Open wide....

The goal of being able to really use wide-angle lenses is now deeply set in my mind, and to further fuel my wide-angle intentions; I'm starting at the obvious point for many gear oriented photographers - more kit needed...!

I have Canon's excellent EF17-40mm f/4L, but I've been looking for something more essentially wide-angle only. My search has lead me down the road of the expensive 14mm, but for now I've stopped short and ended at 20mm with the EF20mm f/2.8. It's an old lens, and covered in angle by my zoom, but I think it will force me to the wide side rather than let me sneak back to normal; that's just so easy with the zoom. This approach of restricting my options is something I 've really benefitted from in the past when I used an EOS 400D and 28mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8 as a great lightweight travel kit.

According to some reviews the EF20mm f/2.8 USM is not the best lens in the book, and indeed Canon's Lens Work III book has MTF charts that support the idea that the L-series 17-40mm is better, but I like the idea of a smaller lighter lens. Accordingly I have secured the use of an EF20mm f/2.8 USM lens for a couple of weeks. Should be interesting to see if it makes me see wide.

Even more important, Canon's Digital Photo Professional application includes lens abberation correction support for the lens. Don't you love it when software actually gives you a real valuable improvement in functionality. With some downtime to come soon, I'm looking to combine the lens with graduated neutral density filters and try my hand at some coastline landscape photography.

Who knows maybe the 20mm is the key to thinking wide for me.


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