Wide angle lens for T3i?

I have a rebel T3i and am looking to get a new lens for it. I was thinking about getting a wide angle since I plan on using it mostly at concerts. What lens would be the best fit? I would also like to keep the price around 500-600 dollars since I am on a budget.
Also, most of the places I plan to shoot have little or no natural light. It is very dark and most of the lighting comes from the colored stage lights. Would it be a good idea to get a LED light for my camera? Thanks for your time and I appreciate your help.

Are these concerts with professional acts that require tickets to attend?  
Most concert venues have restrictions on bringing cameras and one of the most common restrictions prohibits bringing any camera with a "removeable lens" (basically this is deliberately done to eliminate all DSLRs).  Most venues tend to be ok with point & shoots and camera phones.
Most concerts I attend have this restriction -- unless you can get a photo pass.  I've been fortunately in that I've been able to get photo passes for the majority of concerts I attend (typically this means you need some sort of industry connection to the band, manager, etc.)  
I think in the past 3 or 4 years I attended a grand total of one concert that did not have a restriction on any camera (I wrote to get a photo pass and was told that I could just bring my camera because no pass was required.  I was a bit incredulous at first because this was the first time I encountered a venue that didn't have _any_ restrictions.)  
I own a Canon G1 X (advanced point & shoot) specifically for those times when they have restrictions and I'm unable to get a photo pass.
That aside... when I can bring my camera, the two lenses I prefer to use are my EF 135mm f/2.0L (about $1000) and my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (original -- which was the better part of $2k, but the "II" is now over $2k).  I never use anything wider unless I'm taking an audience shot (I bring my 24-70 but it's only used for a few audience shots and then after the concert.)
You will _not_ likely want or need a wide-angle (nothing wider than your kit lens), and usually a mild telephoto is nice.  BUT... light is usually a problem.  Expect to have poor/low lighting, need high ISO, shooting at wide open and STILL not having a particularly fast shutter speed.  Such low focal ratio lenses are usually not inexpensive -- so that's going to stress your budget somewhat.
Tim Campbell
5D II, 5D III, 60Da

Similar Messages

  • Best wide-angle lens for Canyon shots?

    Hi Experts!
    I'm a novice in photography and am going on a giant trip through Arizona/Utah this summer. I'll be visiting all the major Canyon National Parks (e.g. Grand, Zion, Bryce, Antelope, Arches, and more!) and would like a wide-angle lens for my trip.
    I have the Canon Rebel SL1. The only lenses I have currently are:
    18-55mm EF-S IS STM 
    55-250mm EF-S IS STM
    18-135mm EF-S IS STM
    I've never had a lens that DIDN'T zoom, but there have been many occasions I wanted a wider lens than 18mm. I have absolutely no idea where to start when it comes to looking for a wide-angle lens though.. I'd also be open to suggestions for a smaller range zoom if those are good too..?
    Fast auto-focus is important for me since I'm usually on the go-go-go during my trips. 
    Any recommendations would be appreciated. Explanations of why would also helpful. Thanks so much!
    Solved!
    Go to Solution.

    The best (and only actually) currently manufactured ultra-wide for EF-S cameras is the EF-S 10-22.  Canon just announced a 10-18 STM that will be released soon, but that's probably still a month off.  I still think the 10-22 is a better lens (for my needs), but the 10-18 comes in at a very good price point ($300) and adds image stabilization.  But you'd have to wait for it.
    Edit: I should say, the 10-22 is currently the only Canon manufactured ultrawide for EF-S.  Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron also make options for slightly cheaper.

  • Wide angle lens for Built-In iSight? (MacBook Pro)

    Hi,
    I'm looking to use my MacBook Pro for a video conference, but the angle of the lens is so limited.
    Are there any lenses you can put over the built-in camera that allow for a wider angle?
    Right now, everyone has to sit one on top of another to be seen by the speaker. I would like to be able to create a little bit of a semi-circle so participants can see eachother while also seeing the speaker.
    Any help? Anyone heard of anything?
    I can imagine even a convex piece of plastic over the camera might do the trick. Don't know, but doesn't seem impossible. Even if there's mild distortion in the picture, the bigger view would be worth it.
    Not really looking for a fish-eye, but more a wide angle or something that gives a bit more of a panorama effect.
    Thanks.

