Need an ultra wide for Minolta

[TME]

Hi brothers,

Need some help in sourcing for an ultra wide lens for my 505si. In particular, I was looking at the 17-35mm range. The original lens is too expensive at $2500! So I am looking at 3rd party lens.

Any brands or lens to recommend and their prices if possible? I only know of 3 brands that carry such a lens - Cosina 19-35, Tokina 19-35 and Sigma 17-35. Anyone uses these or know someone who uses these?

I asked the proprietor of FotoGuide and he said that the Sigma lens was lousy and vignettes at all focal lengths. Nick from Camera Workshop says that the lens fogs easily. Reviews on the web are very mixed. Haven't seen anything about the Cosina or Tokina. Any comments? And any other brands worth considering? Thanks!!

 

[Wai]

have u consider Ultra wide Prime lens?

least distortion and much cheaper

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by TME
Hi brothers,

Need some help in sourcing for an ultra wide lens for my 505si. In particular, I was looking at the 17-35mm range. The original lens is too expensive at $2500! So I am looking at 3rd party lens.

Any brands or lens to recommend and their prices if possible? I only know of 3 brands that carry such a lens - Cosina 19-35, Tokina 19-35 and Sigma 17-35. Anyone uses these or know someone who uses these?

I asked the proprietor of FotoGuide and he said that the Sigma lens was lousy and vignettes at all focal lengths. Nick from Camera Workshop says that the lens fogs easily. Reviews on the web are very mixed. Haven't seen anything about the Cosina or Tokina. Any comments? And any other brands worth considering? Thanks!!

Just for the build alone, the Tokina 20-35/2.8 ATX Pro is already better than the other 2. Optically it's supposed to be very good. I've tried the cheaper 3.5-4.5 ATX version and it's not bad, apart from having inevitable distortion at the widest end.

Regards
CK

 

[ShockerG]

Originally posted by kamwai
have u consider Ultra wide Prime lens?

least distortion and much cheaper

Which one? How cheap???

 

[TME]

Originally posted by ckiang


Just for the build alone, the Tokina 20-35/2.8 ATX Pro is already better than the other 2. Optically it's supposed to be very good. I've tried the cheaper 3.5-4.5 ATX version and it's not bad, apart from having inevitable distortion at the widest end.

Regards
CK

So I have read that the PRO is better. But the price is more than double!! Since your experience tells u that the ATX is okay then I suppose I can get that. What kind of distortion am I looking at? I have zilch experience with ultra wides though.

 

[munfai]

even the best ultra-wides will distort, only difference is how much

i'm looking for an ultra-wide zoom myself, and by the looks of it will most likely settle for the Tokina 19-35. I can live with whatever shortcomings it has.

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by TME


So I have read that the PRO is better. But the price is more than double!! Since your experience tells u that the ATX is okay then I suppose I can get that. What kind of distortion am I looking at? I have zilch experience with ultra wides though.

Barrel distortion, where straight lines become curved.

Regards
CK

 

[anonymous]

Originally posted by ckiang


Barrel distortion, where straight lines become curved.

Regards
CK

then if we shoot curved line will it become straight line ?

 

[YSLee]

Originally posted by anonymous


then if we shoot curved line will it become straight line ?

If I bash your head in after it's been bashed in, does that mean you'll be alright?

Engage brain before fingers, thank you.

 

[munfai]

Originally posted by anonymous


then if we shoot curved line will it become straight line ?

no, there is some sense in this question. when we say distortion we would usually be talking about barrel distortion, where if suppose we take a picture of a straight vertical line positioned at the edge of the shot, the ends would curve inward towards the centre of the shot. pincushion would cause it to curve outwards.

what if the line was curved outwards in the first place? now wouldn't barrel distortion comoensate for the line curvature, and produce a line that is straighter than it actually is???

 

[anonymous]

Originally posted by YSLee


If I bash your head in after it's been bashed in, does that mean you'll be alright?

Engage brain before fingers, thank you.

u use your brain, read munfai post, although my question sound stupid but there is a "little" sense in it.

 

[YSLee]

Originally posted by anonymous


u use your brain, read munfai post, although my question sound stupid but there is a "little" sense in it.

No, if you think about it, you'll realise you're not making much sense.

 

[anonymous]

a line look like this | , if you sertup your lens from top and tilt down, the results might look like this /

now, we move the lens down and tilt up, will the line look like this | ?

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by anonymous
a line look like this | , if you sertup your lens from top and tilt down, the results might look like this /

now, we move the lens down and tilt up, will the line look like this | ?

No it will not. Anyway, what you are describing is more like perspective distortion.


A building which looks like this : | | will be come / \ when you tilt your lens up. But for barrel, | | will be come ( ). For Pincusion, | | becomes ) (. Combine that with perspective distortion, it becomes rather distorted. But a curved line will not quite straight again, and in most cases, won't.

Regards
CK

 

[anonymous]

Originally posted by ckiang


No it will not. Anyway, what you are describing is more like perspective distortion.


A building which looks like this : | | will be come / \ when you tilt your lens up. But for barrel, | | will be come ( ). For Pincusion, | | becomes ) (. Combine that with perspective distortion, it becomes rather distorted. But a curved line will not quite straight again, and in most cases, won't.

Regards
CK

thanks, ckiang, that was really an answer to my question. i appreciate it.

 

[TME]

Originally posted by YSLee


If I bash your head in after it's been bashed in, does that mean you'll be alright?

Engage brain before fingers, thank you.

Eh YSLee, be kind lah!! Like that sure sio pah onez!!

 

[ckiang]

Originally posted by anonymous


thanks, ckiang, that was really an answer to my question. i appreciate it.

You're welcome. Luckily I can represent them using ASCII graphics. ;p

Regards
CK

 

[TME]

Originally posted by ckiang


Barrel distortion, where straight lines become curved.

Regards
CK

How significant is it? I mean, will a skinny person look like a "bang ko" bamboo stick if he is on the edge of the frame? From what I know this kind of distortion becomes worse nearer the edge of the frame?

 

[munfai]

how significant distortion is depends on the lens then. naturally better (and naturally more expensive) lenses produce less distortion.

how exactly it is measured, i have no idea...

 

[TME]

Originally posted by munfai
how significant distortion is depends on the lens then. naturally better (and naturally more expensive) lenses produce less distortion.

how exactly it is measured, i have no idea...

No what I mean is for this particular lens, how bad is the distortion. Is it very noticeable especially at the edges. I do understand that there will be distortions, afterall, the lens covers such a wide area. But since this lens is not quite expensive, I wonder if it would be value for money given the level of distortion?