Super wide angle photography
NB. the prices here are very approximate values - I do not sell these!!
see also:
online reviews:
Introduction:
these lenses generally fall into 8 main groups, each with their own purposes:
circular fisheye
produce a circular image for creative effects but of limited use in reality.
examples:
Sigma 4.5mm EX DC for 1.5x cropped sensors (eg. Nikon DX)
rectilinear fisheye:
produce a rectangular image covering 180deg in the diagonal
examples:
Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye for full frame
Sigma 10mm EX DC fisheye for 1.5x cropped sensors (eg. Nikon DX)
ultrawide zooms
cannot use filters as these lenses generally have a protruding convex front lens which also causes flare if light sources hit its surface
usually cover 35mm range of 14-18mm or more giving 114-75 degrees
great for creative effects, interiors and street photography
examples:
Olympus ZD 7-14mm f/4 digital (14-28mm giving 114-75 degrees)
Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED (coming 2008)
wide angle zooms
general purpose wide angle zooms ideal for much landscape and travel work
usually cover 35mm range of 21-45mm although some may only be 24mm at the wide end.
can use a polariser filter &/or Cokin-type filters for gradient effects to manage the high contrast sky/subject.
examples:
Olympus ZD 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 (22-44mm)
hybrid ultrawide zooms:
these attempt to cover the 16-35mm range and still allow use of filters although vignetting is likely when using focal lengths less than 21mm
a great compromise for travel but unfortunately these lenses tend not to be as sharp and tend to have more aberrations
examples:
Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX (18-36mm giving 99-61deg)
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM (15-30mm on Nikon or 16-32mm on Canon APS-C)
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 for APS-C giving 16-35mm (107-63deg)
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM for full frame cameras (becomes 21-46mm on 1.3x crop)
Olympus ZD 9-18mm f/4-5.6 (18-36mm range)
wide angle prime lenses (ie. fixed focal length)
generally, non-zoom lenses will give the following advantages over wide zoom lenses:
more compact & lighter
less aberrations
better for architecture where straight lines are important, although for this purpose, perspective control lenses may be needed.
less lens flare - this is often critical when photographing landscapes & nightscapes where you often need to shoot into the sun or near bright light sources
unfortunately there are very few examples explicitly designed for digital, but I would love a high quality one giving 21mm focal length.
examples:
Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8 ED IF (21mm equiv.)
wide standard zooms
these cover a range 24-70mm or more and are great travel & general purpose lenses
examples:
Olympus ZD 12-60mm (ie. 24-120mm) f/2.8-4.0 SWD lens
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM for full frame
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM for full frame
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED (coming 2008)
allows one to shift the lens up/down or sideways relative to the camera to minimise distortion when shooting tall buildings, etc.
24-120mm f/2.8-4.8 fixed lens
Options for a travel outfit:
Micro Four Thirds with Panasonic 7-14mm f/4:
this gives you the most compact, light kit at high image quality but lens is RRP $US1999
if you buy the GH-1 you also get a touch wider with native, uncropped 16:9 aspect ratio plus HD movie
almost as sharp as the much heavier Olympus ZD 7-14mm or Nikon 14-28mm f/2.8G and much better than anything for Canon dSLRs.
this is THE kit to get for compact travel, just add a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 for low light or street work, and perhaps the 10x 14-140mm if you buy the GH-1 and you have most things covered from ~13mm to 280mm plus AF HD video using the zoom lens.
Olympus E510/520/620 with Olympus Zuiko Digital 7-14mm f/4:
body 540g $A1300
lens $A2700; 780g; splashproof, dustproof, no filters;
live preview with sensor dust protection and 3-4EV CCD-shift image stabilisation
incredibly wide focal length range for most travel when matched with the ZD 12-60mm.
35mm effective focal range: 14-28mm
total weight 1320g
total price $A4000
in my opinion, THE BEST for some really creative shots and great for church interiors with the IS
combines well with the new ZD 12-60mm (ie. 24-120mm) f/2.8-4.0 SWD lens for Cokin-filtered landscapes, etc
THE BEST option for hand held super wide angle shots in dim light (eg. church interiors) - see travel and night
THE BEST option for street photography although I would have preferred a flip out LCD like the E330.
Olympus E510/520/620 with Olympus Zuiko Digital 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5:
body 540g $A1300
lens 485g splashproof, dustproof, 72mm filter $A1400 - great for use with Cokin filters
live preview with sensor dust protection and 3-4EV CCD-shift image stabilisation
very usable focal length range for most travel, landscape uses.
