Which is the cheapest top quality EF lens less than 28mm

[arith]

I've decided to save up for a top quality lens for landscape architecture use. I haven't got hundreds or thousands and don't need USM or IS or zoom.

28mm seems about right and it would be nice to be less than f3.5.

The L series is very nice but beyond my pockets and I wondered if Sigma or some other manufacturer made a good one.

I would prefer to have AF because of my eyesight.

cheers

[wjh31]

A quick look on amazon pulls up something like this.

[arith]

I was looking on Ebay and finding used for around £400 or more. What I'm looking for is a really high quality lens as good as an L type.

But the reviews for this are very good, apart from the plastic of course. I don't know about IS since the only action shots I take are with a 200mm lens without IS and I use a rule 1/(1.6*f) but I'm very steady and can go down to 1/250 at 200mm.

I was taught how to shoot when I was an Air Cadet.

[arith]

Sorry I can't use an EFS lens on my camera; Wikipedia

Canon designers have taken steps to ensure it is physically impossible to mount EF-S lenses on EF-only cameras. This is because the increased proximity of the lens to the sensor means that on full-frame sensor or 35mm film EF cameras the lens itself would obstruct the mirror's movement and cause damage to the lens and/or camera. While it is possible to modify the lens such that the physical obstruction is removed, allowing for mounting to EF mount cameras, the rear of the lens would still obstruct the mirror. An additional reason is that the lenses produce a smaller image circle of even illumination (circle of no vignetting). To assist the photographer, an EF-S lens alignment mark is indicated by a small white rectangle, whereas the EF lenses and mounts use a small red dot. EF-S camera bodies have both EF-S and EF alignment marks, while EF bodies have only EF marks. Some have reported success attaching EF-S lenses to full-frame bodies with the use of an extension tube; however, this does not eliminate the vignetting problem, and also removes the lens's ability to achieve infinite focus. [1]

The 10D, D60, and earlier cameras share the EF-only mount with the full frame EOS camera bodies, and also with the APS-H size EOS camera bodies (1D series), despite having a smaller sensor and therefore a smaller mirror. However, attempting this on full frame Canon EF mount cameras would cause the mirror to collide with the rear lens element, potentially damaging the lens and/or camera.

This is the cheapest Canon that fits and therefore why I was asking about other types

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Prod..._USM/index.asp

[Andy]

I use a EF 24mm f/2.8. It's small, it's light and it does me just fine. On full frame it vignettes like crazy wide open but I got it for shooting landscapes on 35mm so that's never mattered to me. Now I use it on an APS-C DSLR the corners matter even less! It draws reasonably straight lines and I'm pleased with how clean and sharp the images are from it.

[Colin Southern]

In my opinion, "Cheapest" and "Top Quality" are usually mutually exclusive. For architecture, I imagine that it would be pretty hard to beat a TS-E 24mm F3.5L II, but not cheap.

[Andy]

In my opinion, "Cheapest" and "Top Quality" are usually mutually exclusive. For architecture, I imaging that it would be pretty hard to beat a TS-E 24mm F3.5L II, but not cheap.

Have you seen these? Mmmmmm

I'd love a go on the 120mm makro but it's £3,500 or something silly

[I Simonius]

I would see if you can get a secondhand 17-40L