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Old 19-05-2015, 08:52 AM
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graham.hobart (Graham stevens)
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good medium wide field lens for canon 5D mark II

Hi Folks, I had a very wide field lens and it was too wide for my observing site (back garden) so anyone have a good recommendation of a medium wide quality lens for a Canon 5 D Mark II?
I already have a nifty 50mm. I had the Samyang f2.8 lens but it was too wide, just kept getting a bunch of trees in it.
Cheers
Graham

Last edited by graham.hobart; 19-05-2015 at 02:32 PM.
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Old 19-05-2015, 04:13 PM
gbeal
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Define wide?
If you are happy with your current 50, then perhaps look at a 100, or 180mm. The Nikkor 180 is exceptional.
I am using Pentax 67 lenses.
Gary
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Old 19-05-2015, 06:25 PM
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Vermin (Tom)
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I'm Assuming the Samyang was 14mm?

I have a near new 16-35mm f/2.8 Canon EF USM II you could persuade me to sell (@~80% of new price) as I'm looking at buying the 24mm f/1.4.
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Old 19-05-2015, 06:42 PM
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I had the sigma 35/1.4 and it was superb in every way. For your canon, if you are looking for medium wide field for astrophotography the one and only lens you need consider is the 135mm f/2L. Best glass I have ever owned for any purpose. (where a 135mm focal length is required)

The canon 50/1.4 is a good step up in build over the 1.8II but it's no sharper. That sigma 35/1.4 replaced my 24/1.4L and my 50/1.2L in my bag. And the 135/2 replaced the 70-200 zoom. I now live with three lenses in my bag, 35/1.4, 135/2L and 200/1.8L. The 135 is by far my most used.
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Old 19-05-2015, 07:11 PM
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Joshua Bunn (Joshua)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexN View Post
I had the sigma 35/1.4 and it was superb in every way.
This is a cracker of a lens. I use mine @f1.4 on a 6d, and there are no issues.
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Old 20-05-2015, 04:59 PM
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What are you wanting to use the lens for? Astro? On a tripod, or on a tracking/guided EQ mount? Camera connected to computer, or manual/timer remote? Answers to these questions help define best solution for you.
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Old 20-05-2015, 07:58 PM
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pluto (Hugh)
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I have the Canon 28mm f1.8 that I used with my mkII, it's a great lens and quite good for nightscapes, examples here.
I'm actually going to sell it now that I don't have the mkII anymore, just FYI

Also the 40mm STM pancake lens is awesome for the price and, apart from being an excellent walk around lens, it produced surprisingly good results when shooting the night sky - basically edge to edge sharp stars wide open at f2.8.
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Old 24-05-2015, 08:25 AM
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graham.hobart (Graham stevens)
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Wide field lens

Hi All, I want to use it on a an EQ mount tracking but to get larger FOV than my 71mm refractor.
Thanks for the replies and info so far.
Graham
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  #9  
Old 24-05-2015, 09:42 AM
clive milne
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This one is exceptional:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/85mm-f12.htm
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  #10  
Old 24-05-2015, 03:33 PM
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Quote:
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this is a staggeringly good lens! my brother has one, obviously not cheap
pat
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  #11  
Old 24-05-2015, 04:26 PM
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Amaranthus (Barry)
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I recently got a Mitakon Zhongyi 135 mm f2.8 EF lens.
http://www.zyoptics.net/product/mita...or-135mm-f2-8/

It's manual focus prime lens, but it seems what they saved in avoiding the electronics required for autofocus, they made up for in the optics. It is excellent, and really suits my needs. The lens hood extends about 10cm, so is also handy as a dew shield.

I've only been able to use it on my DSLR in daylight so far, but look forward to testing it on my CCD soon.

There is also an f/2 85mm model, which might also be worth considering (I don't have this).
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Old 24-05-2015, 04:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blink138 View Post
this is a staggeringly good lens! my brother has one, obviously not cheap
pat
The 85L is s great portrait lens, but wouldn't recommend for Astro. Does suffer CA and can't fully manual focus. I'd go the 135L over the 85L. I have both.
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  #13  
Old 24-05-2015, 05:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clive milne View Post

I have a copy of this lens and frankly was never really happy with the CA.

Canon Australia kindly tested it for me, and the report came back that it was in fact an *excellent* copy.

From a photographers point of view I can say it ticks a lot of boxes...but from an astrophotography point of view...forget it at F1.2!

...edge coma and lateral colour abounds....given the money...it's a shocker.

At F2.8 it tightens up a lot....begging the question " so many $$$ for a F2.8??"

