How much do you use your ultra wide angle?

[adakshi]

Dear All,

Recently I bought a Sigma 10-20. Took a couple of interior shots and some landscapes, but I couldn't find too many occasions to go ultra wide. I think I am not able to compose a shot. So, here is my question, a stupid one , how much do you guys utilize your ultra wide lenses? often? Can you post some images to help me? Any regular shot

I have seen a couple of creative shots with them in different forums but not many compared to normal/tele lenses.

Also, do you correct horizon/barrel distortion, etc? If yes, can you please mention the workflow? I am sure many of us is using sigma 10-20 on their Alphas.

Thanks in advance for your help
Ayan

[David Kilpatrick]

I only use one when needed, and often don't take it with me. I always have it when travelling. I sometimes correct the images, but using a Tamron 11-18mm it is not essential. The Sigma needs a little barrel distortion correction at the wide end, but you do get slightly more wide angle in return.

David

[adakshi]

Thanks David for your parompt response. I agree with you. I did read your comparison between SIgma 10-20 and Tamron 11-18 in DP Review. That was a great review.
Could you please post some samples that you took or point me to some gallery. I am not able to perceive things from that ultra wide angle point of view.

Thanks
Ayan (Sonian)

[bakubo]

I have the Sigma 10-20mm in Canon mount and the Sony 11-18mm. In my film days I had a Tokina 20-35mm in Minolta AF mount. I usually take a super wide with me when I travel, but it doesn't get a lot of use. It is useful for some shots though and provides an interesting and fun perspective. Sometimes I use PTLens on the shot, sometimes not. Here are some examples (I hope I didn't post too many):

10mm on Canon 30D:













20mm on 35mm film:

[ianmiddy]

Although I've used it for landscapes a lot, I also find the 10-20 useful for those situations where, as for interiors, you just can't "step back further":



or for a more unusual aspect:



but I will admit that it can be far too tempting just to put it at 10 for the drama, rather than working with the intermediate lengths !

Cheers

IDM

[David Kilpatrick]

Good to see two regular stock shooters turning up with pix here! This has made it worth increasing the maximum viewable size on the forum, and unlike a certain other forum if you have a large enough screen/window you get to see the entire shot straight off. Henry, do you SHOW those girls the wide-angle pix on the camera? Do they know how dramatic/odd the results are, compared to regular shots?

David

[bakubo]

Henry, do you SHOW those girls the wide-angle pix on the camera? Do they know how dramatic/odd the results are, compared to regular shots?

Yes, both Charlotte and Rose have seen the photos. In the case of Charlotte, I gave her eight 8x10 inch prints of several shots (color and B&W). I took some more conventional shots too, such as the following, but I thought the super wide shots were interesting. I was just taking shots of friends so just casual shooting. They liked their photos though. I don't have any experience in portrait photography though and it shows.

[bakubo]

Oops, I forgot to post a couple from the Sony 11-18mm on the A700. This is a Sony/KM oriented site after all.

11mm on Sony A700:

[David Kilpatrick]

Oops, I forgot to post a couple from the Sony 11-18mm on the A700. This is a Sony/KM oriented site after all.

True, but unlike the former Minolta Club of Great Britain which was forbidden for 25 years to mention Sigma, Tamron or any other brand (it was the only major restriction they ever placed on us), the new Photoworld magazine from Spring 2006 onwards has been able to cover third party accessories fully - and this website does too. At present the magazine is supported with Sigma advertising (Sony doesn't advertise) and it's likely that if we ever go for paid banner ads on the website, it will be independent brands which jump in. In the UK Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Kenko, etc are all handled by personally run traditional companies with real people there you can talk to, who can make real decisions.

David

[bakubo]

I wasn't referring to the use of the Sigma and Tokina lenses, but the shots from the Canon 30D. I forgot to post anything from the A700. Glad it is okay to make the occasional mention of some other brand or post a shot from one though. The other shots were made with the Tokina 20-35mm on film, but with a Minolta Alpha 707si -- Japanese version of Maxxum/Dynax 700si.

[David Kilpatrick]

In a topic like this, it's not inappropriate to use pictures taken with an entirely different make if the point is relevant. But you should try to make them look much worse! I'm tempted to throw in a Nikon D3 14-24mm 14mm shot but that would not be on topic. I also have, here, the Olympus 7-14mm and E-510. I am sorry to say I have hardly touched it. The limited usability of the results (which are NOT the same as the Oly E-3, an entirely different league in terms of raw file quality) means any shot taken on the 510 is a shot wasted.

Here's an 11-18mm Tamron shot, uncorrected. You may spot that the large pillar in from the right hand side shows the zone where this lens is in negative mode (barrel distortion) while the upright at the left hand side looks dead straight (it hits the lens's neutral zone perfectly).

Winter Palace, Luxor, hand-held on 11-18mm Sony using Alpha 100

I have just done this also to test the Attachment feature which is now enabled for posts. You can use this to attach files directly, saved on our server. There is no need to host them separately every time.

David

[adakshi]

Wow! so many replies in such a short time. Thanks a lot Henry and David. I remember I saw your pics in another forum "Can K20D, D300 shoot bikini girls better?" .
These are really nice shots, nice composition and nice exposure.

I tried a similar funny shot, but seems I have a lot to learn.

Here is the link
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/268 ... a16e_b.jpg

Thanks
Ayan (Sonian)

[bakubo]

Nice interior shot! By the way, why would the Nikon 14-24mm shots be off topic? The OP was about the use of ultra wides and that lens on the Nikon D3 certainly would be ultra wide -- wider than anything I have ever used. Go ahead!

[Javelin]

I just received my wide today. I had to go to the postoffice and pick it up and that made me later to work, ( I work more hours than the post does aparently) I'm glad it came in because there are a few big farms on my usuall drive that are growing canola and it makes a nice scene. Hope this is an acceptible shot it was conveinient and the first one from the new lens

A200 Minolta 17-35 F2.8 @ 17mm F9 1/200

[bakubo]

I tried a similar funny shot, but seems I have a lot to learn.

Hey, I think that is very cool photo!