Jimmy Robichaud , Sep 06, 2010; 09:51 a.m.
Hello! Like the tittle says I'm currently looking for a really good wide angle prime and I've found myself turning in circles.
The main reason why i want this wide angle is that i sometimes take photos in close quarters and need something that can capture more than what a standard or a telephoto lens can capture. Another reason would be that i sometimes find myself boxed in with longer lenses when taking pictures of people and wanting to include some of the background as interesting detail. I would prefer something with a large aperture but i realize that this might raise the cost of the lens far higher than I'm willing to pay.
Out of everything said here the most important aspect is the image quality and build quality (of the lens itself). I think the difficult part of all this is the fact that i own a Canon 50D which narrows my choices quite a bit ...
Any help will be appreciated! Thank you very much in advance!
p.s: The budget is around 1000$ give or take a few dollars.
Charles Beddoe 
, Sep 06, 2010; 10:29 a.m.
Brett Cole , Sep 06, 2010; 10:55 a.m.
In addition to the advice you get here, you can read the hundreds of reviews on B&H for whatever lenses you're considering, and look at reliable tests on the-digital-picture, photozone, dxolabs, etc.
Erwin Marlin , Sep 06, 2010; 11:00 a.m.
G Dan Mitchell , Sep 06, 2010; 11:14 a.m.
It is hard to make a blanket recommendation like this. First, you really need some idea of what focal length or focal length range you are looking for. While there are many options for decent wide angle primes, it matters a lot how wide you want.
And "good" is a relative thing in many ways. First, there is the "good enough" aspect. There are fine wide angle primes that might be fine for your purposes that don't cost an arm and a leg: the 35mm f/2 is a great example and the 28mm f/1.8 might also be depending on your goals. "Good enough" is also relevant to how you shoot. While a landscape shooter might need something with optimal resolution (shooting from a tripod, aiming and highly detailed subjects, and working slowly and methodically) a street photographer (shooting handheld, quickly grabbing shots while moving, dealing with low light and moving subjects) might not benefit much from this. Another questions is what will you do with the photographs? If you are (after shooting with great care) making very large prints, that is one thing. If you are sharing online or making letter size prints that is quite another.
And, as you point out, in the end your wide prime choices are going to be rather limited with a cropped sensor body.
Dan
Jimmy Robichaud , Sep 06, 2010; 11:18 a.m.
@Brett Cole: I looked at a LOT of reviews and information about the available primes and found myself not really knowing who to believe.
@Ervin Marlin: I was thinking of the Tokina 11-16mm which seems ultra wide enough for my taste but I'm rather worried of the distortion when photographing people. The Tokina is apparently a wonderful lens for landscapes and such (which i still like to do but maybe this isn't the best option for people). I'm also realizing how hard it is to find a prime for a crop sensor ... is it really impossible? (I like the prime option because of generally higher IQ)
Jimmy Robichaud , Sep 06, 2010; 11:26 a.m.
@G Dan Mitchell: I will specify then, i would be looking for a prime between 20 and 28 mm. Aperture from 1.8 to 2.8 max (I take a LOT of photos in low light situations). I make large prints to sell so IQ is rather important. Since i'm photographing people i won't be taking my time too much because i want natural emotions and not fake looking smiles that results from taking too much time to take the actual photo and get everything perfect.
All in all i wouldn't mind paying more than 1000 bucks because ultimately i really need quality here and i need a wide angle.
EDIT: I'm also realizing that i might have to get a full-frame to accommodate my wide-angle needs ... i would like to avoid this since i really enjoy my 50D and i don't see any reasons to upgrade other than the added wide angle primes available and the added size of the prints i could make. (I don't make billboard size prints so the second benefit wouldn't really be super relevant to be honest.)
Mendel Leisk 
, Sep 06, 2010; 11:39 a.m.
For full frame: Get the Canon 17-40L f4.0 zoom ($700), turn barrel to 17mm end, tape securely to prevent rotation ;)
For crop bodies: repeat above exercise with Canon 10-22.
Mark Pierlot 
, Sep 06, 2010; 11:50 a.m.
Jimmy, probably the two best EF primes in the 20-28mm range are the 24/2.8 and the 24/1.4 L II. The latter costs more than four times as much as the former, but would be better for the low light portrait work you do. I use my 35/1.4 L (on full frame) for that kind of portraiture, and obtain very good results.
Brett Cole , Sep 06, 2010; 12:03 p.m.
OP, if you're worried about distortion DXO mark has reliable lab tests that document the distortion of the different lenses. You can go there to sus out the different lenses you're considering.
Also you might specify the exact focal length you want for the prime. People here are giving you advice on lengths from 16-24 equiv., which are very different. If you want a prime, you are interested in only on specific focal length, so if we know what that is, your choices are limited and people can give you better feedback.