    Hello andintroducing
    One disadvantage of the built-in iSight is its lack of any easy way to mount accessory lenses like those that can be used with an external iSight equipped with this Kaidan iSight Accessory Kit. This kit includes a threaded lens adapter ring that can be used to mount a 37-mm auxiliary wide-angle lens. The adapter ring can also be purchased separately.
    On occasions when you need a wider field of view than your built-in iSight offers, other than rigging some wide-angle auxiliary lens to your MBP, the best I can suggest is to consider a second webcam that has a wide-angle lens. I have tested with a MacBook user who was comparing video from his built-in iSight with a QuickCam® Fusion™. The external camera offered a much wider field of view, and the video quality was fine. If you consider this alternative, I suggest you take your MBP with you when you shop. Doing so will let you "try-before-you-buy" so you can be certain whether the webcam is wide enough for your needs.
    If you do not want to use a second camera, you can buy a wide-angle auxiliary lens for a camcorder and mount it in front of your built-in iSight.
    Depending on your ingenuity and skills, you might want to mount the auxiliary lens with some kind of hanging mount like bent wire that would hold the lens in front of your iSight. Another simple method would be some kind of adhesive like double-sided tape or TAC Adhesive Putty.
    Neither of these mounts would be very stable, esthetically pleasing, or permanent, but they could provide a quick, easy test to determine whether it would be worth the time and cost to develop a more elegant solution.
    If you do try some of these suggestions, please post back your results. Whether you find what works or what does not, your information will be helpful to those who have the same need.
    Cheers,
    Jim
      Mac OS X (10.4.9)    G5 DP 1.8  External iSight

  • Wide-angle lens for a wvc2300

    Hello,
    I have a WVC2300 in a small office.  Even though I place the camera in the furthest corner of the room, I cannot see all that I want to see; this is with the lens that comes with the camera.
    Is there another lens that I can use that will capture a wider angle?
    Thanks

    Hello Clifford,
    The WVC2300 does support additional lenses including a wide angle lenses. The part number for the wide angle lense is
    CAMLWA. Here is the link to the 2300 series camera upgrade parts: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/vpndevc/ps6918/ps9692/ps9944/data_sheet_c78-528435_ps9944_Products_Data_Sheet.html
    Hope this helps.
    -john

  • Wide angle lens for video camera

    I apologize in advance for being so off topic, but I know some of you fine folks use a Panasonic PV GS500 mini dv. I'm not having any luck finding a wide lens or screw on wide angle adapter. I believe the threads are 43mm. Any suggestions? Something cheap would be just fine, this is more about learning FCE and not about producing awesome epic films.
    Thanks
    L
    iMac   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

    Try this on the the video production forum. You're more likely to find camera types there.
    http://www.classondemand.net/classondemand/final-cut-training/fcp5.aspx

  • Wide-Angle "Lens" for iMac?

    We just purchased new iMacs for each of our three offices so we can use iChat for video conferencing. I'm finding that it's hard to get everyone into the picture when we have large meetings. Is there something I can stick onto the camera to make it "wide-angle" so it gets a wider shot?
    Thanks!

    You want each location to have a crowd of personnel in front of each
    Macintosh? If this is the case, you may have to consider an external
    digital camera; or look into third-party devices to accomplish this.
    There is a way to do that on-screen multiple-party meeting/chat in
    the OS X on one screen and the persons at each location will appear
    but after a point, and on a small screen, that may be marginalized.
    In that case, only the persons in front of the camera would be seen.
    The older external iSight camera with 50mm lens was more available
    to consider lens adapter ideas; since it was more like a real camera
    and there are slide-on parts that could be adapted to that, for a wide
    angle effect. (I have a little background in cameras, film, lenses.)
    For the internal iSight camera, adding a lens over the little camera
    port may be a hit and miss thing; & attaching it with velcro or some
    other device seems like a frankenstein or rube goldberg moment!
    The older external iSight cameras are harder to get; but they had
    the advantage in being separate from the display. A few ideas on
    that, and hints of adapting those, can be read about here:
    http://homepage.mac.com/john_kenn/video-links.html
    There may be a way to change how the internal lens "sees"
    but from what I could find out (not having the iSight to try it)
    the software suggested here may not be what you need:
    http://www.stanford.edu/~mturk/gloyd/index.html (re: gloyd)
    Another direction, perhaps unsupported officially, may
    be in this utility? for iSight to see if it can perform;
    maybe if the computer's camera were farther from those
    needing to be seen by it, could help. Not sure of this:
    Shareware, may have demo version.
    "Total control of your mac's webcam"
    http://www.ecamm.com/mac/iglasses/
    This can pan and zoom, but don't know if it would be practical!
    Good luck & happy computing!

