Buying a Canon 10-22mm lens.

[hotspur]

Looking at buying a 10-22mm Canon lens this week from DWI.

The only problem I can see is DWI do not stock the canon hood for this

lens,They carry a non-canon brand hood range,and I do not think they have

the one that fits this lens.

Is there anyone here using or have used this lens?the question is does this lens

need the hood?,From the pics I have seen of the hood,it does not look like

it would protect the lens much,I have heard the hood is essential for the lens

to work,is this so?

[Phil Hart]

I've got this lens and have never had a hood, although have not used it much recently. I enjoyed the lens a lot before I moved up to shoot more with the 5DmkII.

At 10mm, there's really very little a hood can do.. even stacking two filters will cause vignetting.

Phil

[troypiggo]

I had a cheap eBay knockoff hood. I used it all the time but never did a comparison without the hood on.

[koputai]

Chris,

I have this lens, and a genuine Canon hood. I never use the hood, and I wouldn't really worry about getting it if I was you. If you really want one though, I got mine off ebay, brand new for $45. They seem to be this price all the time there, versus about $90 from a discounter.

Cheers,
Jason.

[hotspur]

Thanks Troy and Jason.

The lens arrived to day from Hong Kong,Looks good-DWI do a good job bubble

wrapping the parcels.

I have heard so many good things about this glass.Look forward to using it a lot,I asked on potn about the hood,90%to 95% of users gave the thumbs down
to the hood and its use.

Might buy a cheap Ebay job.will see how it goes.

Apparently,the experts on potn,really give a big thumbs up to this lens,on the crop its the same as the 16-35 on the full,and while the full would be the one to have,the 10-22-according to the experts does such a good job,its only Pixel peepers that can tell the difference.

I am really looking forward to those big wide starry sky wide angle photography episodes!:D

Cheers Chris

[koputai]

It really is w-i-d-e isn't it Chris!

You're gonna love it for landscapes, and it's great for shots in cramped quarters like inside houses too.

Cheers,
Jason.

[hotspur]

It arrived yesterday Jason,only really unpacked it last night,to see all was in order.

Haven't had a chance to use it yet,Yes-inside houses-should be very useful.

Really looking forward to landscape photography.

I would like to get a graduation filter for this lens,any suggestions on where and how much?

Thanks,Chris

[iceman]

Where did you buy it from Chris? And how much was it?

I've always wanted that lens.

[troypiggo]

Chris, as I mentioned in PM, I'd get a (good quality) circular polariser first, then maybe a neutral density filter, then worry about graduated NDs. The first 2 are very versatile, useful, less bulky to carry around, quicker to piut on the lens, and cheaper. I would imagine that there aren't too many GND owners that didn't already have a CPL and ND filters in their bag.

For screw in, good quality CPL and ND filters you might be looking at $100-$150 or so. (Been a while since I bought mine, lost feel for price). Hoya and B&W are good brands. Get the multicoated Super Pro type ones. Check out 2filers.com, or Adorama, or B&H Photo. Not sure of Aussie distributors other than D-D-photographics.

For good quality GNDs you pay more than that just for the filter itself, plus you need to buy the holder, plus the adapter to fix it to the lens, plus you usually get a couple - 2 stop soft, 3 stop hard. I've gone with Lee filters. They're not the most expensive, but they're not the cheapest either. It was a compromise of quality, cost, and how much I'll use them. Best brands are Singh Ray. Steer clear of the Cokins. They're cheap, but from all reports they have a colour cast (ie they're not neutral, they make shots a bit magenta). Check out Adorama, B&H, or locally there's a mob down in Syd or Melb - Vanbar Imaging or something like that.

For such a wide lens, make sure the filters you get won't cause vignetting. Check to make sure the adapters are wide-angle type ones.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

[DavidTrap]

I tried the Cokin graduated filters - WOFTAM.

My preferred technique now would be to shoot bracketed exposures and combine them in PS. Not using HDR, but selective masking of the sky and merging images manually. Can be hit and miss if it's windy. I can show you how if I ever get back out to your place.

DT

[troypiggo]

Yes David, that was my point above. You can simulate (to some extent) GNDs with software and multiple exposures. But you can't simulate with software the effects of a CPL or ND filter.

[Octane]

If you were doing a long exposure, then, you can't simulate the effect of a GND with software. Think: streaking clouds blown (saturated) to oblivion.

H

[troypiggo]

That's why you use your ND ;)

I know it's not exactly the same, but don't you agree a CPL and ND would be more worthwhile first?

[hotspur]

Thanks Troy,David and Humayan.

When I bought my 17-55 F2.8 it came with a CPF,It's made by Tokia and it still has old price tag $120,not sure if this is a good one.I have not used it much,but I thought long and hard about my glass purchases-I now have 4 lenses that are 77 mm,for the reason of interchangeable filters etc.Not that I use them a great deal.

I was unaware about other 'bits' Troy mentions for graduation filter,sounds like all up will be a hefty purchase,So will do more research and try and understand a bit more before purchasing such items,

I do like the approach Humayan has,i.e to do as much as possible 'in camera' that is my goal for doing such photography.

Mike,The lens was purchased from DWI in Hong-Kong,I ordered it last Thursday it was $716 plus postage and insurance etc,Total $772 to my door,arrived yesterday.At this price it was difficult not to buy,The price could go down even more,But When I first looked at buying 3 weeks ago was $734 plus postage.

