Why would I buy a Fisheye lens?

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Bob Monkhouse

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Bob
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I have just had a Canon R7 bought for my birthday and,after lots of prevaricating and for probably the first time in my life I have not only asked for advice but have actually taken the advice given to me on this forum ( Thank you to all members for your invaluable advice) I have bought a new Canon 100-400 lens to go with it. With the converter also bought I can use the lenses from my 600D. Theae being a 18-55, 55-250 and the 50mm f1.8.
I have always fancied a fisheye from back in the 80's when using the Olympus OM2n I had.
Why would I need one of these? I'm going to buy one at some point as I think the images they create are interesting but ,like my knowledge of photography in general, my knowledge of fisheye lens is poor so the other question being- Where would I use one? Thanks for any and all advice,Bob.
 
Why? FUN! I have them for both the Nikon FF system and the Fuji crop bodies. Both are full 180° circular image types and deliver the expected fisheye distortion.

I have used them for whacky shots of people and animals as well as taking crops of the central band for 180° panoramic shots, although I tend to crop those down to around 120° to lose the very distorted edges. I managed to find both at sensible prices - not sure I'd spend much more than £150 on one.
 
Hardly anyone NEEDs a fisheye, but lots of us enjoy playing with them occasionally.

I started out with fisheye adapters that screw onto the front of a normal lens - these vary hugely in quality going from mediocre to apaulling.
So I've ended up getting some proper ones firstly a 10-17 fisheye zoom for APSC , then a couple of fisheye primes for MFT (9mm BCL & a 7mm), one for the pentax Q...

My first legacy FF fisheye was no better than the adapters, but the Nikon one I got after works quite well adapted onto my A7ii.

Here are a few from the 10-17 - Variable amounts of distortion, ultra wide FOV, and deep DOF

Stour woods fisheye by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

big grin by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Something fishy by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Fishy Rufus 2 by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr


My MFT fisheye shots often include IR into the equation for even more weirdness.

The BCL with 680 filter held in front (& edges cropped to hide my fingers)
Fisheye IR by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

The 7mm with a filter touching the hood
Fisheye filter test by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

The adapted nikon allows filters behind the lens so works better for IR

If I want more than 180 degree FOV I switch to a Kaidan 360 (a special mirror which goes in front of the lens)
NEPW - P1080495 small by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr
 
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For when straight lines are far too boring. For when you want to stand 3" in front of something and still fit all of it in. They focus about 3cm off the front element so great for shoving in animals faces.

I still miss my Tokina 10-17mm fisheye, that was a utterly lovely thing, but (AFAIK) there isn't a FF equiv (and no the 8-15mm etc are not an equiv).

I worried the Tok would be a one trick pony on the crop sensor and loved it so much, when I moved up to FF I think the 15mm Fisheye arrived before the 5D did. Yes that's more of a one trick pony, but when it comes out of the bag I love it. You think the RF 16mm is bendy, then you put the fisheye on and realise the 16mm isn't even trying.

They really aren't for everyone. But also, I'm reminded I haven't put mine in the bag for far too long, so its going out next time...

Canon 400D & Tok 10-17mm

IMG_6775.jpg


Canon 5D & 15mm Fishy

20100219-IMG_1619.jpg

20100305-IMG_2237.jpg
 
LeeRatters said:
Why?

Because you can't be bothered to step backwards....?

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
To be fair at some locations now, because people you can't get close for people taking selfies with iPhones. I've been setup carefully with 17-40 and waiting for the moment and people just jeep standing in front of you and you're like **** it, stick the fisheye on, I'm winning this game...
 
If you get the horizon dead centre things can look almost normal.

DL2_8528.jpg

Or go for drama (with some correction)

DL2_2053.jpg

Or shoot something with no horizon.

_7508955.jpg
 
So someone can get a bargain when you sell it on hardly used.
You can then buy a macro lens with the proceeds and move that on too after a short period.
 
I am quite happy with my Panasonic 9mm lens on the pana G9ii. just avoiding photo distortion but have that extra field of view
 
I booked of the converter things back in film days. Got a few nice shots with it.
These days I don't go much wider than 10mm though.
They can be fun though.
 
LeeRatters said:
Why?

Because you can't be bothered to step backwards....?

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
Stepping back would give a completely different image. Quit often with a fish eye I have to step forwards (as well as change lenses) so it's definitely not can't be bothered.
 
Nod said:
Why? FUN! I have them for both the Nikon FF system and the Fuji crop bodies. Both are full 180° circular image types and deliver the expected fisheye distortion.

I have used them for whacky shots of people and animals as well as taking crops of the central band for 180° panoramic shots, although I tend to crop those down to around 120° to lose the very distorted edges. I managed to find both at sensible prices - not sure I'd spend much more than £150 on one.
Click to expand...
That's the kind of thing I intend to do, I had a computer program around 25 years ago that would change images similar to a fisheye- or so I believed- and as you say they were fun images,I haven't even fired up the new R7 yet but maybe it's time I got creative instead of blasting away and hoping for the best.
 
GreenNinja67 said:
If you don't know where you'd use one you don't need one.
Click to expand...
I have some idea but I've never seen one in real life as it were so was hoping for some suggestions, I've seen a couple for the 600d I have been using for the last 15 years and since I've now got a better body I thought I would have a go with one,I've got the adapter for the R7 so I can use the Canon lenses I already have.
 
Jonnybrad2001 said:
For when straight lines are far too boring. For when you want to stand 3" in front of something and still fit all of it in. They focus about 3cm off the front element so great for shoving in animals faces.

I still miss my Tokina 10-17mm fisheye, that was a utterly lovely thing, but (AFAIK) there isn't a FF equiv (and no the 8-15mm etc are not an equiv).

I worried the Tok would be a one trick pony on the crop sensor and loved it so much, when I moved up to FF I think the 15mm Fisheye arrived before the 5D did. Yes that's more of a one trick pony, but when it comes out of the bag I love it. You think the RF 16mm is bendy, then you put the fisheye on and realise the 16mm isn't even trying.

They really aren't for everyone. But also, I'm reminded I haven't put mine in the bag for far too long, so its going out next time...

Canon 400D & Tok 10-17mm

View attachment 495119


Canon 5D & 15mm Fishy

View attachment 495121

View attachment 495120
Click to expand...
Thanks,some great ideas there,I need to wait a couple of months before I get one,my better half is still in shock over what I've just spent on the 100-400, she'll have forgotten by Christmas.
 
LeeRatters said:
Why?

Because you can't be bothered to step backwards....?

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...
Now theres a point.I'm accident prone,my children refer to me as Mr Bump so it's very likely that if I stepped back somewhere without looking there's going to be a 1000ft drop into a river full of crocodiles. Although thinking about it there aren't many 1000ft drops around Huddersfield and I'm sure we don't have crocodiles, still,it looks like a good reason to buy a fisheye.
 
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