Ultra-wide zoom or a few wide primes?

[RhesEbag]

Here is my situation:
I currently own a 20D and a 28-105 f3.5-4.5 which I use (along with some borrowed lenses) to shoot for my university's student paper. I'll be receiving 500usd in about a month and have been thinking about how I should invest the money. I originally thought I would go with something like the Tokina 12-24, because my 28-105 isn't very wide or fast or sharp and maybe pick up an extra battery with what was left over. However, a more experienced photographer at the paper, upon hearing my idea, made a different suggestion. Pick up the 20mm f2.8 USM and the 50 f1.8 for the same money and the following reasons: 1) Both are very sharp. 2) Both are very fast. 3) I will be able to shoot (along with my 28-105) about 90% of my assignments with them. 4) They all both full frame and the Tokina is not. He's seen my work and figures that in a few years I'll be moving up to something like a 5D or, if I'm still doing news and sports, a 1D mark "whatever I can afford."

He's got a point and I've used the 20mm extensively and like it a lot. The question is: what should I do?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[Turn]

I like the sound of his suggestion of the 20mm f2.8 USM and the 50 f1.8

lenses make or break the camera really...

[Dulles]

I don't like his recommendation.
The 20mm f/2.8 isn't a stellar performer (absolutely not sharp at borders / corners) and it isn't very fast either...
The 50mm f/1.8 is a bargain, but... on the long side on a 1.6x crop camera. Of course depending on your use, but I know a lot of people who bought it (as cheap as it is) and enjoy the fast aperture but eventually they don't keep it in their bags because of it's length.

First figure out what range you mostly in, and then decide whether you want primes or not. If you want to spend max. $500 now, I don't see you go FF very soon. A EF-S 10-22 is a superb lens and will hold it's value (unless Canon decides to dump APS-C) and a Sigma or Tamron 17~18-50 f/2.8 are third-party and are APS-C only but are also capable to deliver the same as the genuine 20mm f/2.8 does...

Good luck with your decision!


Besides: a 5D of 1D really 'gets broken' when you're using the 20mm f/2.8 of 50mm f/1.8... these cams deserve better!

[fractalgfx]

I have the Canon 10-22, probably 90% of my shots are taken at 10mm where it is 1/2 stop faster than the Tokina. If there was a 10mm prime, I would jump on it. My main lens is a 17-55 f/2.8, and there is a huge difference between what I can do at 10 vs 17mm.

Tokina is coming out with with a 11-16 f/2.8, but it doesn't look like it will be coming to market any time soon.

Unless you are planning on upgrading to a full frame in the near future, I wouldn't be too worried about buying one great lens that isn't full frame compatible.

[FLiPMaRC]

Just as an alternative to the Canon EF 20mm f/2.8, Sigma has 20mm f/1.8 for le$$ - http://www.sigma4less.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=154683be83e9d9b/shopdata/0010_Lenses/0020_Fixed+Focal+Length/0020_Wide/product_details.shopscript?article=0310_Sigma%2BWi de%2BAngle%2B20mm%2Bf%3D26slash%3D3B1%3D252E8%2BEX %2BDG%2BAspherical%2BAutofocus%2BLens%2Bfor%2BCano n%2BEOS%2B%3D28SG20F18CA%3D29

[Dulles]

Just as an alternative to the Canon EF 20mm f/2.8, Sigma has 20mm f/1.8 for le$$ - http://www.sigma4less.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=154683be83e9d9b/shopdata/0010_Lenses/0020_Fixed+Focal+Length/0020_Wide/product_details.shopscript?article=0310_Sigma%2BWi de%2BAngle%2B20mm%2Bf%3D26slash%3D3B1%3D252E8%2BEX %2BDG%2BAspherical%2BAutofocus%2BLens%2Bfor%2BCano n%2BEOS%2B%3D28SG20F18CA%3D29

And also less IQ... stay away from that lens! Probably a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 fits your use, sort of standard lens on your APS-C and it CAN be verrry good. Just ignore Sigma's QC and do your own check.

Here's a helpful application (http://www.cpr.demon.nl/prog_plotf.html) to check your most used focal length so far. Just select the location of your photos on your disk and it calculates most used lengths and settings.