[Derridale]

Clem - there is certainly some distortion, as with any very wide lens, and as has been pointed out, this is most pronounced towards the edges. But this can be used as part of the composition - as I suggested in my earlier post, you should check out the Landscape and Seascape group on Flickr, at:

Flickr: Landscape and Seascape (Com. 2, Invite 1)

An amazing amount of talent out there!

You can post-process some of the distortion out of the pictures, but the most common software to do it - DxO Optics - doesn't cover the Sigma 10-20 on the Pentax yet. But PT Lens does - I bought a copy yesterday for a measly $15 online, and it works quite well. Of course, there is some cropping involved in the auto-corrections, and this does remove some of the advantage of having the wide angle in the first place, but everything is a compromise. More correction = more cropping, and vice versa.

The distortion of perspective you ask about is a characteristic of all wide angle lenses, and the best results rely on good composition - again, see some of the examples in that Flickr group.

And for some of the most exquisite pictures, take a look at Helga Kvam's work - here is a set of peoples' favourites from her Flickr site:

Your Favourites - a photoset on Flickr

If you like them, go to her main photostream and prepare to be amazed. And she uses a 10-20 for a lot of that stuff....

If it's good enough for Helga Kvam, then it's good enough for me

[RodConn]

Seriously though, having only had a need for filters up to 58mm so far, I hadn't given that much thought to the cost. At 77mm, two good filters will cost nearly as much as lens! Ouch.

Take a look at these - I have used them twice and they have an excellent reputation on Ebay 99+% with a big turnover
HOYA 77mm Clear PRO1 DIGITAL Protector Filter DMC LPF * NEW
Kenko 77mm Pro1 Digital WIDE BAND Circular Pol Filter NEW

Kenko is the Japanese brand for Hoya and the PRO1 DIGITAL filters are their top of line product - if you are really keen on top grade stuff try this for size - B+W 77mm kaesemann MRC SLIM Circular Polarizer Filter NEW - it is hard to find better than this.

BTW - each filter has US$9 or so for p&p.

Can recommend this source thoroughly although you will have to remember your VAT charges and customs fees - we are lucky here that so long as the purchase price is less than AU$1000 we are not charged VAT and there are no customs fees .

My lens handeld on an escalator at 10mm - 1/3 sec at f/4.0 - absolutely love it:


Full screen at Zenfolio | Rod Connan | Display Gallery and click on the displayed image.

Rod

[susanc]

Take a look at these - I have used them twice and they have an excellent reputation on Ebay 99+% with a big turnover
HOYA 77mm Clear PRO1 DIGITAL Protector Filter DMC LPF * NEW
Kenko 77mm Pro1 Digital WIDE BAND Circular Pol Filter NEW

Kenko is the Japanese brand for Hoya and the PRO1 DIGITAL filters are their top of line product - if you are really keen on top grade stuff try this for size - B+W 77mm kaesemann MRC SLIM Circular Polarizer Filter NEW - it is hard to find better than this.

BTW - each filter has US$9 or so for p&p.

Can recommend this source thoroughly although you will have to remember your VAT charges and customs fees - we are lucky here that so long as the purchase price is less than AU$1000 we are not charged VAT and there are no customs fees .

My lens handeld on an escalator at 10mm - 1/3 sec at f/4.0 - absolutely love it:



Rod

Thanks for this. Very helpful.

[Clem Nichols]

Clem - there is certainly some distortion, as with any very wide lens, and as has been pointed out, this is most pronounced towards the edges. But this can be used as part of the composition - as I suggested in my earlier post, you should check out the Landscape and Seascape group on Flickr, at:

Flickr: Landscape and Seascape (Com. 2, Invite 1)

An amazing amount of talent out there!

You can post-process some of the distortion out of the pictures, but the most common software to do it - DxO Optics - doesn't cover the Sigma 10-20 on the Pentax yet. But PT Lens does - I bought a copy yesterday for a measly $15 online, and it works quite well. Of course, there is some cropping involved in the auto-corrections, and this does remove some of the advantage of having the wide angle in the first place, but everything is a compromise. More correction = more cropping, and vice versa.

The distortion of perspective you ask about is a characteristic of all wide angle lenses, and the best results rely on good composition - again, see some of the examples in that Flickr group.

And for some of the most exquisite pictures, take a look at Helga Kvam's work - here is a set of peoples' favourites from her Flickr site:

Your Favourites - a photoset on Flickr

If you like them, go to her main photostream and prepare to be amazed. And she uses a 10-20 for a lot of that stuff....

If it's good enough for Helga Kvam, then it's good enough for me

Pete:

Thanks for your response, and for the Helga Kvam flickr address. It contains some beautiful work which is further enhanced by the poetry/prose which accompanies most of the pictures.

CN

[Derridale]

Hi Clem

Yes - Helga is a stunning combination of beauty (you'll find photos of her in her set on Flickr), amazing photographic talent and "eye", and good taste with those quotes. One very clever lady. She's also a music teacher, and she lives in one of the most photogenic countries in the world - Iceland.

I never get tired of looking through her photosets and getting some inspiration.

And, as I said, she uses the Sigma 10-20 for a lot of those stunning shots. So it really goes to show that the photo is determined more by the talent behind the lens rather than the lens itself...

[gawan]

Clem, I just received my copy of this wonderful lens. After using DA * 16-50 f2.8 for a while this feels a little slow, but now I really know what wide is! I love this lens! To give an idea how this rectilinear lens handles distortions, see this photo, it is taken from the corner of a right angled fens. Straight lines stay straight, but you can control the vertical, by keeping the aim to the horizon (this is slightly up from horizontal axis).

EDIT: I see that you already have this lens and this thread is actually already aged...

I love the ability to have greater than 90 degrees angle of view (this is 102 degrees)



My first takes with Sigma 10-20mm:
Picasa Web Albums - gawan - sigma-10-20