Bang for buck is Sigma's new 12-24mm zoom. Seems designed for Astro!

Bugger all lateral colour. Low coma...and extraordinary value for money.
(...OK I'm a lucky guy and have one of these as well)....but watch this space...I've just ordered Canon's new L-series 11-24mm...not a typo...that's ELEVEN-to-24mm.

Early reviews are simply gushing in praise.... we shall see!

Last edited by Peter Ward; 25-05-2015 at 07:58 AM.
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  #14  
Old 25-05-2015, 03:28 PM
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What about the 85 1.8 ? or does that suffer from Chromatic Aberrations like the 1.2 ? I have it but to be honest have never used it for astro as I've only just started to get to grips with EQ mounts but as a head and shoulders portrait lens it's a cracker - almost too sharp for that job when stopped down to f2.
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Old 25-05-2015, 03:41 PM
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The 85 1.8 doesn't suffer CA as much as the 1.2. I had it but sold to get the 1.2. Haven't used it for astro.

I'd be recommending the 135L. Have used it at last year's Qld Astrofest. Images/examples here with 5DII and 135L combo:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=124297
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=123902
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=123928
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=123833

For something around the 85-90mm FL mark, I'd be going with the Tamron 90mm macro lens. It's sharp and a great macro lens, too. It has curved aperture blades, so the diffraction spikes when stopped down aren't as prominent. See some of Nettie's images for examples, noting the star profiles:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ghlight=tamron
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ghlight=tamron
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ghlight=tamron
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  #16  
Old 25-05-2015, 04:34 PM
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Bassnut (Fred)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Ward View Post
I have a copy of this lens and frankly was never really happy with the CA.

Canon Australia kindly tested it for me, and the report came back that it was in fact an *excellent* copy.

From a photographers point of view I can say it ticks a lot of boxes...but from an astrophotography point of view...forget it at F1.2!

...edge coma and lateral colour abounds....given the money...it's a shocker.

At F2.8 it tightens up a lot....begging the question " so many $$$ for a F2.8??"

Bang for buck is Sigma's new 12-24mm zoom. Seems designed for Astro!

Bugger all lateral colour. Low coma...and extraordinary value for money.
(...OK I'm a lucky guy and have one of these as well)....but watch this space...I've just ordered Canon's new L-series 11-24mm...not a typo...that's ELEVEN-to-24mm.

Early reviews are simply gushing in praise.... we shall see!
Ive got the Canon EIGHT-15mm L f4 . You get 180 deg round pics with that (at 8mm), not really mid field, but really interesting for out-there TL.
Also 24mm f1.4 L which I was told when I bought it a while back was the duck guts for Astro, but sadly it suffers seagulls around the edges.
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  #17  
Old 23-07-2015, 06:43 AM
JQ (John)
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Canon 24-70 f2.8 ii

I recently used this lens in Norway to photograph the aroura. I was delighted with the shots but people keep remaking on the edge to edge sharpness of the stars. It's a pricey lens but versatile and very easy to use.
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  #18  
Old 24-07-2015, 06:00 AM
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rcheshire (Rowland)
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Canon EF 200 f/2.8 L USM II
http://www.astrobin.com/39657/
http://www.astrobin.com/41162/D/
http://www.astrobin.com/88324/B/

Taken with 5DMKII too narrow?

EDIT: Based on Greg's comments above f5.6 is cited as the best resolution aperture

Last edited by rcheshire; 28-07-2015 at 01:17 AM.
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  #19  
Old 27-07-2015, 10:54 PM
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A common question. The Nikon 14-24 is still, after all these years one of the best. I use mine all the time. No CA wide open, sharp as, very wide FOV. Huge, heavy, expensive and can't take filters but awesome. I just used it almost exclusively photographing landscapes with a Sony A7r. A great combo.

The new Canon Peter mentioned is also likely to be awesome. Huge, large and super expensive but awesome.

Zeiss 15mm F2.8 is a proven ripper (see Carlos's nightscapes on this site).

Samyang 24 1.4 is fine from F2.2 onwards.

Sigma 35 1.4 has some fine example nightscapes but getting a bit long in focal length.

Samyang 14 F2.8 has many examples but suffers from moustache distortion. I think that only is an issue in daylight shots with a foreground object (with straight lines in it no doubt).

Don't be sucked in by the lure of F1.4 or F1.2. Every fast lens I have ever used has lots of CA and you have to stop them down to F2.8 to make them work anyway. They are more meant for blurry background portraits and low light shots where CA doesn't show up and coma is not an issue. I think its an optical tradeoff.

Greg.
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