New Gear: Canon 16-35/2.8L

$1.569

Today, I got a little sharper… well, a little sharper wide angle lens, anyway!

I finally traded in my trusty Sigma 17-35/2.8-4.0 wide angle lens. It’s been a good lens, but there are times when it just doesn’t perform like I would like. In particular, I’ve noticed that group photos (15-20 feet away) were soft around the edges, which created quite a bit of work for me in Photoshop to correct.

So, I took that lens, my $60 gift certificate from Creve Coeur Camera, and bought a Canon 16-35/2.8L. Yes, I have succumbed to the hype and salesmanship, and purchased L glass. Admittedly, it’s not the most expensive lens in the world — I’ll never have those! — but it is reportedly a good lens, very sharp, and not as prone to softness around the edges.

Given that we’ve got a big trip to the desert southwest in about five weeks, I’m sure I’ll have a good chance to give it a workout on landscapes.

Of course, now I have a whole bunch of 82mm filters that are surplus to me…. need any 82’s?