Im so stoked to start shooting landscapes with my 90D next month! My budget is pretty tight at around 400 bucks. Im torn between the Canon EF-S 10-18mm and the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8. The Canon is cheaper and has IS, but that constant aperture on the Tokina... is it really worth the extra cash?
Building on the earlier suggestion, are you planning on doing much night photography or astro? If you need the light, the Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM is a solid middle ground. Just be careful with the older versions of that lens since the HSM motor can be finicky. Have you looked into the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD yet? The extra reach is super handy for general travel shots tbh.
Honestly, the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is sharper than the Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8. That Tokina has bad flare issues. Grab the Canon.
If you want reliability for landscape work on that budget, skip the niche constant aperture lenses. I have used a few different wide zooms on my crop bodies and found these work best for day-to-day shooting without breaking the bank.
- Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is built like a tank. It is an older lens, but the USM focus is faster and it feels much more professional than the plastic-heavy alternatives. The sharpness is pretty decent across the frame.
- Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM gives you that ultra-wide view if you really want to exaggerate perspective. Just know you cannot use standard filters on the front element because of that big bulbous glass. Personally, the extra reach on the Canon 10-22mm makes it way more versatile for hiking when you dont want to swap lenses constantly. The Tokina is fine for indoor architectural stuff, but for landscapes, those two choices are just more consistent imo.
Big if true
> My budget is pretty tight at around 400 bucks. In my experience, you dont need to spend anywhere near that much if you look at the used market. Over the years Ive grabbed tons of glass off MPB and keh for way under retail. Instead of buying brand new, hunt down a used Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM for like 150 bucks and put the rest of the cash toward a solid tripod or some ND filters. Ngl, for landscapes you are gonna be on a tripod most of the time anyway, so that built-in stabilization and wider focal range on the cheap canon is a total lifesaver. Let me know if you want recommendations on where to find the best used gear deals!