Is your standard zoom lens stopping you from seeing
the bigger picture? We search out the best buys at the ultra-wide end of the
spectrum
Standard zoom lenses with a typical range of around 18-55mm
give you a somewhat blinkered outlook on life. When you take into account the
1.6x crop factor of most Canon D-SLRs, such as the 1100D, 650D, 60D and 7D, the
effective focal length of these lenses stretches from 29mm to 88mm. That’s fine
for general photography, but there are times when you simply won’t be able to
squeeze everything you want to photograph into the frame. You’re likely to feel
the pinch most acutely when you’re shooting interiors of buildings. Even when
your back is literally up against the wall, you simply can’t zoom out far
enough to get the shot you want. But fit an ultra-wide lens like the Canon
10-22mm, which has an effective wide-angle focal length of 16mm, and the
difference is truly staggering – it’s almost like you’re suddenly viewing the
scene with both eyes open instead of just one.
With ultra-wide
lenses, it’s almost like you’re suddenly viewing the scene with both eyes open
instead of just one
The same holds true for landscape photography, when you want
to take in a grand vista. An ultra-wide lens really does cover all the angles,
as well as giving your creativity a boost. You can massively exaggerate
perspective in shots, making foreground objects really stand out against
rapidly shrinking backgrounds.
For most of us, a telephoto zoom lens will be the first
purchase after buying a D-SLR with a standard zoom lens. But an ultra-wide lens
is a worthy contender for being next on the list. So let’s take an in-depth
look at the choices…
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Once the most expensive lens in the group by some margin,
the EF-S 10-22mm used to cost even more than Canon’s L-series (Luxury) EF
17-40mm full-frame offering. Build quality feels pretty solid and robust, but
it lacks the usual L-series refinements, like weather-seals and a lens hood. The
latter shouldn’t be a deal-breaker though, as while Canon’s official EW-83E hood
costs around $50, you can buy independently made, compatible petal-shaped hoods
for as little as $8 online.
Canon EF-S 10-22mm
f/3.5-4.5 USM
Handling is very refined, and both zooming and focusing are
completely internal, so the lens doesn’t stretch in length during either
adjustment. The ring-type USM autofocus proved super-fast and completely
accurate in our tests, as well as being whisper-quiet. Despite this, images were
generally slightly lacking in sharpness towards either end of the zoom range,
especially at apertures larger than f/8.
At the largest apertures there’s noticeable vignetting but,
as it’s a genuine Canon lens, in-camera ‘peripheral illumination correction’ is
available on current D-SLRs, as well as in Digital Photo Professional when
you’re editing RAW files.
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Verdict
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Price: $600
·
For: Good build quality and handling with super-fast autofocus
·
Against: Optical quality could be better and it’s not great
value at the price
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
This is the only lens in the group that’s compatible with
full-frame cameras like the 5D Mark II. We’ve included it because it is
supremely good value, particularly for an L-series lens. Its optical prowess is
only narrowly beaten by the Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 ZE prime lens, which
costs twice the price and has no autofocus facility.
Canon EF 17-40mm
f/4L USM
Despite the modest asking price for a luxury L-series lens,
the build quality is professional, complete with dust and moisture seals. As
with most L-series lenses, a lens hood is supplied as standard kit.
Surprisingly compact for a full-frame ultra-wide lens, the 17-40mm is only
slightly larger than the EF-S 10-22mm, and weighs less than some of the APS-C lenses
in the group.
Image quality proved very impressive in our tests, with the
lens delivering great sharpness and contrast throughout the zoom and aperture
ranges. Vignetting is well controlled on full-frame cameras and a non-issue on
APS-C bodies. The only problem is on APS-C EOS cameras the effective 27-64mm
focal length range is more like a standard zoom than an ultra-wide lens, as
demonstrated in the adjacent test shots.
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Verdict
·
Price: $840 ·
For: Great image quality and great build quality, including dust
and moisture seals ·
Against: Lacks wide-angle coverage on an APS-C body
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