Initial ultra wide experiments -- Sigma 8-16mm -- BndWdth warning

I agree with you on the car and how great it looks with cars (this lens and focal range), but you do not feel 8mm is good for landscape? I tend to enjoy it.

24Peter said:

I have to say, out of all the pics on this thread, the only one that really works for me is the Firebird shot. It is this type of perspective where an 8mm non-fisheye focal length shines - the stretching of the foreground (car hood) is very effective. The distortion creates a heightened sense of reality which is the whole point of such a lens. IMO pure architectural or landscape images are better served by other focal lengths/lenses.
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Darkness is the monster and your shutter is your sword, aperture your shield and iso your armor. Strike fast with your sword and defend well with your shield and hope your armor holds up.

It's a funny thing: when I had the Sigma 10-20 and I approached a shot, more often than not after trying different framing I'd find myself pegged at 10mm because I liked the exaggeration of perspective. Now I have even more ability to exaggerate. Sometimes it feels like too much, but often not.

I chose those examples specifically. #1 is at a famous crossing in Tokyo. There were several hundred people behind me--no way to move back, and if I had, I wouldn't have been at the edge of the road.

And the sunset--it would have been a shame to have lost any of the sky. For the others, the extra angle just adds emphasis. Nice to have the option.

Won't happen, sorry. Zoom is the easy part--a large enough image circle for tilt/shift in an UWA without unbearable aberration and vignetting is nearly if not really impossible...

zambie said:

the first one - well ... if you were at 10mm ... you could have stepped back just a tiny bit and would have gotten a similar perspective albeit with slightly less distortion of the buildings ...

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What if there is no more space to step back? Will you be able to make the shot without resorting to stitching? That's make or break situation

People can always argue about stepping back and forward. Unfortunately it does not mean that one can always live with a single focal length. Not just from a framing point of view, but also from a perspective point of view. The whole point of zooms is to assist in the flexibility to choose the framing AND perspective

Also, not sure you realize... Stepping back to make a 8mm framing with a 10mm lens would be quite a bit rather than the tiny bit you suggest. Those 2mm at that focal length is quite a difference

Finally, although this lens is relatively new, such wide angle isn't something new. The 12-24 on FF is slightly wider, has been available for a while, and is awesome for it's Wide capabilities. For those that appreciate it's use, it's a unique lens. 8-16 provides the same to the APS-C users

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...I gleaned some helpful observations. I am just starting to figure out how & ultra wide will fit into my work flow, which is mostly travel documentary & nature shooting. My trip to S Am should be very telling. I am not to sure of how I should be looking for opportunities with this lens, thus most of the photos were somewhat contrived.

I also found the 8-16mm vs 10/11-22 or so to be interesting. Because I have no idea how wide angle will work for me, I figured I'd go as wide as possible & see. The siggy was reputably sharp & I figured I had little need for speed. Not having normal wide at the long end may reduce my desire to mount this one as all the shots will be more of specialty work. My 3mo trip will be telling. I figure I can sell it for a $200 loss & ug to a 10-22 at the end of my trip, keep it or decide not to have UWA at all. We will see.

If you are curious I had posted two threads about if I should consider this lens & the 2nd post will show you a little bit about my shooting style.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=37378650

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1030&message=37386805

glasswave said:

I finally got out to do some shooting with my Sigma 8-16mm. Man, is it ever wide! Even using the VF grid and being careful about where you stand is not enough to keep from having non symmetrical distortion that needs correction when shooting architecture.

I'm still somewhat at a loss at to what sort of photo oops I should be looking for and how it will fit into my general shooting style. It will be interesting to see how it fits into my work flow on my 3 month S Am trip that's coming right up.

OTH, I partially bought it in hopes it would reinvigorate my waning passion for domestic shooting and at least on this 1st outing to photograph subjects in SLC that have not crossed my mind in the 25 years I have lived in the valley.

Comments, critique and ultra wide advice are appreciated.

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There is simply too much beauty in the world to photograph it all, but I'm trying.