35mm effective focal range: 22-44mm
total weight 1025g
total price $A2700
in my opinion, best bang for your bucks!
combines well with a 14-54mm general purpose zoom
THE 2nd BEST option for hand held super wide angle shots in dim light (eg. church interiors) - see travel
Canon 450/550D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5:
body
lens 385g not dust proof or splash proof and half a stop less aperture although wider; 77mm filter;
vignetting at wider angles with Cokin filters
sensor dust protection apparently ineffective and no image stabilisation but lower noise at high ISO
35mm effective focal range: 16-35mm
total weight
total price
poorer option for hand held wide angle shots in dim lighting (eg. church interiors) as wide angle is f/3.5 and no IS.
Canon 550D or Nikon D90 with Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC lens:
just released in 2010 and will give 12-24mm coverage on APS-C but no filters
close focus 24cm
lens 545g
Canon 5D with OM adapter and Olympus Zuiko OM 21mm f/3.5 and Olympus Zuiko OM 28mm f/2 lenses:
body 895g $A5000
OM adapter ~$50
lenses:
Olympus Zuiko OM 21mm f/3.5 EBay $A350 180g 49mm filter
Olympus Zuiko OM 28mm f/2 EBay $A300 250g 49mm filter
no live preview, no sensor dust protection and no image stabilisation but lower noise at high ISO and full frame
should give the best quality images of the options compared (better than Canon wide angle zoom lenses)
beautiful compact lenses and filters and easily add more (eg. fisheye, 50mm, etc) but no AF
35mm effective focal range: 21 and 28mm
total weight ~1400g
total price $A5700
not a bad compromise if only you could get the body at a cheaper price and it had the features of the Olympus.
you could also add the Olympus OM 18mm but on Ebay these are pretty expensive at near $A1000.
Canon 5D with Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM:
body 895g $A5000
lens $A1600 475g - weather resistant; 77mm filter but 1 stop less aperture.
no live preview, no sensor dust protection and no image stabilisation but lower noise at high ISO and full frame
optical quality not as good but versatile with wider range
vignetting at wider angles with Cokin filters
barrel distortion especially at edges
35mm effective focal range: 17-40mm
total weight 1375g
total price $A6600
not a bad compromise if only you could get the body at a cheaper price and it had the features of the Olympus.
Canon 1D Mark III with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L II USM:
body 1335g $A6400
lens 635g; $A2959?; NB. 82mm filter; weather resistant;
live preview, sensor dust protection and lowest noise at high ISO and almost full frame with 10fps and fast AF
no image stabilisation with this lens
35mm effective focal range: 21-46mm (widest possible with this camera is the very expensive 14mm lens giving 18mm)
total weight 1970g
total price $A9400
what a great camera but its expensive, big and heavy - you would have to be a fanatic to carry this around all day and extra paranoid that no-one steals it.
lens, although better than the EF 17-40mm is still no match for the Olympus ZD 7-14mm optically.
Micro Four Thirds:
see lenses for MFT's
Panasonic 7-14mm f/4
the lightest, most compact 14-28mm lens available and gives excellent results - highly recommended!
Panasonic 8mm f/3.5 fisheye
Olympus M.ZD 8mm fisheye - coming 2011
Olympus M.ZD 9-18mm f/4-5.6 - coming 2010
Olympus M.ZD 12mm lens coming ?2010/2011
Panasonic 14mm
Olympus M.ZD 17mm f/2.8 pancake
consumer quality lens
Four Thirds lenses such as Olympus 7-14mm but manual focus only on Panasonic cameras
rangefinder lenses such as Leica M, Olympus Pen
C-mount video lenses but with vignetting
Olympus E-system digital SLRs:
2x crop makes using film-based lenses not as worthwhile for super wide angle except perhaps for 8mm fisheyes:
Peleng 8mm fisheye which loses its circular effect on the 2x crop but its cheap
Zuiko ZD 8mm f/3.5 fisheye digital:
180deg field of view; 0.135m macro; no filters; 7 blades circular; weather proof;
Zuiko ZD 7-14mm f/4 digital:
14-28mm in 35mm equiv., rectilinear super wide angle zoom with super ED glass
114 to 75 deg field of view with 0.25m macro; weather proof. 7 blades;
cannot use filters; RRP $A2800;
one of the BEST ultrawide zooms in existence
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/lens/dea/products/lens/7-14_40/index.asp
http://www.ayton.id.au/wp02/?p=36 - my blog on this lens
Zuiko ZD 9-18mm f/4-5.6 ED (Sept 2008):
consumer level ultra-wide 2x zoom covering 18-36mm effective range;
280g; close focus to 25cm; 72mm filter; 7 bladed iris;
“In fact, the ZD ED 9-18mm f4-5.6 lens announced just recently would have been unthinkable before. It was only because it became possible to mass-produce an aspherical lens with enormous variable ratio that it was possible to make it a compact lens without sacrificing image quality.”
