New Tokina Ultra Wide Angle Lens

[redsea]

My first chance to shoot with my new Tokina 11-16 mm f/2.8 ultra wide angle lens. Nice sunny day but really windy which limited my close-up options. I know that it will take alot of practice to properly use an ultra wide angle lens. I am posting a few images to help me start my learning adventure. Would greatly appreciate members comments and experiences with uwa lenses.

The photos are stored on photobucket : Size 1024 x 768



Olive Tree Trunk in the morning sun




Hibiscus flower among the palm trees along the beach




Huge ceramic fish at the marina

[Donald]

Right away, irrespective of the quality of the individual images (i.e. whether they are good, bad or indifferent), you have grasped and applied the basic 1st principle of shooting with a UWA; i.e. Get close - very close.

I don't know about you, but I found it so 'different' that it took some time to get used to the idea of almost being right on top of the primary subject. People who haven't used such a lens may not appreciate that you are only inches from each of the main subjects in these images. As I wrote in relation one of mine some weeks/months back, I've spent more time lying flat on my stomach on the ground, since I got the Tokina 11-16 that I have since I was probably a baby.

So, an absolutely brilliant start Judith.You're a natural with this stuck on to the end of the camera.

[redsea]

I actually measured the minimum focus distance of the lens from my finger tips to way below the elbow to get a feel for "get close". It does seem pretty strange to be right up on top of the main subject and getting down on the ground while trying to ignore people staring at you.

[SpiderBob]

I'd like to learn more about this. If so close how about distortion, is it done afterward or in camera (lens).

[Donald]

Bob

You don't need to get distortion. It's all about learning how to use the lens. You can very easily induce very obvious distortion. But, as Judith has shown, if used properly, there need be no obvious distortion.