Choose your Weapon: Ultra Wide Zooms for Canon

[SoullessPolack]

You might want to give the new 16-35 f/4 a try. I am not sure its suited for underwater photography, I think that's an an application like astrophotography where a faster lens is desireable but for general landscape shooting it's great. it doesn't go as wide as some would like but it goes to 35 and that is a plus for me. It's sharp at f/4 and doesn't need to be stopped down unless you want more dof.

+1. This!

Canon's offerings in the ultrawide zoom department for full frames were so measly that I was forced to forgo the zoom and ended up with the 24mm TS-E II L. Even 24mm is not that wide, so I would be forced to do 12 shots using the shift and rotate mechanisms. The cool thing about, though, was that the process would yield roughly the same view as a 17mm lens, while producing an image that's about 49 megapixels from my 5D2.

Now, they release the f4 16-35, and it's truly jaw dropping quality. Finally, a zoom with a decent range and world class optical characteristics. And for a very fair price too. And if you don't need f2.8, which most of us don't, then this is the perfect lens. If you do need it, sadly the f2.8 version of this lens is not in the same league optically. But it will get you 2.8.

 

[sagittariansrock]

Can't really vote on this one. The one I have and use a lot is my only EF-S, the 10-22. I only regret that it's one lens I never will be able to carry over to a - imagined, and longed for - FF camera. If they release it with EF mount and make it slightly faster, I will be all over it like flies on a turd.

I was in the same situation when I moved to FF. However, I realized 24mm is a lot wider than 17mm on an APS-C (I had the 17-55).
When I need to go wider, the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 and TS-E 17mm both offer more unique options. I might still get a UWA zoom but I will wait well into 2015 before I do, and it will possibly be a 16-35 refurb'd.

 

[kaihp]

I have the 17-40/4L, but I'm lusting for the 16-35/4L IS.

Yes, I'm a geek and I have GAS. ;D

 

[phoenix7]

The new 10-18 looks really good. Wide aperture isn't important to me for a landscape lens because you want to shoot it around f/8 or f/11 on aps-c so that's where the is comes in handy so you can shoot handheld and keep your iso down to earth. It takes filters too!

Exactly. Yes, forgot about filters, that was also a plus. But I'd like a little more
versatility. I also keep thinking about the Samyang 14mm prime but I'd prefer
AF if possible. But again for landscapes and astro manual isn't negative.

 

[DominoDude]

Can't really vote on this one. The one I have and use a lot is my only EF-S, the 10-22. I only regret that it's one lens I never will be able to carry over to a - imagined, and longed for - FF camera. If they release it with EF mount and make it slightly faster, I will be all over it like flies on a turd.

I was in the same situation when I moved to FF. However, I realized 24mm is a lot wider than 17mm on an APS-C (I had the 17-55).
When I need to go wider, the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 and TS-E 17mm both offer more unique options. I might still get a UWA zoom but I will wait well into 2015 before I do, and it will possibly be a 16-35 refurb'd.

*nods* The huge image circle and overall lens quality of TS-lenses certainly makes the TS-E 17/4L interesting for a FF.
The whacky UWA set would be a combo of that TS-E, and the even fishier 8-15/4L. Perhaps one would need a more real UW prime or zoom, when tired of the - possibly - surreal outcome of the first two.

 

[docsmith]

My current UWA lens is the Samyang/Rokinon 14 f/2.8. Great lens. But, I am considering adding either the EF 16-35 f/4 IS or the TS-E 17 mm or just holding steady....

 

[sagittariansrock]

My current UWA lens is the Samyang/Rokinon 14 f/2.8. Great lens. But, I am considering adding either the EF 16-35 f/4 IS or the TS-E 17 mm or just holding steady....

Do both! Do both!
Holding steady? Do you mean your wallet or the lens???

 

[Hjalmarg1]

I'm definitely going to look out for Tamron's 15-30mm and the "rumoured" Canon's 11-24mm.

+1, I have the new 16-35 f4L IS and can't be happier. But, new Tammy and rumoured Canon 11-24mm seems to be promissing.

 

[Sportsgal501]

I'm considering getting a Tokina 12-28 Pro Dx when I get the 7D Mark II and keep my Sigma 17-70mm on my Canon 50D.

 

[MxM]

Samyang 14mm 2.8?
Sigma 14mm 2.8?
Zeiss 15mm 2.8?

 

[lintoni]

Samyang 14mm 2.8?
Sigma 14mm 2.8?
Zeiss 15mm 2.8?
Spectacles?

Ultra wide zooms

 

[MxM]

Samyang 14mm 2.8?
Sigma 14mm 2.8?
Zeiss 15mm 2.8?
Spectacles?

Ultra wide zooms

My mistake

 

[drift juice]

+1 for the 16-35 f4. Picked one up when I went full frame. Really interested in the 15-30 hope it'll be a great astro lens

 

[iaind]

Still using my trusty 17-35 f2.8L

 

[NancyP]

For your G.A.S. consideration, Hartblei is making a TS adapter and sawing off the integral hood of the Nikkor 14-24 f/2.8 for a zoom superwide TS lens. Apparently the 14-24 has quite a large usable image circle. A mere $5,000.00 USD, when you can get your hands on one - this was a Photokina announcement, and the prototypes are out there, current production capacity probably all pre-ordered out.

Right now, I don't have a FF UWA zoom. I have a three lens set, rather heavy to take all three along, but worthwhile if I do astro or night photography: Samyang 14mm f/2.8, Zeiss 21mm f/2.8, Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4. I have to say that the new 16-35 f/4L IS looks very interesting at the end of a day hauling around my trio of wides.

 

[Helios68]

Canon 16-35mm f/4 IS because of IS and better sharpness than 17-40mm f/4.
But for it price the 17-40mm is quite attractive too