How Wide is Wide?

[panthro]

I have the 18-105 VR kit lens on my D90. Im looking to take more landscapes and wide angle shots in the future.
Would I notice the difference by using a Sigma 10-20 3.5-5.6 or a Nikkor 12-24 F4? Some people on here say that 18mm is wide enough for landscapes. Im not sure if this is true or not.

 

[Little John]

18mm will give you an angle of view of 66°
10mm will be somewhere about 97°
and 12mm will be about 89°

 

[sbowler579]

Go for 10mm

 

[Lostgear]

I have the 18-105 VR kit lens on my D90. Im looking to take more landscapes and wide angle shots in the future.
Would I notice the difference by using a Sigma 10-20 3.5-5.6 or a Nikkor 12-24 F4? Some people on here say that 18mm is wide enough for landscapes. Im not sure if this is true or not.

You can take great landscapes with a 70-200, its all about the framing and subject. 10mm wides are not about getting it all in, they are about perspective and dragging the the viewer into the frame. Like this:-

 

[infra_dread]

A perfect example of the "get low and close" maxim for when using a wide angle lens. Get a 10mm and spend the rest of your life looking for interesting looking stones and plants to put in the foreground of the frame of your landscape shot.

 

[artyman]

Don't be deceived an ultra WA is not the panacea for landscape shots, you can view a scene with the Mk 1 eyeball take a shot with a WA and when you look at it later it doesn't convet the scene as you remember it. Our eyes have a virtually 180 degree view yet we can focus on something in the far distance and we perceive that as closer than the impression you would get in a super wide shot. Just frame in the viewfinder with whatever lens judge that and shoot.

 

[Yardbent]

using a UWA from Ken Rockwell(c)....."link"

 

[Lostgear]

using a UWA from Ken Rockwell(c)....."link"

+1 Ken has some good advice there.

 

[bobiscuit]

+1 Ken has some good advice there.

Compeltely agree. His best article IMO.

Basically: Wide angle lenses aren't for "fitting everything in", they're for getting as close as possible to something.

And you'll notice a massive difference between 18mm and 10/12mm. I'd go for the 10-20mm though... When you want to go really wide, no matter what lens you have it's still never wide enough

 

[Digifrog]

I would recommend the Tokina 11-16 over the Sigma 10-20 mind. The Tok is a little sharper.

Rgds

 

[Lostgear]

I would recommend the Tokina 11-16 over the Sigma 10-20 mind. The Tok is a little sharper.

Rgds

I'd go for a second hand Canon 10-22 over the Tokina or Sigma, sharpness and colour rendition is staggering and the barrel distortion control is second to none.

 

[newbeee]

Sigma have a new UWA, 8-16 which in a DX camera gives the same field of view as their 12-24 does on an FX i.e. 122 degrees!

 

[Little John]

I'd go for a second hand Canon 10-22 over the Tokina or Sigma, sharpness and colour rendition is staggering and the barrel distortion control is second to none.

It won't work with his Nikon D90

 

[SIB]

Just reading that article Yardbent linked to and it's very interesting. I actually just bought a 10-22 to get some better shots of the hotels in Vegas when i go there. More becuase you are so close to them and they are so massive than becuase i'm trying to fit more of the strip into one scene. The 10-22 is great, i can stand on the front step of my house and get the whole house in on my 50D

 

[HoppyUK]

Good demo showing focal length and field of view comparisons here http://www.tamron.com/lenses/learning_center/tools/focal-length-comparison.php

Panormas is another way of doing super-wide landscapes with a normal lens - shoot several frames side by side and merge them in post processing. It's super-easy with various free software programmes available. And because you are effectively multiplying your sensor area and pixels, the quality is fantastic.

 

[Yardbent]

Panormas is another way of doing super-wide landscapes with a normal lens - shoot several frames side by side and merge them in post processing. It's super-easy with various free software programmes available.

various free software programmes

can you recommend one ...?....thanks

 

[gasjkh2]

The Sigma 10 - 20 is a cracker and fast earning a reputation as an "all time great". Great for landscapes.

 

[HoppyUK]

various free software programmes

can you recommend one ...?....thanks

There's a good one included with Canon's free bundled software, or I think Picasa is popular.

 

[johndglynn]

I used a Fisheye for the first time at last year's Essen TechnoClassica and was amazed at how close I needed to be to get the shot I wanted. This is under 6 inches from the Corrado. Takes some getting used to.

I love wide angles - a great look. I agree the 18mm on the D90 is not enough. I have a Leica D Lux 4 which goes wider and is really fun to use.

I just bought a 12-24mm, it's on the way to me. Happy to shoot a few comparisons between 18-105 and 12-24 on the D90 for you if that is any use.