22-44mm in 35mm equiv.; weatherproof;
89 to 53deg field of view with 0.28m macro; 7 blades;
72mm filter; RRP $A1350?
Zuiko ZD 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 SWD digital (mid-2007):
24-120mm in 35mm equiv.
SWD ultrasonic AF for quiet, faster AF similar to Canon's USM
weatherproof; great travel lens;
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM
focus to 24cm;
77mm filter; 6-blades; 495g;
Nikon full frame dSLRs:
introduced 2007, this is perhaps THE BEST AF wide angle lens under 21mm
easily beating the new Canon 16-36mm f/2.9L II
matches the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L & even beats it in corner resolution
luckily for Canon users, they can now use this lens via the Nikon G adapter which may be the best argument for buying a Canon 1DsMIII.
Nikon 14mm f/2.8D ED equiv. to 21mm; drop in rear filter; new GBP700 Ebay; not very good at all
Nikon 15mm f3.5 AIS equiv. to 22.5mm; 39mm screw rear filters; used $US850 Ebay - why pay so much for a 23mm lens?
Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4 G ED VR:
sharp lens, although soft in the corners and generally softer at 35mm, and severe barrel distortion at 16mm
introduced 2010; VR II level of image stabilisation; 77mm filter; weather sealed; 685g;
even larger than Canon, Sony f/2.8 zooms!!
a better landscape lens than the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 as lighter and can use filters, but does suffer from flare into the sun.
Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX
introduced late 2010; weather sealed; silent AF
Nikon DX digital SLRs:
1.5x crop makes using film-based lenses not worthwhile for super wide angle
see also:
Sigma 4.5mm EX DC circular fisheye for DX
Sigma 10mm EX DC rectilinear fisheye for DX
macro to 1.8cm
Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye:
180deg field of view; 0.14m macro; drop in filters; 7 blades rounded;
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC:
no filters; 545g
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM:
15-30mm in 35mm equiv.; 0.24m macro; 77mm filter; non-rotating front element;
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6:
very good lens for the price, if you don't mind the smaller aperture.
less distortion than the Canon/Nikon 14mm primes!
Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX:
18-36mm in 35mm equiv.; 7 blades rounded; 77mm filter; internal focus; RRP $A2100;
Nikon 17-35 AF-S 2.8 ED works well at 18-21mm being up there with the best at this range but problematic pincushion at higher than 25mm is a big issue which requires upsizing of the centre to correct, so not for architectural work. For Nikon DX cameras the total range becomes 25.5-42.5mm
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD IF:
for cropped sensors only; 15-36mm on DX cameras; 77mm filter; 370g; coming 2008;
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08090204tamron_10-24mm.asp
Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm f/4 IF DX:
easily beats the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM and Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di-II
not so good at 24mm end and complex CA difficult to remove; not good for close up work.
almost as good as the Olympus ZD 9-18mm
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/tokina_12-24_4_n15/page4.asp
Tokina 10-17mm
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 fisheye:
Canon 350D/450D/20D/30D/40D/50D digital SLRs:
1.6x crop makes using film-based lenses not as worthwhile for super wide angle
unfortunately, high quality options in the ultra-wide range are very limited on these APS-C cameras
widest rectilinear is 16mm in 35mm terms (compared to 14mm in Olympus and in full frame cameras).
see also:
equiv. to 16-35mm, this has reasonable build quality and minimal aberrations with good resolution. Not dust proof. RRP $A1400; 385g; 77mm filter; 63-107deg;
for the 1.6x crop, it is more useful wide angle than EF 17-55, EF-S 17-85, EF 17-40 but could be sharper and more weatherproof.
said to be better than the Nikon 12-24mm, the Tamron 11-18mm, and the Sigma 10-20mm
less distortion at 10mm than a Canon 16-35mm L on a full frame.
