simple few numbers difference (say from 15mm to 18mm), which would be insignificant for a tele zoom, means a world of difference for a superwide zoom.
Canon is trying to make superwide zooms because exactly of people wanting the zooms, but their results are poor.

Take with you a good superwide.
If you need a smaller FOV, just crop the photo!


I agree with Orio, I never seen good wide zoom.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have two really good MF wide angle zooms!
But they do not start at such a wide angle. As the others wrote, there are no good lenses which start at under 24mm!

Tokina AT-X 2.8/24-40

This is a very nice lens!

Hoya HMC 3.5/25-42 Zoom&Macro

This is also a nice lens, a little more distortion and a little slower than the Tokina.

Sigma Zoom-Y AF 3.5-4.2/21-35 MC

Not an MF lens, but with its all metal body it feels like one. Optically even better than the Tokina and the Hoya. Wide open some problems with flare when pointed directly towards the sun.

BTW, I would sell the Hoya and/or the Sigma!


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:
I think pretty good one Tamron SP-24-48mm
Tamron SP-28-80
Tamron SP 35-80


Attila you forget the 21/35 sigma (2 versions: 1st version was 2 rings/2nd n was one touch) which was the VERY FIRST zoom starting under 24 (along with the canon 20/35) and had a very very good quality
(ps : I sell my 21/35 one touch/ om mount)

You also forget the sigma 18/35 (2 touch) wich is the same than the af version and got the best quality in amateur photography (uk) test ("sound quality") + The 94/95 TIPA award for "best lens" (ps: i keep mine !)


Last edited by PBFACTS on Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:27 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LucisPictor wrote:
Sigma Zoom-Y AF 3.5-4.2/21-35 MC
Not an MF lens, but with its all metal body it feels like one. Optically even better than the Tokina and the Hoya


It also exists in MF ((i sell mine in om mount) and i confirm the very good quality

All pics are made with it (direct scan/no post at all)/ the boats are slightly out of focus






PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use a Tokina AT-X 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 lens on my Nikon F3HP, and have found it to be an excellent lens.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

F16SUNSHINE wrote:
Allegedly Nikon has a 16-? AF Zoom lens that is well respected.
Also very expensive Wink


The 17-35/2.8D AF-S is a remarkable performer. I paid 900 for mine used, I've seen them go for 800-1100 EUR. It's D-series that means aperture can be set on the body (unlike the newer Nikkor G-series). The AF-S means you can override focus even in AF mode. Of course you can set it to Manual focusing.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 8:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Good wide angle zooms Reply with quote

fernanrl wrote:

Unlike most of you I like zooms for the versatility (however, I am on holidays now and most of the time I am having my Flekto 20/4 in my 30D).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, any recommendation on a good short zoom, kind of 17-40 or 17-55, but MF and as fast as possible?


Unfortunately for a wide angle on DX, modern zooms are the only game in town below 20mm. There are rectilinear primes below 20mm but there are not many, some are very expensive and many are not very good in fact (being designed as ultrawides for full frame).

Have you considered the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8? It has a reasonably sized focus ring (although only a short focus throw).


PostPosted: Mon May 11, 2009 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oi!!! Who's in Tralee?!!?!

HELLO FROM GALWAY!


PostPosted: Mon May 11, 2009 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got the Sigma 21-35mm AF lens & like Carsten said, it's nice & sharp but prone to flare....There is a MF version of the lens as well, but it didn't score as well on photodo's MTF ratings....


PostPosted: Tue May 12, 2009 12:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Good wide angle zooms Reply with quote

ChrisLilley wrote:
fernanrl wrote:

Unlike most of you I like zooms for the versatility (however, I am on holidays now and most of the time I am having my Flekto 20/4 in my 30D).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, any recommendation on a good short zoom, kind of 17-40 or 17-55, but MF and as fast as possible?


Unfortunately for a wide angle on DX, modern zooms are the only game in town below 20mm. There are rectilinear primes below 20mm but there are not many, some are very expensive and many are not very good in fact (being designed as ultrawides for full frame).

Have you considered the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8? It has a reasonably sized focus ring (although only a short focus throw).


