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Canon EF 16-35/2.8L


staszek

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Can anyone tell me if I can make a good use of EF 16-35/2.8L mounted on a 400D body? Or would you rather

recommend getting a Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens instead? I suppose getting a 5D and the L lens would be

the optimal solution, but my budget is quite tight at the moment...

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If you are getting the 5D, get the EF 16-35. You will probably do most of your wide shooting on the 5D once you get it. You won't be able to use the 10-22 on the 5D, but you can still use the 16-35 on the 400D. When I got my 5D I chose the 17-40L and have been very happy with it. I don't usually use it for low light shooting so the f4 didn't matter to me. I've put my Tokina 12-24 that I did use on the 40D out for sale.

 

Best of luck.

 

Scott

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I cannot comment on the newer (II) version of the 16-35 but if you are talking about the older,original one I would not recommend it on the Xti/400D. I rented that lens three weeks ago for both landscape and indoor use and I can say that, as to landscape use, the 17-40 f/4 is much better all around and, indeed, I have had better luck with my Canon 17-85. Indoors, at a reasonably well lit dance recital, the results were not much better. When I returned the lens to a very well respected Baltimore camera store I was told that they were not surprised at all and there were reasons the model had been updated to the II version.
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Oops! I didn't see the part of the message that said you budget was too tight for the 5D. In that case, consider the Tokina 12-24. Very sharp, good lens for much less. It's the only non-Canon lens I've owned but have been very pleased with it.

 

I agree with Yakim that the EFS17-55 is a better solution for you 400D if you really don't need the ultra wide. Everyone I know that uses the EFS17-55 absolutely loves it, but remember, you won't be able to use it on a 5D if you upgrade later.

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There's also a new Tamron 10-24mm. Here's a note from Bob Atkins regarding same:

 

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/tamron_10_24.html

 

BTW, the camera shop had told me (right or wrong?) that the original 16-35 f/2.8 was designed for full frame film cameras and not for something like my crop sensor Xti (your 400D). Makes sense I guess since that lens is probably much older than the Xti itself.

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It all comes down to a question of what you intend to do with the lenses. Depending upon the answer to that question,

anyt among a whole series of lenses could turn out to be your best choice: EF 17-40mm f/4 L, EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L, EFS

17-55mm f/2.8 IS, 18-55mm IS kit lens, EFS 10-22, or certain primes.

 

Frankly, if the _features_ of the 16-35mm f/2.8 seem right for your work and you are using a cropped sensor camera (as

you are) the EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens could be a better choice on several counts including: IQ, price, image

stabilization, etc.

 

If you need an ultra-wide angle lens then the issue is largely one of focal length range, and in this case the 10-22 could

be your best bet.

 

If you shoot primarily small aperture photographs (e.g. landscape, architecture, etc.) and know that you will soon move

to FF then the 17-40 could be your best choice.

 

If you know that you will soon move to FF and you are primarily interested in a lens that will perform as an ultra-wide on FF for low light

handheld work then the 16-35 could be your lens.

 

And so on...

 

Dan

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For UW work, the 10-22 will probably be a better choice. If you plan to upgrade at some point to full frame sensor,

remember that the 10-22 will not mount on 5D or 1D series.

 

I use the 17-40 on FF sensor, with great results. If you don't need to freeze motion, f/4 works perfectly, and the 17-40 is

about half the price of 16-35.

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You may want to consider the 17-40 F4. I had this lens for years and just recently upgraded to the 16-35 Mk II. The quality difference is negligable - since iIshoot film e.g. Velvia 50 the speed was the main reason I swaped. With digital working at generally higher ISOs the 17-40 will probably work well.
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OP later wrote: "I was going to use this lens for ultra wide angle shots. If I chose the Sigma or Tamron / Tokina

equivalents, will they be ultra wide on 400D and remain so on a full sensor-equipped 5D?"

 

16mm is not "ultra wide" on a cropped sensor body. If you want UWA on such a body you will need the EFS 10-22 or

equivalent.

 

A general rule of thumb (about these rather imprecise descriptions) is that a lens that is a "ultra wide lens" on full frame

is only a "wide angle" on a cropped sensor body.

 

Regarding the 17-40, which I own and use a lot: I find it to be an excellent landscape/architecture/similar lens for

shooting at medium to small apertures on a full frame body. My experience with this lens on a cropped sensor body was

not as positive, largely because it was difficult to resolve the soft corners issue while staying at the larger apertures

used to avoid diffraction blur on the smaller sensor cameras. In addition, on crop it seems to me that the EFS 17-55 f2/8

IS beats it on a just about all counts except price and, so some extent, build quality. (The latter would not be an issue for me since the 17-

55 is just fine in this regard.)

 

Dan

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