  • Best wide angle lens for city shots?

    I shoot mostly city architectural shots and primarily at night. For the past year I have pretty much used oy my 18-135mm lens but I'm looking to add something else to my camera bag. I would love to know others opinions who have shot with various wide angles and gain some insight.

    ilovehatephoto wrote:
    Thank you very much!  I appreciate you taking the time to look at my feed.  Then maybe what I am most seeking is a camera that allows me achieve sharper images.  Does that make more sense?
    It depends.  Mostly I'd say that the lens has to do more with sharp images than the camera, but camera has an impact too.  But that answers my question of what you're looking for: sharper images.  As opposed to a different focal length, faster lens, or something like a tilt shift.
    I'm assuming you're using a tripod for those images.   Providing that you have a good tripod and head then a camera isn't going to do much for sharpness if you're at reasonable ISO and not enlarging.  What camera do you have?
    There are certainly sharper lenses than what you're using.  But how much impact that has on your work is hard to say.  MFD charts don't necessarily correlate to real life results. The 17-55 is widely regarded as far as EF-S lenses are concerned.  The EF 24-105 is a great lens at a great price, but it wouldn't be very wide on your crop sensor.  Something like a 24-70 is super sharp, but again, is fairly long on a crop sensor, and gives you less range than the 24-105.  I'd check what focal lengths you usually shoot at.  I'd say that you're managing quite well with a single lens, so you probably want something with range.  Primes are super sharp, and I love them myself, but I'm guessing that would probably cripple your flow (though sometimes it gets you to think outside the box).
    You can also look at technique.  As I mentioned before, a good tripod is invaluable for sharp night images.  Do you use mirror lockup? What kind of shutter speeds are we talking, 1/2 second?  5 seconds?  30?  What kind of post processing are you doing?  Are you cropping a lot?  Sharpening in post?  Are you correcting verticals (it doesn't look like it, hence the tilt shift isn't going to do much for you)? 

  • Is this Sanyo wide angle lens worth buying?

    I am going to buy a wide angle lens for my new Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000A. This one is a Sanyo produced lens and I would like to know whether you think it is a wide enough lens. It normally costs $119.99 at Amazon but the price tonight is $99.95.
    Those Amazon prices change fast.
    Note: This refers to HD1000, but it will fit the HD2000 just as well because it is the same body. And when it refers to 10x optical zoom, that is for the HD 1000. My HD2000A has 16x optical zoom.
    *Technical Details*
    * 0.7x Wide Angle Lens Adapter
    * Genuine SANYO Accessory
    * Pressure-mount Design
    *Product Details*
    * Product Dimensions: 2.7 x 2.7 x 1.2 inches ; 6.4 ounces
    *Product Description*
    Sanyo VCP-L07WU 0.7x Wide Angle Adapter Lens for HD1000 Camcorder This Sanyo VCP-L07WU Wide Angle Adapter Lens (0.7x) is for use with the Xacti HD1000 Camcorder. _*Pressure mount design fits easily over lens to covert the HD1000's 10x lens to 26.6-266mm*_ Take great landscape and wide angle shots by using this adapter lens with your Sanyo high definition camcorder. This wide angle adapter lens works with the Xacti VPC-HD1000.
    Lorna asks:
    What do they mean by +“Pressure mount design fits easily over lens to covert the HD1000's 10x lens to 26.6-266mm”+ ? I don't understand what they are telling me and what they are assuming that I understand.
    _If I have this wide angle lens on, do I still get the 16x optical zoom?_
    ~L

    Ok, these are two videos I saw that show comparisons of the Sanyo wide angle lens.
    To compare, I move the counter button back and forth so that I can see an immediate difference.
    Sanyo Xacti HD2000 wide angle lens test #1
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3N3m_9lpqs&NR=1
    Sanyo Xacti HD2000 wide angle lens test #2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15X_e9Rg7XM&NR=1
    Zyfert, I already know that I want the wide angle, and better more wide than less wide. From taking shots around the house and of the newly hatched sparrows, the ducks that go swimming in my pool, and my dog chasing them, I know that I need a wider lens to take in more of the picture. Actually the newly hatched sparrows do not need it, but for other needs, the wide angle serves a purpose for me.
    ~L

  • Cheap and best wide angle lens

    which will be the best buy for wide angle lens for T4i and from where as I am a starter in this field

    What do you consider wide angle?  What do you consider cheap, for that matter?
    There's not too many options for truely wide angle on a crop camera.  Canon has the 10-22, which is a great lens, but it's not terribly cheap.  I know when I bought mine I thought $700 on a lens was a ton of money.  Sigma has a 10-20 for less, I don't know much about it, but I have had Sigmas that I liked in the past.  Tamron has a 10-24 in a similar price range.

