Fisheye vs wide angle?

Southdowns

Southdowns

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Mark
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I've recently used a hired wide angle lens (10mm on a crop sensor), and got nice results, so I went looking to see what lenses were available to buy. I found a fisheye lens from Sony, which from the example shots on their site looks even wider than the 10mm, BUT what's confused me is that it's a 16mm lens; only 2mm wider than my kit lens.

So, can someone please explain fisheye vs wide angle to me please, as it's obviously not just to do with the focal length?
 
Best to ignore focal lengths with a fish-eye, at least when comparing with regular lenses.

The ones with about 8-10mm focal length will give a 180 degrees view (corner to corner) on a crop format camera, and around 15mm will look the same on full frame. They all have that characteristically bowed effect when straight lines like buildings near the edges are strongly bowed outwards.

Regular wide-angles are rectilinear, ie straight lines are straight, and focal length for focal length, this dramatically reduces the field of view.
 
Thanks for the info Richard.

Dave, that sites not working here, but I'll take a look later if it comes back up. Cheers.
 
I really dislike fisheyes and they are not very versatile. UWA all the way.
 
rjbell said:
I really dislike fisheyes and they are not very versatile. UWA all the way.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are limiting because they're generally fixed focal lengths but they have a place if you want to fully expand your set of lenses. I miss my 10.5mm, as it was a fantastic lens for close-up work, plus working in tight areas. They're also great for getting right in on the action. Overuse is their achilles heel - shoot everything on fisheye and it's gets samey and predictable. But that can said for many bit of kit and also techniques.
 
I just think they have been over used especially in extreme sports must pro's in his line of work have moved away from these now it's beginning to look a bit naff.
 
To me there are different lens that do different things, i like fisheye right now but the type of shots i do with a fisheye i wouldnt even think of doing with a wide angle lens and vice versa.

For example this one of Georges Hall, shot on my 10-22 at 10mm (only use this as its the widest shot i can find quickly) i would hate that with a fish eye, i wanted to shoot what it looks like and get floor and roof in. Compared to this circular thing in the second shot, i was using the roundness of the object and playing with it and that wouldn't appeal to me as much if it was straight wide.

If your looking to buy something Mark i would think about what you are going to use it for and decide which is best for the shots you want


Untitled by 4737 carlin, on Flickr


Untitled by 4737 carlin, on Flickr
 
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