Canon/Sigma/Tamron Wide Zooms

[photog1107]

Dos anyone have any experience comparing the Canon (10-22 mm 3.5/4.5) , Sigma (10-20 mm4/5.6), or Tamron (10-24 mm 3.5/4.5) comparable lenses? There is as much as a $300 difference between the Canon and the Tamron/Sigma equivalents, but then Sigma is the only one of the bunch I've found that offers a 3.5 steady zoom aperture, which is $200 more than the lower end model, but that seems like it would be a great asset.

I have read a bunch of reviews on B&H and Adorama, and some for Sigma are great, but others seem to point to a lot of QC problems. Canon's reviews seem to be consistently good, but for the money, I want to be sure its glass is really giving me the edge.

Any feedback or insights are welcome--I am looking forward to expanding into the "wide, wide" world. Thanks!

[GadgetRick]

I do know Sigma and Tamron both seem to have issues with QC (at least in the past). Sometimes you can get a great lens but others, well, send it back for a replacement. It's a bit frustrating because you don't know what you'll get. Sort of luck of the draw...

[dharmit]

I was having the same question a month ago and I did good testing.

I have to say it is persons choice what they want to select.

I went for Sigma f3.5 lens and am really happy with it. One thing to note that this lens will not auto focus if you put your camera on A-DEP mode.

While I was testing, I felt that Canon lens was not that sharp in the centre for lower aperture (f3.5). This might be just this one lens, because even the sales person was amazed at what he say, then he put the camera to f16 and took the shot to show me that the lens is sharp in the center as well, but I was not convinced.

Again, this is my trial and error method and was not as sophisticated as other websites have, but I prefer to test the lens myself, on my own body to satisfy myself. Afterall I am the person paying $780 for Sigma lens and not the sales person.

One more thing, dont let sales person convince you to buy a product, if they do, they are biased, instead deal with someone who has knowledge (person from where I bought had good knowledge).

Anyways, enough blabbering, the only thing I will say is go with your camera body and check they out yourself.

Cheers

[OsmosisStudios]

Best bet is actually the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, if youre going off-brand.

[dharmit]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Best bet is actually the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, if youre going off-brand.

This is a good lens and I was considering this but there were some problems

• It was only available in one shop in Melbourne (others had to order it and they had no ETA on shipping)
• The shop from which it was available was charging a premium of $400 (original price quote from other shops $800), this shop was asking me to pay $1200. If I am paying $1200, I might as well go with something else
• The zoom ratio is not sufficient most of the time and you have to think that you have a Prime lens most of the time

But in the praise of the lens, I would say that if you have to do a fast shoot, like close up shoot of skate boarding or (use your imagination), go with this lens where that extra 0.5 or 1 f stop is really required, else go with sigma or tamron.

Cheers

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

Best bet is actually the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, if youre going off-brand.

I agree 100% with Osmosis...I own this lens and it's top notch

[photog1107]

Well.. that does give me some more to check out... wasn't even clued into the Tokina. I already have a 17-50 Tamron, so am really just looking at the wide end of the wide scale. Thanks for the tip!

[photog1107]

Ok, so I checked out the Tokina on Adorama and B&H and saw a couple of mentions of chromatic aberration... anyone had this problem with it? That's one thing I'd sure like to avoid if I give it a go. Otherwise, the 2.8 sure looks sweet. I will be doing some indoor conference work this year, and the wide angle for photographing receptions, etc, will be a great enhancement to my current lineup.

[autofocus]

It's been a very popular lens and is often hard to get. I had it on "will contact me list" with B&H for about 3-4 months before it came in. Here's a couple of examples shot with the lens that I've posted here before




It's a sweet lens, and built like a tank

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by dharmit

This is a good lens and I was considering this but there were some problems

• It was only available in one shop in Melbourne (others had to order it and they had no ETA on shipping)
• The shop from which it was available was charging a premium of $400 (original price quote from other shops $800), this shop was asking me to pay $1200. If I am paying $1200, I might as well go with something else
• The zoom ratio is not sufficient most of the time and you have to think that you have a Prime lens most of the time

But in the praise of the lens, I would say that if you have to do a fast shoot, like close up shoot of skate boarding or (use your imagination), go with this lens where that extra 0.5 or 1 f stop is really required, else go with sigma or tamron.

Cheers

Oz is terrible for import duties and camera equipment. A friend of mine in Adelaide is constantly frustrated. That being said, I do have to take exception to the zoom ratio issue: UWA lenses are usually used at either end of the zoom: I know mine does.