14mm or another wide, how cheap can I go?

[marco_de_biasi]

<p>It's for a Canon 7D. It could even be manual, that's not a big issue.<br>

The only one I spotted so far is this:<br>

http://amzn.to/pBPS41</p>

<p>I don't know how good that lens is. But I'm wondering if there's something else around.<br>

Any hints?</p>

[tdigi]

<p>They also make an 8mm fisheye that is very popular. I hear they are good lenses</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>I've heard that they are <em>excellent</em> (optically) lenses, better than Ls of the same focal length.  I've never shot w/ the 14 before, but have (once) w/ the 35/1.4, I was very pleased (but couldn't do a comparison to the 35/1.4L as I don't own it) with the optical performance...  downside is no electronics at all (no focus confirmation)  ... of course @ 14mm  focus isn't a huge issue (deep dof! esp. @ f8+), but you can get a focus conf. chip off ebay (so I hear) and glue it on...<br>

 <br>

Have fun, and let us know!</p>

[sarah_fox]

<p>$200 MC Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 diagonal fisheye -- Ukranian, available in EOS mount, all manual, nice image quality.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.graphic-fusion.com/zenitar16.htm">www.graphic-fusion.com/zenitar16.htm</a></p>

[orly_andico]

<p>pentax makes a handsome 15mm DA Limited (doesn't cover full frame). not as small and pancake-y as the 21mm or 40mm but still small by Canon standards. Same caveat, manual focus, manual aperture control.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photozone.de/pentax/463-pentax_15_4">http://www.photozone.de/pentax/463-pentax_15_4</a></p>

<p>I wish Canon would make pancake lenses too but I guess the internal focus motor puts a lower bound on the size of the lens.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>The Samyang/Rokinon 14/2.8 is a stunningly sharp lens, with greater resolution than the EF 14/2.8 L, which costs about <strong><em>six </em></strong>times as much. Since I have found the Samyang to be optically so good, I'd never consider getting the Canon.</p>

<p>The only application that the Samyang isn't very good for is shooting architecture, because of its complex mustache distortion. You might want to check out photozone's <a href="http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/532-samyang14f28eosff">review</a> of the lens, which covers this and other issues.</p>

[scott_ferris]

The Sigma 12-24 is the bestest widest rectilinear. I know one very high level pro who uses it 80% of the

time, he could buy anything but really likes his Sigma. The down side is they suffer from terrible sample

variation, if you get one get it from a reputable dealer and test it when you get it.

[sethdubois]

<p>As mentioned above, check out a Rokinon/Pro-Optic/Samyang/Bower 8mm f/3.5 FE.<br>

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/8mm-f35.htm (lots of good reviews elsewhere also)<br>

I cannot personally attest to it, but I can admit to really really wanting to buy one right now. Specifically for a full FE effect on ASP-C bodies.</p>

[cabbiinc]

<p>What's your budget? I have a Tamron 10-24 and love it. About $500. Distortion is much improved over the Tamron 11-18 (have that one too). It is f/3.5-5.6 though and not f/2.8.</p>

[marco_de_biasi]

<p>Thank you all for your replies.</p>

<p>My budget theoretically is already over with the Rokinon 14mm, but I guess I cannot get nothing acceptable for 200 bucks. So, if the lens worth the money, I could try to stretch as much as I can my wallet. I hoped for a used one or a old/vintage, but it seems that wide lenses are not easy to find, at least as bargains.</p>

<p>Thanks Sarah for the Zenitar, but that's a fisheye lens, non exactly what I'm looking for.</p>

<p>Orlando, the Pentax looks nice.</p>

<p>One last note. I may expect that wider lens comes at higher price. So, I'm wondering if I can save some bucks going a bit less wide than 14, but yet wide for a APS-C sensor (and honestly I don't know how far I can go... 16?)</p>

[sattler123]

<p>You won't find anything below the Samyang price. I own that lens and it is excellent on my 5D - which is much more demanding than a crop body. Just save a little bit more money over the next couple of months and get it as a X-mas gift for yourself:-)</p>

[sarah_fox]

<p>Well, there's always the possibility of an old, classic, manual focus wide, adapted to an EOS body. I don't know what's out there, but I would think 24mm primes are plentiful. Nikkors adapt very nicely to EOS bodies, as do the M42 mount lenses (e.g. Pentax screw mount). The Rokinor 14 sounds pretty interesting, though. The distortion sounds a bit wild and wooly, though. It's probably because they let distortion run wild that they could make the lens so sharp (according to the accounts of others -- I've not studied this lens).</p>

<p>I do own the Sigma 12-24 that Scott recommends. I realize it's out of your price range, but I can second the recommendation for architectural photography. Distortion is AMAZINGLY well controlled, albeit at a minor cost to sharpness.</p>

<p>Honestly, I didn't expect to use a fisheye as much as I do, but it appears considerably LESS distorted than a rectilinear lens in many circumstances, as it doesn't have the characteristic swoopy edges that a rectlinear lens produces. It's no good for straight lines, unless those lines run through the center of the frame. But unlike a rectilinear, it renders shapes accurately throughout the frame. I honestly find I need BOTH for my wide angle photography, depending on the situation. Neither will do the job of the other.</p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>I use a 15 mm full frame fisheye, the Canon one is now selling for a premium because it is discontinued, but it is very sharp.</p>

<p>Now software is so good post conversion to rectilinear is perfectly feasible, I use three programs and they all give different mapping results, DeFish which is an old and very basic program but gives a lot of control on aspect ratios and mapping, Adobe's built in lens profile corrections in PS and Lightroom, and the one I use most often, Image Trends Fisheye-Hemi. The last one does a very good job when people are in the image. I have never had the need to get deeper into it though I know DxO (?) has a product where you can correct for very complicated combined distortions. Not necessarily of interest to the OP, but might help somebody.</p>