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Ultra Wide Angle Zooms for DSLRs

by Gisle Hannemyr

This is a link farm, linking to all online reviews of ultra-wide rectilinear zooms for digital SLRs I am aware of. I have listed zooms that cover a wider field of view (FOV) than 100 degrees. This will be 18 mm for FX-format (aka. “full frame” or “135-format”), 12 mm for the DX-format, and wider than 9 mm for Four-thirds.

The table consists if two parts. The first part lists lenses that can be used on all small format SLR cameras. The second half lists lenses that is suitable for DX-sized (or smaller) sensors, and will vignette on FX-format sensors.

The prices are taken from the B&H web January 2007 – November 2009.

Lenses that can be used on all DSLRs:
BrandZoomApertureDesignationAbbriv.PriceNotes
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 EF USM L Ca16-35$13701.
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 EF USM II L Ca16-35ii$15991.
Canon 17-35mm f/2.8 EF USM L Ca17-35?1.
Canon 17-40mm f/4.0 EF USM L Ca17-40$6351.
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S G IF-ED Ni14-24$18001.
Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S D IF-EDNi17-35$14601.
Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-D IF-ED Ni18-35$4001.
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX HSM DG Si12-24$6891.
Sigma 15-30mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG DF Si15-30$4991.
Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 EX HSM DG Si17-35$4791.
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 ZA SSM T* AF So16-35$19001.
Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4.0 SP AF Di LD IF Ta17-35$2891.
Lenses that only work on DSLRs with DX size (or smaller) sensors:
BrandZoomApertureDesignationAbbriv.PriceNotes
Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 EF-S USM Ca10-22$675 
Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S G IF-ED DX Ni10-24$830 
Nikon 12-24mm f/4.0 AF-S G IF-ED DX Ni12-24$895 
Olympus7-14mm f/4.0 E-ED Ol7-14$14502.
Olympus9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Ol9-18$5202.
Pentax 12-24mm f/4.0 DA ED AL IF To12-24$6203.
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX HSM DC Si10-20f3.5$650 
Sigma 10-20mm f/4.0-5.6 EX HSM DC Si10-20$480 
Sony 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 AF DT Ta11-18$6504.
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP AF Di II LD IFTa10-24$480 
Tamron 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 SP AF Di II LD IFTa11-18$4994.
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro IF SD DXTo11-16$570 
Tokina 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX To12-24$4003.
Tokina 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX II To12-24ii$500 

Notes:

  1. Covers FX-format (aka. full frame or 135-format).
  2. Four-thirds format (2.0x crop factor).
  3. Pentax is supposed to have developed this in cooperation with Tokina, so they should be identical optically. However, mechanical construction and coatings are not identical. Measured zoom range is closer to 13-23 mm.
  4. Sony is supposed to have licensed this from Tamron, so they should be identical optically. However, mechanical construction and coatings are not identical. Also known as Konica Minolta 11-18 mm f/4.5-5.6 AF DT.

Below is links to reviews and tests available online of these lenses. I first link to stand-alone reviews, then to comparison tests. The reviews and tests appear in alphabetical order, and including them here do not imply endorsement in any shape or form.

Note that 16-9.net tests all lenses, including Nikkors, on Canon FX-format (full frame) digital cameras, and PhotoZone.de also tests lenses designed for the FX-format on Canon digital cameras with a 1.6x crop factor. If a test is conducted on a different platform than one would expect, it is noted in a comment (in brackets) after the link to the test.

Stand-alone reviews

Reviews where a single wide angle zoom is compared to a top-class fixed focal length lens for reference (as noted) do also appear in this section.

Canon 10-22 mm f/3.5-4.5 EF-S USM

(Check price at Amazon.)

Solidly built, but not professional grade. Some vignetting, otherwise very good performance.

See also comparison tests.

Canon 16-35 mm f/2.8 EF USM L

Constant f/2.8 aperture. Not considered a great performer, with poor corner softness. Replaced with Mark II in 2007.

See also comparison tests.

Canon 16-35 mm f/2.8 EF USM II L

(Check price at Amazon.)

Introduced in April 2007. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Some regard this as a significant improvement on Mark I, others think it just a small improvement.

See also comparison tests.

Canon 17-35 mm f/2.8 EF USM L

Discontinued. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Not highly regarded.

Canon 17-40 mm f/4.0 EF USM L

(Check price at Amazon.)

Not a fast lens, but constant f/4.0 aperture. Performs well over the range. Good value.

See also comparison tests.

Nikon 10-24 mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S G IF-ED DX

(Check price at Amazon.)

Introduced in May 2009. Largest zoom range in its class. Consumer build. IF, but changes length when zooming. Barrel distortion and some edge softness and CA at the wide end. Usable on FX from around 15 mm. Performance maybe not quite good enough to justify its high price tag?

Nikon 12-24 mm f/4.0 AF-S G IF-ED DX

(Check price at Amazon.)

