I’ve done a search and found plenty on DSLR lens etc. but I can’t convince myself whether or not I need a wide angle zoom on my DSLR.

What lens do most of you use for MTB photos? I currently have an 18mm at the widest on my various lenses and am tempted by a 10-20mm but not sure if I need it (APS-C sensor so 1.5x)?

You don’t need it… but you will want it eventually, it’s one of my favourite lenses now (EOS 400D with a 10-22mm). It’s great for MTB photography, though you do sometimes have to get stupidly close to the action to fill the frame! Here’s a few MTB shots taken with it:

I use somewhere between 17 and 24 on a 1.6X sensor for the vast majority of my cycling shots.

It depends on what you’re choosing to photograph. We’ve just come back from Yosemite, and we could of done with something wider than the 18mm we had.

My rock Photographer mate calls his fish-eye his “turd polishing lens” 😀

Had a Sigma 10-20mm and hardly used it, once it had been sold found times when I could really do with something wider than the 17-55mm

Now got a 10-22mm, not used that often, but very handy lens to have and hope to get some more landscape stuff done this year

Can think of more useful lenses to have for MTB type shots, might just be bit of a luxury

psychle, I recognise those locations and riders, Seb’s photo course with Alex Leigh?

I enjoyed using the 10-20 I borrowed for a day when I did the course, but when I borrowed one longer term I realised it’s *too* wide for a lot of the shooting I do. If money was no object I’d have one but for me that saved me £300. Cheers samuri for saving me the money 😀

nbt – I thought that was alex too – we all must have been on the same course at the same time!

psychle, I recognise those locations and riders, Seb’s photo course with Alex Leigh?

Yep, that’d be it! I’d agree the 10-22mm isn’t essential, but it’s a nice luxury to have in the bag for when you’re trying for something a bit different 🙂

The trick with a wide angle (I find) is to try and get something in the foreground, midground and background, to balance all that space out… or get up really close to what it is you’re trying to capture (that shot with the chap pulling a ‘gnar’ face heading down the slope, I was lying on the ground about a foot from his front wheel!)

Do you guys know who the chap on the Voodoo is? I was going to send him a copy of that shot but never got around to it, it occasionally weighs on my mind that I didn’t do it, so would be nice to clear that one up 😳 😆

The chap on the voodoo is alex leigh. That bikes gone now, I think. He’s alex on here

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/profile/alex

that shot with the chap pulling a ‘gnar’ face heading down the slope, I was lying on the ground about a foot from his front wheel

I know the feeling.

Mike "pro elbows" Davis by Notoriously Bad Typist, on Flickr

Mike almost made me fill my pants when I got this one. Very close.

“need”? Do you want one?

(APS-C sensor so 1.5x)

1.6x </pedant>

I’ve just taken a bunch of pictures of the new lab we’ve just had built at work. I found that a (borrowed) 10-20mm was invaluable for this, my regular kit lens (18-55mm) just didn’t cut it.

What’s this 10-22mm lens of which a couple of you speak?

I use a wide angle lens on my old SLR Olympus. Sometimes it’s a godsent, sometimes it’s a nightmare. You want it? Buy. You not sure? Buy.

1.6x </pedant>

Depends on whether it’s Canon APS-C or Everyone Else APS-C.

:-p

What’s this 10-22mm lens of which a couple of you speak?

Probably Canon.

Depends on whether it’s Canon APS-C or Everyone Else APS-C.

I don’t think -any- APS-C cameras have a 1.5x crop factor. The Nikons are 1.5(something) IIRC.

(But, yes, good point)

What’s this 10-22mm lens of which a couple of you speak?

Canon EF-S 10-22mm Gives you a 16-35mm equivalent on a Canon APS_C body…

Probably Canon.

Ah, good spot. There’s a Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

The 10-20 I’ve been playing with is a Sigma.

Remember it’s not designed for full size sensors, only the cropped 1.6X jobbies.

The Sigma 10-20 is pretty much my walkabout lens now (always on the camera when not using it for work). It’s quite small and lightweight (compared to many of my other lenses), takes a sensible 77mm filter ring like most other pro lenses (so no need to splash out on a new polariser) and does bike shots / landscapey stuff very well. These are the only two I can find at short notice;

I doubt you’d ever regret buying one. As above, they’re great for interior shots too.

Sigma do a 12-24 that will fit full frame