  • Recommendation for correct wide angle lens and flash for real estate photos for Canon Rebel T3i?

    Hi I'm new to the forum. I always hire out a professional photog for my real estate photos however have thought that with the amount that I pay them, I could buy my own wide angle lens to do on my own. 
    Any recommendations for what wide angle lens and flash to buy?
    Here are some examples of the work they have done in the past for me:
    Any advice would be much appreciated. I enjoy amateur photography with my family and portraits but am hoping to be able to do more of my own work on my listings. Thanks!
    Solved!
    Go to Solution.

    Your samples look like incredibility simple images to do. I also suspect little artificial light was added. Possibly just a bounce off the ceiling.
    Since you already have a Rebel T3i, I would get the Canon 430 EX, and just one. But be aware it will likely not provide equal coverage for a 10-22mm lens. Ten millimeters is pretty wide even on a T3i. Bouncing off the ceiling will help this.
    Some ceilings may not be good for bounce either.
    Give it a go and you will learn what works and what not. But the old saying, KISS, applies.  You will learn!
    Photshop and/or Lightroom are great additions. They both have learning curves and PS a very long learning curve.
    Still think your photographer is overpaid?  
    EOS 1Ds Mk III, EOS 1D Mk IV EF 50mm f1.2 L, EF 24-70mm f2.8 L,
    EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II, Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 EX APO
    Photoshop CS6, ACR 8.7, Lightroom 5.7

  • Create lens profile for ultra wide angle lens

    Hello,
    I am trying to create a lens profile for the ultra wide angle lens Olympus 9-18 mm (Crop factor 2). As i use the lens for timelapse, i only need the profiles for 9 mm and open aperture f4, but combined with several different ND-filters which show different vignetting depending on their filter strength. Filters are oversized, so no influence by fringe. What i need is to get rid of vignetting.
    So far everything works out well, and probably good enough for still photography. However for timelapse I need a high quality compensation of vignetting, otherwise getting flicker.
    My problem is, that with the ultra wide angle lens distance from camera to chart (A3) is just about 0.5 meters.  I did the shootings outside, in shade, when having a clear sky, and I found it quite impossible not to produce any shadow of myself or the camera on the chart. Thus I got a not perfectly even correction of vignetting.
    Can anyone give me tips how to solve that problem with producing shade on the cart? Maybe working indoors with 2 lamps can create better results? Have tried that but found the illumination of the chart so damn poor.

    I think your best bet is outside, with possibly a larger chart.  (The two-light setup indoors is problematic esp. with wide-angle lenses.)
    Instead of waiting for overcast, try waiting for a sunny clear day with a direct lighting from the sun on the chart, at a sharp angle (almost side-lit) so that the chart is clearly illuminated, but the shadow that the camera casts will be to the side (instead of on the chart itself).

  • Would a Wide-Angle Lens work here?

    Hi, everyone! This is my first post and excuse my ignorance but I need to see if you guys could help me with something. I just bought a T3i and I have no photography or video production experience but I'm really interested in getting my feet wet in both fields.
    But anyway, I have a tripod and want to film my brother and I playing tennis. I always set the tripod up from a considerable distance but if we set it up in the middle we can only film one side of the court. Would a wide-angle lens be able to film both sides of the court at once?
    Solved!
    Go to Solution.

