Best Wide angle lens for a beginner

98olds

Hello,

I now have a Nikon D3000.

I have the 18-55 Kit Lens
70-300 VR Telephoto
and the 18-105

My question is which affordable wide angle lens would you reccomend?
I generally would use it for Car shows, and landscape both of which I shoot alot. I would also use it when I do some of my event photography, when I am shooting in a small room.

any suggestions?

Thanks

craig_d

The Tokina 12-24mm f/4 is a good, not too expensive choice. The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is better but a bit pricier.

98olds

craig_d wrote: »

The Tokina 12-24mm f/4 is a good, not too expensive choice. The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is better but a bit pricier.

Thank you for your response!
I will look into this.

photogreen

I would also consider Tamron 17-35MM F/2.8-4:
http://www.tamron.com/lenses/prod/17_35mm.asp

I used to have. A very decent lens.

FLYING EYEBALL

98olds wrote: »

Hello,

I now have a Nikon D3000.

I have the 18-55 Kit Lens
70-300 VR Telephoto
and the 18-105

My question is which affordable wide angle lens would you reccomend?
I generally would use it for Car shows, and landscape both of which I shoot alot. I would also use it when I do some of my event photography, when I am shooting in a small room.

any suggestions?

Thanks

Tokina 12-24 f4

98olds

FLYING EYEBALL wrote: »

Tokina 12-24 f4

Beautiful Pics!! Thanks Thats exactly what I would use the lens for!

time2smile

Please note, if you want AF you need a lens with a built in focus motor for the D3000

craig_d

time2smile wrote: »

Please note, if you want AF you need a lens with a built in focus motor for the D3000

That's a good point. The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 does NOT have its own focus motor (according to Tokina's web site), so it can only do AF on Nikon DX cameras that have their own built-in AF screw motor (the D40, D3000, and D5000 do not).

The Tokina 12-24mm f/4, however, does have its own motor (again according to Tokina's web site), so it will do AF on the D3000. I used to have the Canon version of that lens, so I know it produces good results, but I haven't used the Nikon-mount version.

ziggy53

I'll throw in a plug for the Sigma 10-20mm, f4-5.6 EX DC HSM. It has the HSM built-in AF motor technology (similar to the better designed Nikon AF-S lenses) and the 10mm is "very" wide. While it's not the best in class sharpness anymore, it's still very good. I have no plans on upgrading mine anytime soon as it does what I need it to do with sufficient quality to satisfy paying clients.

Sigma has a constant aperture f3.5 version that I have not tested but it does not seem significantly better in raw optical terms.

BradfordBenn

have you thought about renting a lens to try it out before plunking down the big money? Just an idea.

catspaw

ziggy53 wrote: »

I'll throw in a plug for the Sigma 10-20mm, f4-5.6 EX DC HSM. It has the HSM built-in AF motor technology (similar to the better designed Nikon AF-S lenses) and the 10mm is "very" wide. While it's not the best in class sharpness anymore, it's still very good. I have no plans on upgrading mine anytime soon as it does what I need it to do with sufficient quality to satisfy paying clients.

Sigma has a constant aperture f3.5 version that I have not tested but it does not seem significantly better in raw optical terms.

What Ziggy said since he beat me too it the 10-20 is a great lens.

FLYING EYEBALL

98olds wrote: »

Beautiful Pics!! Thanks Thats exactly what I would use the lens for!

Thank You

Post up some pics once you pick one up :photo

r3t1awr3yd

I've owned the 12-24 from tokina and currently own their 11-16. If you need the extra stops, get the 11-16. It's softer wide open than the 12-24 is though (though I've never read that in any reviews, it's what I see when I process). I thought the price was pretty much the same between the two. The only reason I got rid of the 12-24 is because the 11-16 didn't exist at the time and I wanted faster glass.