Wide Angle recommendation

[guido]

I have purchased multiple refurbished lenses and a body from the Canon store. Nice savings and the quality has been spot on. I'd have no concerns going that way...

[kevs]

Thanks Guido.. you know I'm 100% sure it's like new.. but as I look at photo of 16-35 on canon site,  I realize that it could have a 'worn' look, so maybe I'm shallow, but I'm thinking that $120 more is worth it to have it look shiny new.

Leaning to the 16-35, though the 11- 24 is still in my head, pity it's overpriced. (even the Sigma is  60% more )

The 17-40 is so cheap now, BH $600, but nobody here or anywhere, seems to think it's a good lens.

[kevs]

Went in to camera store yesterday tested Canon 11-24, very impressive. $2700

Other ideas: fixed 14 $1900?,   and Canon does have these cheaper 10 to 22 etc, not sure they would even mount on a 5d, and I'm sure quality lousy on those..?

And then Sigma art 12mm to.. 24-- have not tested yet...

This is what it's narrowing down to...

Agree: once you see 11mm, you probably wont buy even the 16 to 35mm.   (and Canon 11 to 24, did not even exist in my older Canon lens booklet, when did they invent it?)

[NancyP]

Ultra-wide isn't for everyone. A cheap way to dip into it is the FF-coverage Samyang/Rokinon 14 mm f/2.8, ask around if anyone has it and borrow it. It isn't for architecture due to the funky mustache distortion, but for learning if you like composing  using 14 mm on FF - perfectly fine. USD $100.00 to $200.00 used, $330.00 new list. Yes, there's a lot of sample variation, yes there's tons of vignetting wide open. If you aren't thrilled with 14 mm, you just saved yourself a fair bit of money by buying a 16 - 35 mm instead of the 11 - 24 mm Canon lens. Plus, the 16-35s are considerably lighter than the 11 - 24.

[Geods]

If you haven't tried stitching yet, you should. Stitching is not just for making panorama-type photographs. With a higher resolution image, one can not only correct perspective but crop and edit while comfortably, in front of the computer. I have found the results clearly superior to single frame shots. In the old days, I used to lug around an 8x10 camera, holders, heavy tripod, etc. Now, I can carry such a camera in my pocket and the results are better.

[Rhossydd]

It isn't for architecture due to the funky mustache distortion,

Instantly corrected in Lightroom and ACR with a lens profile.

[NancyP]

I forgot - yes someone did make an Adobe lens profile for it.

[kevs]

I cannot stitch, I shoot people.

The low end stuff does not interest me. Here is where I'm at now:

The sweet spot for creativity are these 11-24, 12-24 lenses.

Just read lots of the top reviews from several top lens comparison sites... , and the verdict is that the Canon 11-24 is just a hair better, but not that much from Sigma 12-24. Certainly not worth almost double the price. (in fact apart from sharpness being a tad better, ( and being one mm wider -- 11 over 12--, the Sigma does better with distortion, vignetting, and chromatic chromatic aberration. 

Personally, I never buy 3rd party and go with Canon, but this may be the case there someone has come up with something 95% as good at almost 1/2 price.

Any reason to hold off buying now? (would Sigma come down in price or release a newer version after Jan 1?)

Any arguments for paying almost double for Canon?

[kevs]

Update for all: I ordered new from BH the Sigma 12-24. Back ordered a month. Then a month later it was back ordered another 2 more months.

Then I called Sigma, annoyed,  I checked ebay, and then started going back to research comparisons to the Canon 11-24...which is actually twice as sharp and twice as good... did a lot of reading.

In short, the Gods must have been speaking, I cancelled the Sigma and ordered the Canon 11-24 new yesterday.

( I did bid on a near mint Canon 11-24 on ebay for $2100 three days ago, and lost, just barely)... Of course everyone who sells a lens there seems to say it was only used 1 -10 times... ...)  That's another interesting discussion, buying used things on ebay (even "near mint),  just to save 15% for something you can get new...