Im heading to Iceland in three weeks and need a solid landscape lens for my a6400. My budget is pretty tight at around 400 bucks. I saw the Sigma 16mm recommended everywhere but Im worried its not wide enough for those epic shots. Does anyone have a better budget alternative or should I just stick with the Sigma?
Honestly, if you want wider than the 16mm, you gotta look at the Samyang 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS. It is a manual focus beast that fits your budget perfectly. It makes those epic Icelandic vistas look massive compared to standard primes. I have used it for years and the sharpness is honestly insane for the price. If you want autofocus, maybe check out the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS, but you would probably need to find it used to stay under 400.
Honestly, I took the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary to the Highlands last year and it was honestly a letdown for wide panoramas. The field of view just felt cramped when I was trying to capture those massive waterfalls. I struggled with the distortion too, which was annoying to fix in post. If you want something actually wide on your a6400, skip that and grab the Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS if you can find one used. It fits the budget better and the extra reach is a game changer for Iceland.
- Pack a high quality circular polarizer to cut glare off wet rocks.
- Bring extra batteries because the cold drains them super fast. Dont bother with the Sigma prime if you need that ultra-wide look.
Saving this whole thread. So much good info here you guys are awesome.
Seconded!
Been thinking about your setup for Iceland. Honestly, I disagree that the prime is too tight for landscapes. You just have to change how you shoot. For that budget, I really think you should look at some wide-angle glass from Samyang or maybe Tamron instead.
- Look for manual focus primes from Samyang
- Check out the wider zooms from Tamron If you want those epic vistas, just grab any decent ultra-wide zoom you can find cheap.
No way, I literally just dealt with this yesterday. Small world.