 

[Yardbent]

There's a good one included with Canon's free bundled software, or I think Picasa is popular.

thanks --- downloaded Picasa 3 and will give it a go

I presume...
level tripod mount
some overlap of say 20% on each exposure....?

 

[HoppyUK]

thanks --- downloaded Picasa 3 and will give it a go

I presume...
level tripod mount
some overlap of say 20% on each exposure....?

I think that the most important thing is to lock the exposure on manual so that it cannot change as you scan across, which it inevitably will. And you need to select an exposure setting that can cope with extremes such as when you get near the sun. If it's windy and clouds are moving, you need to work quickly.

And don't use a super-wide lens that will stretch the edges unnaturally, even if if the software will probably manage to merge them pretty well. Athough a decent bit of overlap will minimise that. There's no need to shoot that wide - just add another frame or two to cover the scene.

Shoot at a mid range f/number to avoid vignetting (darkened corners) which also looks unnatural, though again a good overlap minimises that.

You don't actually need a tripod most of the time when doing typical landscapes, though it certainly makes things easier - keeping the camera dead level and with the markings for overlap on the panning base. But I've seen some amazing things done with clever software, matching up seamlessly a dozen or more images in two dimensions. V clever.

You can get problems when there is significant foreground detail close to the camera, as the perspective can change as you pan around. It's not a problem with distant landscapes, usually only interiors, but then you certainly need the precision of a tripod and also a nodal rail which ensures the whole thing pivots around the optical centre of the lens to maintain consistent perspective.

All of which perhaps sounds complicated, but for regular landscape stuff just give it some careful thought and pre-planning, then rattle off a few frames with plenty of overlap, keeping the camera as level as you can, and throw them at the software.

Let us know how you get on

 

[Yardbent]

All of which perhaps sounds complicated, but for regular landscape stuff just give it some careful thought and pre-planning, then rattle off a few frames with plenty of overlap, keeping the camera as level as you can, and throw them at the software. Let us know how you get on

wow .. lots to learn ..cheers ...i'll give it a go !!

 

[Little John]

I'm currently looking to add a WA to my set of lenses. I was told about the sigma 10-20 ages agoso that was sort of going to be my choice but I am not thinking canon 10-22, 17-40 or 16-35. I'm not too bothered about the cost of the lenses so can stump for the 16-35 no problem. Maybe the solution is to get the 16-35 than buy the sigma cheap 2nd hand?

 

[HoppyUK]

I'm currently looking to add a WA to my set of lenses. I was told about the sigma 10-20 ages agoso that was sort of going to be my choice but I am not thinking canon 10-22, 17-40 or 16-35. I'm not too bothered about the cost of the lenses so can stump for the 16-35 no problem. Maybe the solution is to get the 16-35 than buy the sigma cheap 2nd hand?

Just bear in mind that the 17-40L and 16-35L are super-wide EF lenses designed for full frame. On your crop fromat camera what they can do is mostly wasted and they behave more like standard range zooms.

You get better spec and performance for your money with EF-S lenses designed for crop format, like the 10-22 and 17-55 2.8 IS - both great lenses.

 

[Little John]

Thanks Richard, maybe I just needed someone to tell me to think about it more and buy whats best for the current situation rather than just buying for the red ring and the future plan of a 5D The canon EF-S 10-22mm seems to sell well 2nd hand as well where the sigma 10-20 sells well but not without out a chunk of depreciation.

I will spend the cash on the 10-22 and save again for the 16-35.

 

[HoppyUK]

Thanks Richard, maybe I just needed someone to tell me to think about it more and buy whats best for the current situation rather than just buying for the red ring and the future plan of a 5D The canon EF-S 10-22mm seems to sell well 2nd hand as well where the sigma 10-20 sells well but not without out a chunk of depreciation.

I will spend the cash on the 10-22 and save again for the 16-35.

That's what I did I used a 40D crop very happily for a long time, but then had a rush of blood and sold the lot for a 5D2. No problem at all selling good lenses on here - my 10-22 and 17-55 2.8 went within hours.

If you buy well (eg new from Kerso, or used from here) you don't lose much with quality gear, or even anything at all. And you get the right tools for the job

 

[SIB]

That's what I did I used a 40D crop very happily for a long time, but then had a rush of blood and sold the lot for a 5D2. No problem at all selling good lenses on here - my 10-22 and 17-55 2.8 went within hours.

If you buy well (eg new from Kerso, or used from here) you don't lose much with quality gear, or even anything at all. And you get the right tools for the job

I can vouch for that, i bought said 10-22 lens and it's an absolute stonker

 

[Edsport]

thanks --- downloaded Picasa 3 and will give it a go

I presume...
level tripod mount
some overlap of say 20% on each exposure....?

As was said by someone else, you don't really need a tripod. You can take pics of top, bottom and sides then stitch them then just crop out the portions that isn't wanted...