    Look online for sample photos illustrating angle of view.
    You could get a 180 degree fisheye lens and sit it right at the net, but all objects other than those right by the lens will appear pretty small. Fisheye lenses also have fairly strong curvature effects. Also, there are two types of fisheye lenses... one type renders a full frame, rectilinear image, while the other type renders a round image.
    While fisheye focal lengths appearsimilar to ultrawide lenses, at any given focal length actually a fisheye gives wider AOV than a non-fisheye lens. Canon now offers an 8-15mm fisheye zoom for example. But since it's designed for full frame cameras, it won't be as wide on your crop sensor camera (I don't have exact specs for it on a crop sensor camera, only full frame specs are listed). Tokina offers a 10-17mm fisheye zoom designed specifically for crop sensor cameras, and as such it can render 180 degree angle of view on your camera.
    A non-fisheye ultrawide lens will have less curvature distortion, but will still have some at the extremes and also will have less wide angle of view. For example, the EF-S 10-22mm is the widest available Canon lens, giving 107 degree AOV at the 10mm setting. The widest non-fisheye lens made by anyone for use on your camera is the Sigma 8-16mm, which gives a 114 degree AOV at it's widest. With these ultrawide lenses, perspective distortion will still exaggerate perspective, making more distant objects look very small in comparison to closer ones... though it won't be as extreme as it is with a fisheye lens.
    If this is a one-shot deal and the fisheye appeals to you, because a fisheye is a fairly specialized lens and you may want look into renting a lens for the purpose. An ultrawide non-fisheye such as the Canon 10-22mm is often more widely useful, so might be something you'd find a lot more use for in the long run, and want to purchase instead of renting.
    Alan Myers
    San Jose, Calif., USA
    "Walk softly and carry a big lens."
    GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
    FLICKR & PRINTROOM 

  • I own the Canon SX 50 HS and love it, however, I like the wide angle lens on the SX60 HS

    The Canon sx 50 hs is an amazing little camera with great zoom capability and clarity.  I have had it a little over 1 year.  The new sx 60 hs has a few new features that I love...the wider angle lens, and the create custom effects.  However, the stability of the camera is very shaky when zooming out.  I am questioning the value of upgrading from the 50 to 60. 
    My shots are more abstract....zooming in on structures, eyes, etc.  I can take photos from my car with the 50 but not sure that would be possible with the 60.  I appreciate any input....or, is there another canon with the long zoom lilke by 50 with a few of the 60's features.
    Thanks so much for your input,
    Solved!
    Go to Solution.

    That is an aweful lot of zoom range to try and hold steady. The longer the focal length, the greater the shake will be, and the more a tripod or monopod is needed. Even long zooms for DSLR's have a difficult time with camera shake at the very long end of the zoom if not supported with a tripod. Any slight movement of your hand is greatly magnified at the long range and getting a steady shot can be near impossible. I would set up on a tripod and start to zoom in on the subject, then make adjustments to keep the subject centered in the view, then once you have the composition the way you want, zoom in the rest of the way. Then set a delay of at least two seconds for the shutter when you do take the shot. A remote trigger would be even better to avoid any possible camera shake.
    Steve M.

  • Correcting stretched image by wide angle lens

    When I shoot with a Canon EF-S 10mm-22mm, the edge of the images are often stretched - people's heads become oval, for example. I tried all kinds of lens correction Aperture plug-ins such as PTLens, only found out that they only correct barrel distortion and perspective distortion, not the "stretch" near the edge of the image. Anyone knows an Aperture plug-in that can correct "edge stretch"? Or is there a function within Aperture (or Photoshop) that does the job? Thanks much.

    I know exactly what you are looking for. There was a Photoshop plug-in called "squeeze" by the well respected The Imaging Factory, which closed down in 2007. However you can still download it and get a free license key by the look of it.
    It does exactly what you want, which is progressively squeezing the edges so that people at the edge of a group taken with a wide angle lens look natural. The centre is unaffected. The conventional lens correction programs do not do this.
    There is no UB version, so it is necessary to re launch Photoshop in Rosetta.
    I have been hunting high and low for a replacement, so if you find one for Aperture or Photoshop please post here. I have mainly been searching for a Photoshop plugin so maybe there is an Aperture plugin.
    I think this is a real opportunity for a developer.
    Sorry not to be more help.... I am posting in the hope that someone may come up with something.
    Message was edited by: Mike Boreham
    Message was edited by: Mike Boreham

  • Wide Angle Lens Distortion

    Using Mac PSE 4, how can I straighten a photo that shows curvature near the edges due to the use of a wide angle lens?
    For example, a photo of a river scene with a long log in the foreground. The log appears curved, the center is lower than the ends due to lens distortion. The rest of the photo looks acceptable due to the absence of long straight line features. How do I straighten the log?

    That's what is known as barrel distortion. There are a couple of ways. The best is to get something specially for that, like PTMac from kekus.com, but in PE you can try using the pinch filter. Set it for a very low amount, then keep pressing command+F to reapply it if necessary. It helps to turn on View>Grid. PE 5 has a camera distortion correction filter, but alas, there's no mac version of PE 5.

Maybe you are looking for