| I have just received my new Canon EF-S 10-22 | | | | - Canon EOS 20D,30D,40D,50D,7D (1.6x Crop |
| ultra-wide angle lens. This is one of Canon's most | | | | Frame) |
| popular lens and is designed for the "crop sensor" | | | | Now what does all this have to do with me |
| series of DSLR. More on what a crop sensor is | | | | wanting, needing, lusting after a 10-22mm wide |
| later. My first thought after a couple of frames is | | | | angle? Now you know that this lens will fit on my |
| "Wow, this is really wide, it wraps around my | | | | camera (whew, that took a long time). You will |
| block." | | | | also know that the 10mm, the widest of the wide |
| The question of the day is why do I need a | | | | angle, is really a 16mm on my camera compared |
| 10-22mm wide angle lens. I already have a EF-S | | | | to how it looks on a full frame camera. That is still |
| 18-55 zoom that came with Canon X1i camera. | | | | very good and will capture really ranging views of |
| So what am I going to do with that extra 8mm | | | | those red rocks that I am so fond of. |
| of width for a wide angle shot. That 8mm is like a | | | | What about the other characteristics of the lens? |
| football field when I am shooting a landscape in | | | | All the reviews I have read show it to be a very |
| the distance (well maybe not quite a football field, | | | | high quality "glass." Canon designates their |
| but close). | | | | top-of-the-line lenses with the letter "L" in the |
| There is a great need for those of us that shoot | | | | description. Although the EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 does |
| landscapes for a wide angle lens. As you might | | | | not carry the "L" designation, the use of three |
| notice in my landscapes I tend to shoot very | | | | aspheric elements and one SD element is a |
| wide shots with mountains or red rocks in the | | | | common characteristic of a quality lens. My first |
| foreground and the horizon in the distance. I have | | | | first shots with the lens left me with the |
| been shooting most of my landscapes at 18mm | | | | impression of how clear and sharp it is. |
| with my kit lens on the T1i. That means that I | | | | This has quality optical parts and is not a "low-end, |
| am shooting at 28.8mm in film 35mm size. This is | | | | consumer type lens". Some pundits have |
| because the T1i is a crop sensor camera with a | | | | suggested that if it had not been an EF-S type |
| factor 1.6x. | | | | lens, it might have received the "L" designation, |
| Now I have to explain the crop sensor stuff. | | | | but since it will not fit on a pro level DSLR (EOS |
| Suffice to say that there are three ratios of crop | | | | 5D,1Ds series), Canon did not give it a |
| sensors in the Canon line of cameras; full sensor, | | | | "professional" L designation. In fact, no EF-S lenses |
| 1.3x, and 1.6x. This refers to the ratio of the | | | | have the "L" designation to date. |
| sensor (the computer chip that sees the image | | | | EF-S lenses, of course, are designed for use only |
| and translates it to digital). The full sensor is the | | | | with APS-C (1.6x) sensor Canon DSLRs and will |
| same size as the 35mm camera of years past. | | | | currently only physically mount on the Digital Rebel |
| The two other ratios are, in effect, a subset of | | | | series, and EOS 20D,30D,40D,50D 7D. The EF-S |
| the full sensor and the 35mm film size. For | | | | design allows the rear element to be closer to the |
| practical purposes this means that the full sensor | | | | sensor then with EF lenses, improving image |
| would see the entire football field, the 1.3x sensor | | | | quality, especially at the shortest focal lengths. |
| would see inside the 20 yard lines and the 1.6 | | | | The "S" in EF-S means "short back focus" and |
| factor would capture inside the 30 yard lines. Now, | | | | now you know why. |
| you math majors out there do not hold me to | | | | There are many technical reasons that this lens is |
| the exact proportions, I am just trying to illustrate | | | | good for wide shots and landscapes. The reviews |
| the concept. | | | | have shown that it is very sharp and very fast |
| Here is a list showing what Canon cameras have | | | | when auto focusing. On the negative side I will |
| which sensor: | | | | note that, if you use this lens when looking at a |
| - Canon EOS 1Ds, Mark II and II (Full Frame) | | | | person up close it will make them look like they |
| - Canon EOS 5D and 5D, Mark II (Full Frame) | | | | are standing in the circus exhibit with the distorted |
| - Canon EOS 1D, Mark III,IV (1.3x Crop Frame) | | | | mirrors. It is clearly designed for those shots that |
| - Canon Digital Rebel, T1i,XSi,XS (1.6x Crop | | | | are as wide as all outdoors. |
| Frame) | | | | |