How Wide Does a Wide Lens Need to Be?

Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

01/26/2009 07:28:21 PM · #1

OK, so I've decided that I'd like to get a lens wider zoom than the 18-200 I currently own. I've heard good things about the Pentax SMC-ED DA 16-45 mm f/4 which I'd quite like as an everday lens. It's also very reasonably priced.

So, a few questions for you:
1. Does anyone have any experience with this particular lens?
2. Is the 16mm really going to give me much more flexibility than my current 18mm?
3. Do those of you with 10-20mm or 12-24mm lenses find that you use the 10/12mm much or are you out more towards the 20/24mm end for most of your shooting?

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers,
Q.

Shutter-For-Hire

Nikon D90

01/26/2009 07:48:43 PM · #2

Hi, thint to consider is if you want a linear wide lens like the sigma 10-20mm or the tokina 12-24 / 11-16 or if you want a curcular wide lens like the nikon 10.5mm fisheye or Tokina ?10-16? fisheye...

linear will just make it really wide side to side mostly, but a circualr wide lens (fisheye) can give you 180 degrees in your pic from side to side... and you can get some really cool designs in your shot...

here is a pic I took with a 10.5mm circular wide lens (fisheye):

Note: I was standing directly under the sign for this one
.

Bugzeye

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

01/26/2009 07:50:13 PM · #3

I am not sure 16mm is going to give you a very noticable difference over the 18mm The question people are going to ask you here is, What are you planning on shooting the most?

Shutter-For-Hire

Nikon D90

Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

01/26/2009 07:51:25 PM · #4

I also took this with the fisheye lens... it was a Basic editing challenge, so there was no photoshop... the lens gets 180 degrees in the pic from corner to corner, so in order to do that, objects near teh edges curve in...

some like it, and some done... NOTE: a fisheye lens does NOT replace a linear wide lens likle the 10-20 / 12-24 lenses... they are unique in their own way...

.

Shutter-For-Hire

Nikon D90

Nikon AF Nikkor 24mm f/2.8D

01/26/2009 07:54:01 PM · #5

from what I hear, the 16-45 is just like Nikon's 16-85mm lens... it is not really meant to be a "wider" lens, it is just that much better with barrel distorsion, so it is more expensive... use your 18-200mm lens and open it up to 18mm, and take a pic of a door frame, the frame will be curved (distorted), try that with the 16-45mm at 18mm, and there will probably be much less distortion...

DelRioPhoto

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/26/2009 07:58:31 PM · #6

I have the 10-20mm Sigma lens. It is nice and wide, although I don't find that I use it very often. I am thinking of selling it since I don't use it very often. If you get desperate, drop me a note.

01/26/2009 07:59:40 PM · #7

Thanks for the replies. Much as I think a fish eye would be a cool tool to play with I'm after a linear wide lens for landscapes and the like. So, how often do those of you with ultra wide lenses use them at their widest?

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 G ED

01/26/2009 08:00:55 PM · #8

Originally posted by jahoward:

I have the 10-20mm Sigma lens. It is nice and wide, although I don't find that I use it very often. I am thinking of selling it since I don't use it very often. If you get desperate, drop me a note.

Tempting, but I assume your lens is a Nikon mount?

cgino

Nikon D810

01/26/2009 08:02:48 PM · #9

I have the 10-20mm Sigma and I use it more than any other lens. I'm always at 10mm. I love it for landscapes with big skies (we have great skies in NM), and I love the distortion it creates when used close up.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

01/26/2009 08:05:47 PM · #10

Originally posted by cgino:

Geez, you do some nice work with that lens. If I get one, am I guaranteed to take shots as good as yours?? :)

alanfreed

Nikon Z9

01/26/2009 08:07:30 PM · #11

I have the Sigma 10-20, and there are situations where it's really, really nice to have it. It's not the kind of lens I would typically keep on my camera all day, but there are times when you really need that extra width, and it's great for those occasions. It's awesome for certain landscape shots in particular. This is one that I never would have been able to pull off with a longer lens:

DelRioPhoto

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/26/2009 08:08:20 PM · #12

Oh, yah, woops. I didn't notice the pentax. I do find that I use it at 10mm most of the time. It does have some distortion at 10mm, but I find that if you're creative with it, the distortion can be fun. My favorite thing to do is get very close to the subject (whatever it is) and shoot really wide. It's a great look. Good luck deciding on a wide-angle. I agree with the above post saying that 16mm isn't going to give you much more than your 18mm. Another good wide angle I've heard is the Tamron 11-18mm. I hear that it is generally sharper than the Sigma, although I haven't seen one to compare. I don't know if they make a Pentax mount though.

DelRioPhoto

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

01/26/2009 08:09:27 PM · #13

Alan, that is a great shot! Perfect use for the 10mm.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

01/26/2009 08:12:02 PM · #14

I don't own the 16-45mm f4.0 but hope to help with some sample links:

Pixel-Peeper samples via Flickr
Pbase samples
Pentax Photo Gallery

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

01/26/2009 08:15:47 PM · #15

Thanks for the input everyone. I'll do some more homework before deciding.

Spork99

OM System OM-1

01/26/2009 10:55:07 PM · #16

Originally posted by Qiki:

1. No
2. Not a lot
3. If anything, I use my 12-24 almost exclusively at the 12mm end.

Zigomar