Are there any cheap wide angle lenses?

[RedSlug]

One thing missing from my camera bag is a wide angle lens. The nearest I have is a 24-85mm Nikon, but of course 24mm is really 36mm with the 1.5 multiplier

I've been looking around and, while I know that it's worth spending the money on lenses as you get what you pay for, I simply cannot justify anything near what I have seen for wide angle lenses.

So why are WA lenses so expensive? Or have I been looking in the wrong places?

[ballroom_boy]

The 18-35 AF Nikkor can be had from $300-$400 used (in mint condition) on eBay. It was my first wide angle lens and performed very well, especially from f/5.6 onwards.

I am sure there are 3rd options, but I don't know much about them... maybe someone else could enlighten us?

[Bill C]

I have a Sigma 15-30 ..... Working fine by me (it gets mixed reviews of course!) around $400 .... check out the lens test section...

Bill

[Tom V]

How about a Nikkor AFD 20mm f2.8? They are going for $379 (after $100 rebate) now at B&H. Ebay has loads of them.

I have one and like it. I keep it on my S2 as my basic lens. It's what I put on the camera when I put the camera in the bag and go out shooting for fun. It's not fussy with zoom rings, it uses a plain lens shades, it doesn't intimidate as some monster lenses do, it's bright in the viewfinder, it's lightweight, and it's small (compared to many other super wide zooms).

Nikon also has a 18mm f2.8 but it costs 3x as much.

:beerchug:

[sandman]

How much do you want to spend Red ?. The Sigma 17-35 is still selling for about £400 new , or there are S/H ones in the small ads in amateur photographer.
I'm looking at a 12-24 for landscape work. or maybe just to keep up with Igor..:D

Brian

[petej]

Thats the question--how much is cheap--nikon18-35 is a good lens and is quite cheap (£310 uk is the cheapest i have seen it) and works well with the s2.

Peter

[Sneakyracer]

I just got the nikon 18-35mm f3.5~4.5 AFD. Very nice lens. I think its as sharp as the 20mm afd which i also have and looks like i wont use it much. :cool: The 20mm is a very good lens though and very very compact.

[Mr. Stacey]

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Yeah, I agree. Nikon 20mm 2.8.

To zoom in, walk forward. To zoom out, walk backward.

My walk around lens is the 24mm.


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[frankgh]

I love my Sigma 14mm EX. You can find them for under 400 buck USD used. Around 600-700 new.

[Wilm]

Originally posted by Bill C
I have a Sigma 15-30 ..... Working fine by me (it gets mixed reviews of course!) around $400 .... check out the lens test section...

Bill

The Sigma is also fine by me !
Sharp result, simple to handle.

I would promise the Sigma too


Wilm

[Claude Ollieuz]

Now, about cheap wideangle...

I had a lucky find on Brussel's flea market the other day: a Marexar Ultrawider supplementary lens wich fits my AF Nikkor 24, turning it into a circular fisheye!

I don't think it was ever meant to be used with a 24 mm so that the edges of the images are a bit on the unsharp side but the nearly 130° HFOV is quite a help at close quarters!

PS: I forgot the best bit: it cost me 7€

[Claude Ollieuz]

This to show the difference...

[Claude Ollieuz]

This is the image before remapping with the PanoTools plugin

[moo750]

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1030&message=6988955

read here it details using olympus 0.8 convertor with 24mm and tamron 19-35mm

see what you think

[Jay3]

I have the same issues regarding the purchase of a wide angle (I prefer primes). Just converted to Fuji / Nikon from the defunct OM system, so I was trying to stretch my budget (after buying Nikkor 28mm f2.8, 60mm Micro, 85mm 1.4 and 180 f2.8). I picked up a MF Vivitar 19mm f3.8 for about $100 (B&H). All-metal construction, lens made in Japan. It's not too bad. It lives on my FM3A mostly, but I like the initial results on my S2; but I'm just a hobbyist.

[Wichita Wayne]

The problem is that they are all too expensive. A couple of years ago you could find a lot of cheap 20mm and less on eBay. We bought an old 19mm Vivitar for $25, and it worked fine for vacation shots on a cheap Nikon FM10. But since the digital age is upon us the price of some of these dogs has doubled. Can you imagine that, and now the value of my Hasselblad stuff is now half of what it use to be. And the Hasselblad will shoot rings around my digital camera. Go figure! And to make things worse my daughter scratched the front element on the 19mm last fall rock climbing in Colorado. It still works fine if you use a high f-stop and point the thing away from the Sun, but you cannot find these things on eBay at all any more.

[robinp]

OK, I'm just an amateur and can't justify spending a fortune on lenses so am always on the look out for a bargain.
Surprised no one has mentioned the new Sigma 18-50mm f3.5-5.6DC lens especially as its designed for non full frame DSLR's.
I got one just before Christmas when they were in short supply but everywhere seems to have stock now. On my S1 (wish I hadn't sold it now!) it was a wonderful lens but on the S2 I have had some of the strange softness problems mentioned in other posts here. I have ordered a Nikkor 24-85 for general use but would definitely reccomend the little Sigma for those who only require wide angle occasionally. Some of you rich folks here could buy one with your pocket money. Price at Pixmania.com is down to only £80 !!
Now if someone can point me in the direction of an affordable 12 or 15mm.......

Cheers, Robin

[RedSlug]

Thanks Robin, for the hint. This lens is now top of my shopping list!!

[robinp]

Somewhat off topic but I figure everybody reading this mostly uses wide angle. If you only need telephoto on rare occasions and don't want to fill up your bag then I can reccomend the Tamron 80-210mm f4.5/5.6 - very light, very small and very inexpensive!

[robinp]

A 24mm makes for ~ 35mm equivalent on the S2 and these days most folks don't consider that as wide - it does however make a nice focal length for landscapes or just wandering round in a city.....
The Nikkors would seem the obvious choice but have you considered the Sigma 24mm f2.8 ? According to http://www.photodo.com/ its actually sharper than the equivalent Nikkor!
I can confirm that this lens suits the S2 very well and although no longer available new it turns up on Ebay at very reasonable prices.

Cheers, Robin

ISO 800 1/500th handheld f9.5