Non digital lens for digital canon? and what's a good wide angle?

Question

dear friends.

i cannot seem to get a clear understanding about this anywhere..

can you use non-digital canon lenses on a digital canon xti?

how does that work...

and if you feel like suggesting a good wide angle lens it would be much appreciated

Answer 1

You can use all Canon EOS mount lenses made from 1987 on. Canon's lenses are either EF or EFs lenses. The EF were designed for film cameras and full frame digital cameras but work just fine on the smaller sensor DSLR's like you XTi. The EFs lenses will not work on a 35mm or full frame digital camera though. They are designed specifically for use on the smaller sensor cameras.

Because your camera has a smaller sensor they magnify the focal length of lenses. So a 100mm lens acts as a 160mm lens would on a film camera. For this reason Canon makes a line of lenses to compensate for this. This is why the kit lens on your camera is an 18-55mm and not a 28-90 which is the kit lens on the film version. For you to get a truly wide angle shot you need a lens that is wider than traditional wide angle lenses. The best lens for you to get would be the following.

Canon EFs 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM lens. Cost $710.00

You are almost always better off sticking with original manufacturers equipment. There are some third party manufacturers lenses though.

Tokina 11-16 F2.8 $569. The only reason I mention this one is because it is a fast constant aperture lens. Ken Rockwell thinks very highly of it. Her actually recommends it over the Nikon equivalent. He does however say that if you have a Canon to stick with Canon.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/35...

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tokina/11-16m...

Answer 2

As long as it has an EF or EF-S mount then it will work on the XTi fine.

Answer 3

That suggested wide-angle is for Nikon cameras.

If you want a Canon brand wide-angle there's the EF 14mm f/2.8 ($2000). There's also the EF 16-35mm f/2.8 ($1500). Lastly, there's the EF-S 10-22mm ($700).

If you can't afford any of those the kit lens (18-55mm, $150) will give you enough wide angle for most situations.

Answer 4

How wide are you looking to go?

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-10-20mm-4-5-...

A bit on the pricey side, but produces fabulously wide, detailed results.