Confused by Fisheyes...

TelePaul

Hey guys, would love if someone could give me a steer on Fisheyes for cropped sensors. I tried the Canon 15mm but with the 1.6 crop, I was missing out on much of the 'fishy' effect. I've since done my homework and am somewhat up to speed with diagonal and circular fisheye lenses. It also seems that Sigma offer a lot of choice in this regard, providing both circular and horizontal options for APS-C and full frame bodies.

I've decided that I'd like a diagonal fisheye, but I guess if I go for something like the Sigma 10mm 2.8, it'll be useless if I ever go full frame...that about right? I'm also thinking that if I want a 'dedicated' diagonal fisheye for a crop body, that lens is about the only option?

I had a read of this and found it very useful, but I would love to get some insight from the boardsies if at all possible. Any thoughts/comments?

PopeBuckfastXVI

Look into the Samyang 8mm Diagonal Fisheye, fraction of the cost of name brand equivalents, MF, but at 8mm everything is in your depth of field anyway so not a problem. You get to play with a fisheye, don't get over committed financially and if you ever go FF just sell it on and get a 15/16mm, or...

Bonus: for FF you can do a little DIY and shave the hood, then just crop slightly in PP, apparently.

I've not used it but I've only read good things, and any sample images I've seen look very good.

I had a 10.5mm Fisheye and swapped it on Adverts as I wasn't getting enough use for it and a telephoto I wanted came up and the guy wanted to do a swap. If I was going again I'd get the Samyang above, and I'd like to some day, there's just not enough uses to justify respending all the money on a 10.5.

The fisheye effect is all about the angle of coverage, it's one time where you will just have to get the lens to suit the body.

My 2c.

pete4130

The Canon 15mm is for full frame so isn't fisheye on crop sensors. AFAIK Canon don't do a fisheye for crop sensors. Nikon do a 10.5 mm fisheye for their x1.5 sensors which I've used and its good. Sigma do a 15mm fisheye but again its for full frame and is a good lens. I had one for 5 or 6 years and it got abused and never failed. It was able to focus really close to objects as well, way closer than the Nikon 16mm equivelant.

Sigma also do a 10mm fisheye for crop sensors which I think would be your best bet. All the fisheyes I've mentioned are rectangular fisheyes (180 degree from one corner to the diagonal corner so you don't get ony vignetting or black circle.

The other Sigma option is their 8mm circular fisheye which on a full frame leave a horrible black vignette circle around the frame and I'm not sure how severe or existent it is on a x1.6 sensor. The 8mm does not have a petal lens hood as it sees 180 degrees in ALL directions, not just diagonally so it is much more prone to glare and flare (and to being scratched).

Fisheyes take some time to learn how to use. It's too easy to get everything in without actually thinking. I rarely use fisheye anymore unless I want a really wide shot that compliments its use.

CabanSail

As said above... The Samyang 8mm is very good value for money. I am using it a lot now and posted some examples in your previous post (added below)

It is a Full Manual Lens, but on my D300 I can program the Focal Length and it will meter correctly and work in Aperture Priority (Av on Canon) and set f-stop on the ring. The focus is manual, but only really matters when objects are within a foot of the lens. If you shut it down at all you have huge DoF anyway.