Wide Angle lens

[stephxv]

Hi guys (and ladies!)

New to this forum and was hoping to use some of your expertise to help me through a potential purchase of a wide angle /macro lens.

I've got an SLR camera - EOS Rebel - and am looking at getting a macro lens to do both macros and portraits. The issues are:
- the number of lenses on the market
- the cost associated with some of them
I've already got 2 other lenses (28-90 and 55-200).

Any advise/locations/recommended shops I should go to? I've looked on ebay but am a bit warry as some of the items do not come with a lot of details

Thanks!
Steph

[Ed W]

Steph,

On film, the canon 100 macro is a true 1-1 macro lens that is also capable of delivering outstanding portraits (single person, head and body shots). Be aware that it's not a zoom lens, and it's nowhere near to being a wide angle lens.

In fact, there aren't any wide-angle, true macro lenses.

You can also look at the tamron 90 macro lens. Slightly shorter, but a lot cheaper. The quality is also quite good.

In terms of wide angle lenses, the canon 20-35 is a pretty good performer. If you want to go any wider than that, there's a sigma 17-35, which is also quite good. Sigma also have a 12-24, which is extremely wide.


Any advise/locations/recommended shops I should go to? I've looked on ebay but am a bit warry as some of the items do not come with a lot of details

You'll have to tell us where you live first.

[stephxv]

Ed

Thks for the quick reply. Am based in Kellyville (Sydney). Be good if I could find a lens that compromises both close ups and wide angles.... With wide angle lenses is there not a risk of distortion for close-ups / portraits?

Thanks again!
Steph

[Ed W]

Ed

Thks for the quick reply. Am based in Kellyville (Sydney). Be good if I could find a lens that compromises both close ups and wide angles....

Steph,

Go into Foto Riesel on Kent st in the city - they'll be happy to help you out with lens choices and will let you test the lenses they have on display. V&G has the most comprehensive set of lenses in store, and they'll let you test the lenses as well. Prices at V&G are a bit on the high side, though, and the foto riesel guys are friendlier.

With wide angle lenses is there not a risk of distortion for close-ups / portraits?

While you can use a wide angle for portraits, it's not advisable if you're trying to fill the frame with your subject. Short/medium telephoto lenses are good for most portraits.

I think most of the wide angle lenses have a fairly short minimum focus distance, so if you're not really interested in a true macro, they'd work quite well... just not for portraits (have I stressed that enough? :D)

[Nikonf4]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7527585568&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

That is a 18-35 that will fit your camera. But macro and wide angle are two different things. You would have to go back to using OM cameras and Zuiko lenses to get wide angle macro lenses. VERY sought after and VERY expensive.