Solidly built, but not professional grade. Constant f/4.0 aperture. Almost no vignetting. Excellent at the long end. Some edge softness and CA at 12 mm. Performance maybe not quite good enough to justify its high price tag?

See also comparison tests.

Nikon 14-24 mm f/2.8 AF-S G IF-ED

(Check price at Amazon.)

One of the sharpest ultrawide lens ever made. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Even better than the fixed focal length Nikkor 14 mm f/2.8. Barrel distortion and some vignetting at the wide end. Not immune to flare.

See also comparison tests.

Nikon 17-35 mm f/2.8 AF-S D IF-ED

A very good lens. Professional grade. Constant f/2.8 aperture.

(Check price at B&H.)

See also comparison tests.

Nikon 18-35 mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-D IF-ED

(Check price at B&H.)

Small and light. Consumer grade. Vignetting and corner softness at the the wide end.

Olympus 7-14 mm f/4.0 E-ED

(Check price at Amazon.)

One of the best ultrawide lenses ever made. Constant f/4.0 aperture.

Olympus 9-18 mm f/4.0-5.6 ED

(Check price at Amazon.)

Sigma 10-20 mm f/3.5 EX HSM DC

(Check price at Amazon.)

Released in July 2009. Solid build, ring HSM. Good overall sharpness and well-controlled flare and ghosting. Some vignetting at all focal lengths. Barrel distortion and coma at the wide end. Some CA, in particular in the middle zoom range.

Sigma 10-20 mm f/4.0-5.6 EX HSM DC

(Check price at Amazon.)

Solid build, ring HSM. Good overall sharpness and well-controlled aberrations and flare. Some vignetting at all focal lengths. Distortions are generally well controlled, but a tiny amount of mustache distortion at the wide end. Some sample variation – most bad samples are uncentered, making one corner visibly less sharp than the others.

This is my choice for ultrawide zoom. Since I bought it in March 2006, it has been stuck on the camera. It has become my favourite lens. For examples of images I've taken with this lens, please take look at my Flickr page.

See also comparison tests.

Sigma 12-24 mm f/4.5-5.6 EX HSM DG

(Check price at Amazon.)

Widest there is for FX. However, less sharp than its DX brother (Sigma 10-20 mm). Huge, bulging front element (this lens is known as “Popeye” to its friends). No filter threads. Even more sample variations than usual with Sigma.

See also comparison tests.

Sigma 15-30 mm f/3.5-4.5 EX DG DF

(Check price at Amazon.)

Excellent build quality and sharpness. Flare well controlled. Pronounced barrel distortions at the wide end. Some vignetting and softer edges on FX. Bulging front element. No filter threads. Nikon mount versions have no built-in focus motor.

See also comparison tests.

Sigma 17-35 mm f/2.8-4.0 EX HSM DG

(Check price at Amazon.)

Sony Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar 16-35 mm f/2.8 ZA SSM T* AF

(Check price at Amazon.)

Tamron 10-24 mm f/3.5-4.5 SP AF Di II LD IF

(Check price at Amazon.)

Largest zoom range in its class. Decent build quality, but built in focus motor is noisy. Moderate barrel distortion at the wide end. Soft wide open and soft corners at all focal lengths and apertures.

Tamron 11-18 mm f/4.5-5.6 SP AF Di II LD IF, Sony 11-18 mm f/4.5-5.6 AF DT

(Check price at Amazon.)

Warm colour rendering. Consumer grade build quality. Nikon mount versions have no built-in focus motor (yet?).

See also comparison tests.

Tamron 17-35 mm f/2.8-4.0 SP AF Di LD IF

(Check price at Amazon.)

Nikon mount versions have no built-in focus motor.

Tokina 11-16 mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro IF SD DX

(Check price at B&H or Amazon.)

Solid build. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Sharp. Fast. Some CA and flare. Good value. Nikon mount versions have no built-in focus motor (yet?).

See also comparison tests.

Tokina 12-24 mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX, Pentax 12-24 mm f/4.0 DA ED AL IF

(Check price at Amazon.)

Solid build. Nice contrast. Constant f/4.0 aperture. Good sharpness, but some CA and flare problems. Measured zoom range is closer to 13-23 mm. The lens is usable on a FX body with little vignetting from 17 mm with no lens hood, and from 18 mm with lens hood mounted. Nikon mount versions have no built-in focus motor.

See also comparison tests.

Tokina 12-24 mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX II

(Check price at Amazon.)

Released in February 2009. Similar in construction to mark I (above), but improved coatings to reduce flare. Nikon mount version changed to have built-in focus motor. No reviews found, yet.

Comparison tests

In the list of lenses compared, I use the abbreviations listed in the table above to refer to individual zooms. The names of the fixed focal length lenses that also are included in some tests are not abbreviated.

Link farm

Below is some sites I regularly check for lens reviews:

If you want to comment, or have a new review to contribute, please use the blog!

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