I had the same thoughts. For Crop-Bodies there seem no real UW lenses available in good old MF quality. The mentioned Tokina is a pretty good performer, besides some flare issue (which is neglectable in my opinion).
If ultrawide is not eh premium target --> Zeiss Flektogon 20/4.0 Smile


PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Finally pulled the trigger on a SMC Pentax-M 24-35mm F3.5. Which completes my Pentax-m zooms collection (except for the 24-50mm, but I have the Pentax-A version)


PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For crop body applications, I've found that it's best just to buy lenses designed for them. Ultrawides designed for 35mm cameras just don't work very well on them. I have both a Tamron and a Tokina 17mm f/3.5 and their performance on my crop body digitals are sub-par.

For 35mm or full-frame use, then it's a different matter. I own both a Vivitar S1 24-48 and a Tamron SP 24-48 and they are both great performers. I also own a Tamron AF 24-70 Aspherical that I bought new back in 1994 that is a very nice lens. But it is AF, so . . .


PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
For crop body applications, I've found that it's best just to buy lenses designed for them. Ultrawides designed for 35mm cameras just don't work very well on them. I have both a Tamron and a Tokina 17mm f/3.5 and their performance on my crop body digitals are sub-par.

For 35mm or full-frame use, then it's a different matter. I own both a Vivitar S1 24-48 and a Tamron SP 24-48 and they are both great performers. I also own a Tamron AF 24-70 Aspherical that I bought new back in 1994 that is a very nice lens. But it is AF, so . . .


I’ve had multiple copies of both versions of the Tamron 17mm and cannot recommend it for full frame use either.

The Tamron 24-48 is OK and, as it stands my copy of the Sigma 21-35 (second version) is OK on the Eos R and recommend. It is certainly sharper and with better colour than my FD 20-35 L on first comparison.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a cosina 19-35. its AF but in Nikon fit its got an aperture ring.. Its my go to wide.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 3:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most wide angle zoom produced during the 80s and 90s are somewhat between 18-35. For MILC cameras, we can have some decent 16-28 or we can go to more extreme 12-24. I am going to post my result on the laowa 12-24 which i found will be a good lens for full frame MILC cameras.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Canon's 10-20 is great for crop sensors, with Sigma's 10-22 also being a good one.
These were designed for crop sensors, though, so not for full-wide use on FF bodies.
Both can be switched between AF and MF modes.

But for the full-frame 5D4, I grabbed a Rokinon 14mm 2.8.
It's extremely wide for FF, and my copy is fortunately a sharp one
with great color rendition.

Tamron's MF SP 28-80 has served me extremely well with both crop and FF bodies,
and remains my favorite all-purpose, go-to lens. It's just so satisfyingly well-built
and solid that I love it. I actually have two copies of this lens, the optics of both
being quite equal, with cosmetic flaws more pronounced on one, and mechanical
operation being identical to both.
The wider range is very noticeably more with a FF body than with a cropped sensor.


But honestly, the problem I've seen(in the past), is that vintage MF ultra-wide lenses
were a supremely high-cost option when in good to fair condition.
There are now many lower-cost modern options from Chinese and Korean
manufacturers which are also MF, but the cost of admission is only
2 to 3 hundred, as opposed to the thousands for buying vintage.
Just buy what you can afford, don't be a 'purist' if you can't obtain anything
for more than you are able to spend, and enjoy what you are able to
obtain and use. I didn't know anything about a couple of my favorite lenses,
and they were unknown to me as I began my quest, while they turned out
to be great lenses at a cheap cost, and even in nearly-new condition.
Take some risk or gamble on chance: you'll likely end up being surprised.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 07, 2022 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've seen many crap wide angle zooms.

But some I had that were very good, for example:

Pentax M 28-50 (or was it 55?) 3.5-4.5. Compact, low on distortion (!)

Nikon AF 35-80/4-5.6 (the early made-in-japan version with a real focus ring). Very good performer, sold it, bought it again. Then sold it out of need, however would gladly buy another one.

Pentax 35-70/4. Another very good lens. It was attached to a Pentax LX so the owner had the budget for any fine lens.

Canon EF 28-70/3.5-4.5. That's a well kept secret really. Very good lens, used it a lot.