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM:
equiv. to 27-136mm; good lens but only f/5.6 and can't use on full frame; RRP $A1100;
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC HSM:
16-32mm in 35mm equiv.; 0.24m macro; 77mm filter; non-rotating front element; 6 blades;
Sigma 12-24mm
19-38mm equiv.; a great lens but you need to find a good one as they are quite variable in quality.
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD IF:
for cropped sensors only; 16-38mm on APS-C cameras; 77mm filter; 370g; coming 2008;
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08090204tamron_10-24mm.asp
Tokina AT-X Pro SD 12-24mm f/4 IF DX:
easily beats the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM and Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di-II
not so good at 24mm end and complex CA difficult to remove; not good for close up work.
almost as good as the Olympus ZD 9-18mm
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/tokina_12-24_4_n15/page4.asp
Tokina 10-17mm
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM:
26-56mm on 1.6x crop; 82mm filter; weatherproofed;
Canon 15mm f/2.8 rectangular fisheye:
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 fisheye:
Canon 1D (1.3x crop) digital SLRs:
unfortunately, high quality options in the ultra-wide range are extremely limited on these APS-H cameras with NOTHING available wider than 18mm
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM:
21-46mm on 1.3x crop; 82mm filter allows polas without vignetting; weatherproofed; av. street price $US1600;
better image quality than the EF 17-40mm f/4L, but at 24-35mm, neither of these comes close to a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/16-35.shtml
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/canon-17-40.shtml
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM:
31-137mm; 77mm filter; 670g; 3 stops IS; nice, light travel lens; RRP $A2000
see under full frame
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L:
see under full frame
= 18mm; see under full frame
Canon 15mm f/2.8 rectangular fisheye:
19.5mm lens on 1.3x crop but being a fisheye has substantial barrel distortion; $A1249
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 fisheye:
Canon full frame digital SLRs (5D/1Ds):
can use legacy 35mm film camera lenses with adapters, but perhaps best to avoid zoom lenses as lens flare can be a big problem as it is exacerbated by reflections from sensor onto rear element.
Note: Be aware that using a non Canon adapter may invalidate your warranty or may damage your camera. You use these adapters on your own risk.
you want the best wide angle lenses for these Canon's, then check here:
14-16mm - Leica R 15mm f/2.8 but mirror may hit it & v.expensive; Zeiss 15mm; Sigma 12-24mm; Canon 14L; see here;
18mm - Olympus Zuiko 18mm and Nikon 17-35 AF-S are among the best see here
19-21mm hall of fame table - Olympus Zuiko 21mm is the BEST value for money lens if you don't mind manual focus.
24-25mm hall of fame table - Olympus Zuiko and Leica 24mm f/2.8 are the best
28mm hall of fame table - Olympus Zuiko f/2 and Leica f/2.8 are the best
shift lenses - Zeiss PC35 Distagon; Zuiko 24 and 35mm shift; Canon EF 17mm and 24mm TSE; Nikon tilt shift lenses;
NB. the Canon lenses, even the L series are no where as good as these.
see also Canon lens chart and http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/375132
AF lenses designed for digital:
Sigma 8mm F4 EX DG Circular Fisheye:
180deg field of view; 0.2m macro; drop in rear gelatin filters; 5 blades;
Sigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG DIAGONAL Fisheye:
180deg field of view; 0.15m macro; drop in rear gelatin filters; 7 blades;
Sigma 20mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL RF:
94.5deg field of view; 0.2m macro; 82mm filters; rear focus; 9 blades;
Sigma 24mm F1.8 EX DG ASPHERICAL MACRO:
84.1deg field of view; 0.18m macro; 77mm filters; rear focus; 9 blades; used $US240;
Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX
introduced late 2010; weather sealed; silent AF
auto-focus lenses:
most seem to feel that Canon's wide angle lenses don't really make the grade on full frame sensors
114deg angle of view; 0.25m macro; drop in filters; weather resistant; 5 blades; RRP $A4500; ($A2649 online)
significant purple fringing even at f/11 - see http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/14mm/14mm_test_5.html
180deg diagonal field of view; 0.2m macro; drop in rear gelatin filters; 5 blades; RRP $A1500; ($A985 online)
94deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 72mm filters; 5 blades; used $US260; RRP $A1049;
84deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 77mm filters; 7 blades; RRP $A2800; ($A1869 online)
this is a great lens although soft in the corners on full frame
it is now matched in image quality by Nikon's new 14-24mm f/2.8G which has better corner sharpness
Caon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM:
revised lens designed for more resolution and nicer bokeh
84deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 58mm filters; 5 blades; RRP $A769;
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8:
for good star shapes in astro work, need to stop down to f/5.6 so may as well use the cheaper f/2.8 lens at f/5.6.
