Lenses for 650D

[neuroanatomist]

...while I prefer the 85 on a fullframe, it's a very weak and awkward focal length on a crop body. Good for sitdown formal portraits, not much else, and as your one fast prime (think of it as f2.8/ maybe f2.2, regardless of sharpness, DOF is almost always too thin an wider apertures), you want  a good allround focal length.

I agree with much of what you stated, but I've got to disagree with characterizing 85mm on APS-C as 'a very weak and awkward focal length on a crop body'.  That's the same as saying that 135mm on FF is 'weak and awkward' yet the 135L is one of Canon's classic portrait lenses, that also works great for sports with the fast f/2 aperture. 

Here are a few examples of that focal length.  The first two are 85mm on APS-C (starting with the 85/1.8, then I moved to the 85L II), the last one with the 135L on FF - I liked the 85mm focal length on APS-C well enough to replicate it by getting the 135L after getting the 5DII.


Rebel T1i, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, 1/2000 s, f/1.8, ISO 100


EOS 7D, EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, 1/2000 s, f/1.6, ISO 100


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 135mm f/2L USM, 1/1600 s, f/2.2, ISO 100

[thesirren]

Ok, now that 650D is not so imminent, it looks like I will be able to save up a little more by the release date.

Since I plan to shoot quite a lot of landscapes - which wide-angle lens should I look into?

Sigma 12-24, Sigma 10-20, Canon 10-22, Canon 16-35 or what other options are there?

[Marsu42]

Since I plan to shoot quite a lot of landscapes - which wide-angle lens should I look into?

Remember that you can stitch panoramas from any lens and get an angle and resolution that even a uwa lens is not able to cover. It even works handheld, but a tripod is advisable.

[jwong]

Ok, now that 650D is not so imminent, it looks like I will be able to save up a little more by the release date.

Since I plan to shoot quite a lot of landscapes - which wide-angle lens should I look into?

Sigma 12-24, Sigma 10-20, Canon 10-22, Canon 16-35 or what other options are there?

Skip the 16-35 for crop bodies -- it's not wide enough.  I have and like Canon's 10-22, although Sigma's 8-16 and Tokina's 11-16 are also supposed to be good.  Tokina's 11-16's f/2.8 is not much of an advantage if you plan on using it primarily for landscapes.

[jwong]

Remember that you can stitch panoramas from any lens and get an angle and resolution that even a uwa lens is not able to cover. It even works handheld, but a tripod is advisable.

Are there techniques for getting around shifting elements (moving clouds or ocean waves) when trying for panorama's?

[Marsu42]

Are there techniques for getting around shifting elements (moving clouds or ocean waves) when trying for panorama's?

I take it this is not a real question, sorry for trying to be helpful.

But I can say that with my panoramas clouds never posed any problem since I don't shoot near storms or tornados. And I didn't say there are no uses for wide angle lenses, but I often observe that people don't have stitching in mind and buy a standard wide angle lens for "taking it all in" once in a while, if they should have gotten a real uwa lens for creative shots.

[jwong]

I take it this is not a real question, sorry for trying to be helpful.

But I can say that with my panoramas clouds never posed any problem since I don't shoot near storms or tornados. And I didn't say there are no uses for wide angle lenses, but I often observe that people don't have stitching in mind and buy a standard wide angle lens for "taking it all in" once in a while, if they should have gotten a real uwa lens for creative shots.

Thanks for the smite, but it WAS and IS a real question.  I was considering looking into pano rigs, but I'm not sure what their limitations are.

[Marsu42]

Thanks for the smite, but it WAS and IS a real question.  I was considering looking into pano rigs, but I'm not sure what their limitations are.

Ups, sorry, I really thought that would be self-explanatory.

I am using a legacy 28-105 lens on my crop body and got around getting an wider one by using Autopano. As long as something doesn't move fast (like waves, that's why I thought you were sarcastic) it works very well even handheld and then reducing the final panorama to ~66% resolution. As I wrote, clouds aren't much of a problem, but leaves are when they move in the wind - it confuses the stitching software and results in ghosts.

All in all, panoramas are perfect for indoor scenes, and your mileage may vary for nature shots - but it is worth a try, since you can get very high resolution shots simply by shooting vertical, overlapping 1/3 to left and right and then clicking a button in the software.

[Silverstream]

I have a Sigma 50mm f1.4 for my T2i and it sux. So bad at focusing, sharpness, and CA that I don't even use it. Went thru 2 copies of this lens trying to get a decent one.

The best lens I have which is awesome in sharpness as well as focusing speed is the EFS 17-55 F2.8 IS. One of the best purchases I've made.

[AJ]

Ok, now that 650D is not so imminent, it looks like I will be able to save up a little more by the release date.

Since I plan to shoot quite a lot of landscapes - which wide-angle lens should I look into?

Sigma 12-24, Sigma 10-20, Canon 10-22, Canon 16-35 or what other options are there?

Canon 10-22 mark 2.

[thesirren]

Forgot to mention that it preferably should be compatible with FF body. So even though 10-22 is good - I need other options, so that I don't have to sell the glass when I switch to FF.

[neuroanatomist]

Forgot to mention that it preferably should be compatible with FF body. So even though 10-22 is good - I need other options, so that I don't have to sell the glass when I switch to FF.

If you want an ultrawide lens for APS-C that's also FF-compatible, since 'ultrawide' on APS-C means <15mm, you have two choices for zooms (one rectilinear) and two for primes.  The two zooms are the Sigma 12-24mm and the Canon 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye, and the two primes are the Canon 14mm f/2.8L II and the Samyang 14mm f/2.8 (the latter being inexpensive but fully manual, aperture and focus).  The Sigma 12-24mm is slow and soft, the 8-15mm is a fisheye, the 14L is very expensive, and the Samyang suffers from wicked-bad moustache distortion which is hard to correct in post. 

Given those choices, I'd pick up either the Sigma 8-16mm or the Canon 10-22mm, and sell it if when going FF.  The Canon lens, in particular, will hold it's value well - I bought mine new, sold it a year later for a loss of $50, and if I was selling it today, I'd make a profit given the recent lens price increases. 

[grahamsz]

and the Samyang suffers from wicked-bad moustache distortion which is hard to correct in post. 

The samyang looks like it can be corrected quite well in post. I'm seriously considering one.

http://www.photo-worx.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=

[Tijn]

Are there techniques for getting around shifting elements (moving clouds or ocean waves) when trying for panorama's?

For clouds, using a tripod with a rotating element to allow you to turn quicker, and thereby shooting the photos quicker after one another.

Waves will be too erratic. What you could do if the clouds are still, however, is using a long (10seconds+) exposure to let the water movement blur out. That way, stitching the water together should be easier (though may still require some editing). This would obviously also require a tripod, and probably some ND filters too.

[thesirren]

Can you please give me advices on which filters are good and what I should get for the respective lenses?

Canon EF 85 f/1.8 USM
Canon EF-S 10-22
Canon EF-S 17-55
Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L (this is probably later down the road)

Complete name would be preferable, so that it is easier for me.