Australian Tour - landscape lens

[Court Jester]

I am lucky enough to be off to Australia for 2 months in October, then meeting up with my wife for a month in California over Christmas (seeing her Brother and family) and New Year.

I want a decent landscape lens. I have got a Canon 40d, so I am thinking that the sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM seems ideal. I have heard really good things about the sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM, but is it really better? I know it is a bit faster, but on Landscape you are not really going to use f3.5, and it seems to only be an EF-S mount. The f4-5.6 on the other hand is an EF mount. Whilst the 40d is obviously a cropped sensor, if wanted to upgrade to a full sensor in the future then the f3.5 would presumably be redundant?

Has anyone had any experience of these 2 lenses please?

Or does anyone have any alternative suggestions for around the same money?

Finally I assume for wide open landscapes, and tight cities where you want to cram stuff in I am barking up the right tree with a super wide lens?

Thanks Stuart

 

[odd jim]

I think both those Sigmas are crop only.

Don't worry about FF, you have a cropper so take advantage of the excellent lenses designed for it. If you go FF good crop lenses will sell for good money.

 

[Court Jester]

Thanks Jim. You are correct, I had misunderstood a couple of websites which seem to quote the fitting on the f3 as cropped, but fewer seem to state the same for the f4-5.6.

Do you have any experience of either lens and whether the f3 is worth the extra £120 or so?

Are there any recommended alternatives?

 

[odd jim]

I did try one before I bought wide wide angle. They are good but the one I tried was a little soft wide open. I tested the Canon 10-22 afterwards and fell in love with the Canon. I found it sharper throughout the range but it's more expensive!

The Sigma 10-20 is still a supurb lens and great value but try before you buy would be my advice and make sure both sides are sharp!

 

[Court Jester]

Thanks Jim, I will have to try the Canon as well. It is a bit over budget to be honest, although I might keep an eye out for a second hand one if it is significantly better. Will probably drop into Jessops this week and see if they will let me try a few out.