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8:
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L:
a favorite prime lens. ($A1869 online)
Sigma 12-24mm
the widest zoom lens available
108 to 63deg angle of view; 0.28m macro; 77mm filters; weather resistant; 7 blades; RRP $A3200;
some vignetting wide open even on 1.6x crop; soft corners; lens flare and CA a problem;
prime focus lenses such as Zuiko 21mm easily beats this lens at f/8 see here
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/16-35.shtml
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM:
82mm filter allows polarisers without vignetting; weatherproofed; ($A2095 online)
corners almost as sharp as centre at f/4 on full frame but still soft wide open.
best resolution at 24mm but CA can be a problem
barrel distortion at 16mm
better image quality than the EF 17-40mm f/4L, but at 24-35mm, neither of these comes close to a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
at last Canon has a lens that beats the Olympus OM 18mm but it still has problems in the corners on a full frame sensor.
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_1635_28/index.htm
http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/canon1635ii_a/c1635ii_a1.html
Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8L USM:
77mm filter; $US900; 0.42m macro;
sharp from 20mm upwards and stopped down to f/3.5; big hood; does not focus as close as the 16-35mm;
vignetting and lens flare an issue on full frame at wide angle;
74 to 29deg angle of view; 0.28m macro; 77mm filters or rear drop in; weather resistant; 7 blades; RRP $A1600; $US600-800 Ebay;
unfortunately significant distortion on the edges with full frame cameras.
Canon EF 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 USM:
94 to 63deg angle of view; 0.34m macro; 77mm filters; 5 blades; RRP $A859;
RRP $A2700 great lens but no IS and its heavy.
reverse zooming mechanism with maximal extension at wide angle means lens hood is much more effective than the one on the 24-105mm
seems there is some variability in optical quality between lenses
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_2470_28/index.htm
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM:
77mm filter; 670g; 3 stops IS; a great travel lens; RRP $A2000
similar image quality to the 24-70L but lighter, more range and IS thus better for stationery subjects whereas the f/2.8 on the 24-70mm means its better for moving subjects.
CA at wide angle f/4; not weather resistant; some vignetting on 5D at < 50mm focal length; more distortion than the 24-70mm.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/28-105.shtml
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_24105_4_is/index.htm
Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM:
RRP $A4400
Tamron SP AF 14mm f/2.8 LD Aspherical IF:
RRP $A2749; min. focus 0.2m; macro mag. 1:6.5; rear filter slot for gelatin filters; 661g
Sigma 14mm F2.8 EX ASPHERICAL HSM:
114deg field of view; 0.18m macro; drop in rear gelatin filters; 7 blades;
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6:
very good lens for the price, if you don't mind the smaller aperture.
less distortion than the Canon/Nikon 14mm primes!
manual focus lenses:
adapters:
ensure it has a stopping set device to prevent damage to the camera.
AF-confirm OM-EOS adapter:
http://optix.happypage.com/AFOMEOS.html and on EBay for about $US75
Kindai Japan - $US163
Cameraquest - $US175
Ebay search - usually available for $US20-45
a new adapter with built-in computer chip for MF confirmation is coming
Olympus Zuiko 8mm f/2.8 fisheye:
180deg circular field of view; 0.2m macro; internal wheel filters; 6 blades; used $US1100;
Olympus Zuiko MC 16mm f/3.5 fisheye:
180deg diagonal field of view; 0.2m macro; internal wheel filters; 6 blades; used $US500-700;
Olympus Zuiko MC 18mm f/3.5:
deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 72mm filters; 6 blades; used $US700-900;
requires 49-72mm step up ring to attach filters.
Olympus Zuiko MC 21mm f/2:
deg field of view; 0.2m macro; 55mm filters; 6 blades; floating element thus better macro performance; used $US500-700 but great quality ones may go for $US900-1100;
the 4th best 21mm lens in the world, beating even the excellent Leica 21-35mm.