If one is a crop body user this lens is the same as a 16-35 L on a Full frame,apparently the POTN engineers give this lens a big thumbs up,while the full crop version is the one,this rates very highly along side it.

Hope this helps.I do hope one year I get to use it on a wide field starry night scene here in S.E QLD:shrug:

I do not say day any more,so bad is the current cloud outs :(

Cheers Chris

[StephenM]

Chris,

DDP have a sale on CPL filters at the moment. I picked up a 72mm Hoya Super Pro 1 for my 15-85 lens last Saturday, for $110 (instead of the rrp of $205). And note that the prices listed on the website are not the sale price (mine is still there as $142, not $110).

I'm also looking at getting a GND in the near future, and I've seen some people on the AP forum suggest that it's just as easy to hold the filter over the lens as you take the shot, and do away with the filter holder and adapter - could be a way to reduce the expense. Several AP members also suggest that the magenta colour cast is not really a problem with the newest Cokin GNDs, and only really becomes an issue when stacking several filters together. Haven't tested this myself though...

Cheers,
Stephen

[Octane]

Handholding all the way. Not just to avoid the expense, but, to avoid gradations in the final image.

H

[koputai]

I thought graduated filters were only useful if you want to be published by UK photography magazines. Every landscape shot they ever use has a bleeding obvious GND over it!

Cheers,
Jason.

[Octane]

Jason,

The alternative is... what? Saturated sky? HDR? :shudder:

H

[koputai]

It's just that most of them are just way overdone, unnatural and totally obvious looking.

Cheers,
Jason.

[hotspur]

Ok,thanks chaps for advice.

How about I look at getting a ND8 filter,I have seen some of StephenM's results when he has used it,and I was impressed.

I will really have to see what one of these GND filters looks like,and understand a bit more about them,I have never handled,or used this piece of kit.

I thought it would be similar to the others.

I will have a look at some filters on these camera shop sites.

Thanks .Chris

[hotspur]

Just had a look at these Cokin Filtershttp://www.filtershop.com.au/


I can understand a bit more now by looking at these diagrams etc.

Looks like a great set up.

So I need to buy adaptor ring,filter holder.and then the filter to slide in.

What filters are you guys using around sunset,just after sunset?

Also I can see what Humayan means by just holding the filter over lens.I got the impression that he felt this more desirable,-what's the reasoning here.

I hope to get to get to a photography shin-dig and see this gear before I purchase.

In the mean time I have been studying HDR-looks great!,and DDP have ND8 filters for $50 (77mm) at present.

Thanks everyone for help:thanx:

Chris

[Octane]

Chris,

With neutral density filters, you don't need HDR. HDR is garish and the software tries to decide what pixel to put where, rather than you having complete control with a filter, and exposing correctly for the foreground.

Holding the filter over the lens allows you to dither it a little bit, which avoids the harsh gradients often seen in photographs taken utilising a neutral density filter, popped into a filter holder.

H

[hotspur]

Thanks Humayan.

I can see how some HDR is useful,eg tree in park in middle of day,and someone wanting the sky to look as they see it,and combining 2 or 3 images.

I did see some images,that were way over the top!,and yes-garish is the word.To me they had become digital pictures,-really heading away from photography (IMO).There certainly is a 'grey' area,as to what is a photograph.

I did read a hear,some of these HDR images have been really slammed lately too.

With regard to the Cokin Filters,this would be they way I would like to head,like yourself,I try to do as much as possible 'in camera'.

When you hold the filters-how far do you hold the away from lens?Do you take a image,have a look,then think-hmmm hold it further away,take another image,hold it a bit higher or lower as you see fit?

Certainly save same dollars on those bracket bits,if one can use the filters to the same,or better effect.

Thanks again,Humayan.

[DavidTrap]

Cokin = waste of money Chris... Bracket and Photoshop - it's the way of the future!

My 2 cents worth - which in this age of rounding equals nothing!

DT

[Octane]

It doesn't work. It does not resemble reality in the slightest. It's an effect (clown vomit filter) that is overly used and is the single greatest way to lay waste to the thousands of dollars invested in hardware and glass. If the goal is to present what the eye sees in the middle of the day with the sun shining, there's not much hope of a camera capturing that range. Blending manually or using filters to hold elements of a composition back is the best way to realise this goal.

As for filter positioning, do the relevant maths to work out which filter you need, dial in your desired aperture, pop up Live View (I've enabled Exposure Simulation on my 5D Mark II, not sure if the other cameras have it), press the depth-of-field preview button to place the filter in the appropriate spot, and shoot.

H

[Omaroo]

Humayun - what models were the two GND Cokin filters of yours we used on the beach the other evening? One was highly graduated and the other a sharper step. I might wander down to Wollongong to the Filter Shop and investigate today.

[hotspur]

I had time for a few basic test images this morning,out near the observatory.

The first two images at 12 mm,the next two at 10 mm.I hope to get a chance soon to put the circular polarizer filter on and use it,and see what results a like.

Look forward to some night sky shots with this lens.Hopefully later next week we might get a chance to see the shuttle go over,and try for a photo of it.

I hope Humayan can post the model number of those filters 'Omaroo' asks about.

Cheers Chris