Wide Angle Lens for 500D

I've been researching wide-angle lenses for my Canon T1i (500D). I'm looking for a lens that would be best for landscape or city photography. I want to get an EF lens incase I buy a full-frame camera down the road. Something around $500 bucks would be good.

Does anyone have a wide angle lens with a similar setup that they have been really happy with? Would a prime lens be best for this scenario? I've been looking at the EF 24mm f/2.8 lens, does anyone have any examples of some wide-angle shots from this lens?

I would look at the Sigma 10-20 f/3.5. It is EF and turns out some really nice photos.
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I took a course in art last winter. I learnt the difference between a fine oil painting, and a mechanical thing, like a photograph. The photograph shows only the reality. The painting shows not only the reality, but the dream behind it.

24mm isn't going to do you much good on the cropped sensor. It's not even as wide as the kit lens.

That's what i wasnt sure about because the kit lens is 18mm and on Canon's site the 24mm lens is listed as wide angle. It must be designed for a full-bodied camera?

Apparently Sigma doesn't use the ef-s distinction. According to this spec page the 10-20 3.5 lens is made exclusively for the aps-c cropped cameras.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/10-20mm-f35-ex-dc-hsm-sigma

It is an EF mount that has been optimized for the crop sensor bodys. I think it is the only 10-20 that is an EF mount though.
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I took a course in art last winter. I learnt the difference between a fine oil painting, and a mechanical thing, like a photograph. The photograph shows only the reality. The painting shows not only the reality, but the dream behind it.

For these kinds of questions, I like Flickriver's Lens explorer. It shows you the mot "interesting" flickr photos taken with a given lens:

• The 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS is actually strongest as a landscape lens. A little software correction goes a long way with this lens (I use DxO, but DPP plus some free software can handle both CA and distortion.) - http://www.flickriver.com/lenses/canon/canonefs1855mmf3556is/
• 24mm is a more useful focal length on a full-frame body than crop, but its not bad on a crop body - just not very wide angle - http://www.flickriver.com/lenses/canon/canonef24mmf28/
• What many want in this situation is actually an ultra-wide angle lens. The Tokina 11-16mm is great value for money in this category - http://www.flickriver.com/lenses/tokina/atx116prodx/
• The Canon EF-S 10-22mm is the gold standard - http://www.flickriver.com/lenses/canon/canonefs1022mmf3545usm/

• The Canon 15-85 is also worth considering - http://www.flickriver.com/lenses/canon/canonefs1585mmf3556isusm/