Olympus Zuiko 21mm f/3.5:
deg field of view; 0.2m macro; 49mm filters; 6 blades; no floating element; used $US300-400; $A600 Ebay
this is extremely popular for the 5D - sharpness at f/5.6 and smaller, minimal distortion and good contrast, compact
performance close behind the Zuiko 21mm f/2, making it the 3rd best 21mm lens in the world.
Olympus Zuiko MC 24mm f/2:
84 deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 55mm filters; 8 blades; used $US300-600;
Olympus Zuiko MC 24mm f/2.8:
84 deg field of view; 0.25m macro; 49mm filters; 6 blades; used $US140-250;
one of the sharpest 24mm lenses available for the Canon, but best when stopped down to f/5.6-8.
astoundingly good at f5.6-8 at distance, and produced the highest resolution captures of anything shot thus far at 24mm.
via an M42 to EOS adapter:
Pentax Asahi:
17mm f/4 - used $US125
20mm f/4
via Leica R to EOS adapter:
Leica R lenses:
BUT issues with the oversized mirror on the 5D hitting the rear element on some of these lenses!
see here for Leica-Canon compatibility table
Leica R 15mm f/2.8 - mirror may hit it.
Leica 19mm - 2nd best lens in 19-21mm range in the world.
Leica 24mm is not a stellar performer (and doesn't fit a Canon body)
via Contax to EOS adapter:
Carl Zeiss lenses for Contax/Yashica:
BUT issues with the oversized mirror on the 5D hitting the rear element on some of these lenses, esp. the 15mm.
Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T - ~$US2000 on EBay
Zeiss 18mm f/4 - see here; not as good as the 21mm; waveform pincusion distortion;
Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 - the best 21mm in the world by a country mile, seems much sharper at f/2.8-4 than Zuiko f/2 lens but much the same at smaller apertures see here but is big and sells on Ebay for $US3000 for mint condition used models! Suffers from waveform distortion which can be difficult to correct.
Zeiss 25mm is an older lens which doesn't seem to reach its siblings' level of picture quality.
via Pentax K to EOS adapter:
AF-confirm Pentax-EOS adapter:
http://optix.happypage.com/AFPKEOS.html and on EBay for about $US75
via Nikon to EOS adapter:
a new adapter allows MF confirmation as with Canon EF lenses in MF mode (not Nikkor G lenses though)
Nikkor 15mm f/3.5 is popular
Nikon 17-35 AF-S 2.8 ED works well at 18-21mm being up there with the best at this range but problematic pincushion at higher than 25mm is a big issue which requires upsizing of the centre to correct, so not for architectural work.
Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 fisheye:
needs to be stopped down to f/11
manual focus shift or "Perspective Control" lenses for 35mm cameras and Canon EOS (+/- via adapter):
see also:
see also perspective control lenses
Pentax digital SLR's:
see Pentax
Film cameras:
35mm SLR cameras:
see as for Canon full frame
Bronica SQ:
Zenzanon PS 40mm:
87 deg field of view equiv. to 23mm; cannot use Cokin filters as 95mm filters; used $US200-300;
Zenzanon S 50mm f/3.5:
76 deg field of view equiv. to 28mm; 0.5m macro; 67mm filter thus can use Cokin filters; used $US150-200;
Mamiya 645:
Mamiya 45mm f/2.8 lens 4 low dispersion:
74 deg field of view equiv. to 28mm; used $US560 Ebay
Hasselblad V series:
Hasselblad 40mm CF FLE - 93mm filter; used $US1825;
Hasselblad 50mm f/4 CFi - used $US1400; RRP $US3466;
Panoramic film cameras:
135mm film based:
Hasselblad XPan I (1998) / II (2003):
can shoot regular 35mm frames or double width frames of 24x65mm
both the wide angle lenses cause some vignetting so one needs a centre filter to compensate and thus lose 1.5 stops due to the centre filter on the 30mm & for best results need to be stopped down 2 stops or use Photoshop.
30mm f/5.6 lens equiv. to 15mm view in pan. mode giving 94deg horiz.; RRP $US2500; requires accessory viewfinder;
45mm f/4.0 lens equiv. to 23mm view in pan. mode;
Fuji G617:
105mm f/8 large format lens equiv. to 24mm lens; 4 images of 6x17cm per 120 roll; 3m macro;
Noblex 6x12:
146 degree field of view;
Fuji GX680III:
interchangeable lenses; perspective control;
NB. 67mm Schneider centre filters retail at about $A550.