Now that I have it ...how do I best use it!

whbroker · 07-25-2009, 06:32 AM

Thanks to many members of this forum, I followed their advice and purchased a Sigma 10-20mm lens for my K10D. I did my due diligence on the lens and read several articles on how best to use a Ultra wide lense including the Ken Rockwell article. Now I'd like to hear from you. What is the best way you have found to use this great lense.

MikePerham · 07-25-2009, 09:43 AM

Go out and make some photgraphs! Serioiusly, not trying to be facetioius, you need to go out and use the lens ...experiment with the techniques you read. There is no substitute for actually shooting with the lens and learning how it's perspective works with your vision.

Mike.

StarDust · 07-26-2009, 04:11 AM

I agree. There is no best way for specific focal lengths. I've seen guys use fish-eyes for club photagraphy, and some of the pictures were pretty cool.

ManuH · 07-26-2009, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by whbroker

What is the best way you have found to use this great lense.

The Ken Rockwell articles is a very good primer indeed.

One use of the Sigma 10-20mm I found is to get pictures of things without getting people in it because you can get much closer and still get the thing to enter the frame. It's a practical use, not really artistic of course

mischivo · 07-27-2009, 05:40 PM

I won't tell you how to use it, as that's up to your own personal aesthetic tastes to determine. However, here are some pointers for your lens. Some are obviously my opinion and evidence of my own tastes.
1. Don't take close-up portraits of people using the widest focal length, especially if they're big-nosed. They'll hate you forever, despite how funny the photos look!
2. It's commonly considered bad technique to use wide-angles for the sheer purpose of getting-it-all-in.
3. I own the Sigma, and it's not the sharpest glass around. I find it has most acuity at around f8 to f11. If acuity is required in your application of the lens, I would keep these two numbers in mind.
4. This lens has some flare issues if the Sun is just outside the frame. It's not a particularly pretty looking flare, as it appears fuzzy! To help avoid this, always use the included lens hood.

Damn Brit · 07-27-2009, 06:12 PM

Be careful you don't fall over, seriously.
A wide angle takes some getting used to. When you think you're close enough, you look in the viewfinder and you are still miles away, so you start creeping forward while looking through the VF.

Put the lens on your camera and take pictures of anything and everything and see what works for you.

GerryL · 07-28-2009, 08:00 AM

Experiment!
Use it at times to exaggerate objects if you want to use that object as the main subject.
Even cars will look good with one part of it near the lens to show detail or something.
Use..use..use..and be happy with it.
You will only be happy with it once you have known how to actually use it to its advantage.

07-25-2009, 06:32 AM	#1
whbroker Inactive Account Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Carmel Indiana Posts: 27	Now that I have it ...how do I best use it! Thanks to many members of this forum, I followed their advice and purchased a Sigma 10-20mm lens for my K10D. I did my due diligence on the lens and read several articles on how best to use a Ultra wide lense including the Ken Rockwell article. Now I'd like to hear from you. What is the best way you have found to use this great lense.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version E-mail to a Friend	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

07-25-2009, 09:43 AM	#2
MikePerham Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prince George, BC Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 644	Go out and make some photgraphs! Serioiusly, not trying to be facetioius, you need to go out and use the lens ...experiment with the techniques you read. There is no substitute for actually shooting with the lens and learning how it's perspective works with your vision. Mike.

07-26-2009, 04:11 AM	#3
StarDust Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Posts: 400	I agree. There is no best way for specific focal lengths. I've seen guys use fish-eyes for club photagraphy, and some of the pictures were pretty cool.

07-26-2009, 05:59 AM	#4
ManuH Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Montreal Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,209	Originally posted by whbroker What is the best way you have found to use this great lense. The Ken Rockwell articles is a very good primer indeed. One use of the Sigma 10-20mm I found is to get pictures of things without getting people in it because you can get much closer and still get the thing to enter the frame. It's a practical use, not really artistic of course

07-27-2009, 05:40 PM	#5
mischivo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 397	I won't tell you how to use it, as that's up to your own personal aesthetic tastes to determine. However, here are some pointers for your lens. Some are obviously my opinion and evidence of my own tastes. 1. Don't take close-up portraits of people using the widest focal length, especially if they're big-nosed. They'll hate you forever, despite how funny the photos look! 2. It's commonly considered bad technique to use wide-angles for the sheer purpose of getting-it-all-in. 3. I own the Sigma, and it's not the sharpest glass around. I find it has most acuity at around f8 to f11. If acuity is required in your application of the lens, I would keep these two numbers in mind. 4. This lens has some flare issues if the Sun is just outside the frame. It's not a particularly pretty looking flare, as it appears fuzzy! To help avoid this, always use the included lens hood.

07-27-2009, 06:12 PM	#6
Damn Brit Guest	Be careful you don't fall over, seriously. A wide angle takes some getting used to. When you think you're close enough, you look in the viewfinder and you are still miles away, so you start creeping forward while looking through the VF. Put the lens on your camera and take pictures of anything and everything and see what works for you.

07-28-2009, 08:00 AM	#7
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Experiment! Use it at times to exaggerate objects if you want to use that object as the main subject. Even cars will look good with one part of it near the lens to show detail or something. Use..use..use..and be happy with it. You will only be happy with it once you have known how to actually use it to its advantage.