Fisheye conundrum

**jerryleejr** · 09-08-2011, 08:19 AM

Just wondering what most people are using, Looking on B & H they have a good selection but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are?
Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount?

JJ

SpecialK · 09-08-2011, 08:27 AM

You might check this thread.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/33549-fisheye-fever-club-flaun...ye-photos.html

RioRico · 09-08-2011, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by jerryleejr

Just wondering what most people are using, Looking on B & H they have a good selection but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are? Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount?

Bower = Rokinon = Vivitar = Samyang (the lensmaker)

CS mount is short cine -- might work on a Pentax Q, will NOT work on a Pentax dSLR.

The DA10-17 rulez! The finest fisheye zoom available, IMHO. For rather less, the manual-focus Zenitar-K2 16/2.8 is probably under US$200 from eBay sellers. The Zen is only slightly fishy on an APS-C dSLR and is considerably faster than the DA10-17 at 16mm. There are also fisheye adapters which invariably suck.

Which lenses at B&H are you considering?

**ManuH** · 09-08-2011, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by jerryleejr

Just wondering what most people are using,

There are not much fisheye. There is the cheap Samyang (and their rebadged version see below) 8mm. I Believe Sigma also does one. And then of course there is the Pentax DA 10-17mm which I'm using and recommend.

Originally posted by jerryleejr

but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are?

I remember asking that kind of question to a new vendor and she replied 500$

Originally posted by jerryleejr

Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount?

Bower, Rokinon, Vivitar, etc. usually re-badged the original Samyang. CS mount is probably for video cameras.

**jerryleejr** · 09-08-2011, 08:57 AM

Originally posted by SpecialK

You might check this thread.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/33549-fisheye-fever-club-flaun...ye-photos.html

SpecialK my internet connection over here is to slow takes forever to download if at all but I will keep trying.

Originally posted by RioRico

Bower = Rokinon = Vivitar = Samyang (the lensmaker)

CS mount is short cine -- might work on a Pentax Q, will NOT work on a Pentax dSLR.

The DA10-17 rulez! The finest fisheye zoom available, IMHO. For rather less, the manual-focus Zenitar-K2 16/2.8 is probably under US$200 from eBay sellers. The Zen is only slightly fishy on an APS-C dSLR and is considerably faster than the DA10-17 at 16mm. There are also fisheye adapters which invariably suck.

Which lenses at B&H are you considering?

Rico,
Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye

JJ

joe.penn · 09-08-2011, 09:28 AM

Originally posted by jerryleejr

Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye

The wonders are not created with the lens, the wonders are created with the photographer with minimal help from the lens! In short, it doesn't matter what FE lens you are using, incredible results can be made using a cheap Zenitar or a more expensive DA....

---

RioRico · 09-08-2011, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by joe.penn

Originally posted by jerryleejr

Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye

... it doesn't matter what FE lens you are using, incredible results can be made using a cheap Zenitar or a more expensive DA....

Well, yes, but... 16mm FE is just much less fishy than 10mm FE. So it depends on the effect desired|needed, as well as the togger's vision and skill. Down in this realm, every 1mm (focal length) and every radian (shooting angle) make a big difference. My zoom-with-feet paradigm just doesn't apply here. It's easy to minimize fishiness at the long end. It's easy to maximize fishiness at the short end. Vice-versa is not so easy.

What's great about the DA10-17 (besides the superb optics) is the flexibility in achieving those effects. I now use the Zen mostly indoors where I need the speed, or outdoors when I just want to exploit its FOV -- ya, it's an interesting walkaround. I use the DA10-17 in very tight (and rounded) spaces, or anywhere I want to exploit angles and bend lines in various ways -- more of a flexible specialist tool.

I can't comment on the variously-branded Samyangs. I'll just say that the Zenitar 16/2.8 and the DA10-17 are both bargains for what they can do. CONFESSIO: The DA10-17 is what drove me to Pentax in the first place.

mikeSF · 09-08-2011, 10:08 AM

i went with the DA10-17 and it has proven to be a very useful lens..just over $400 used, IIRC.

joe.penn · 09-08-2011, 10:09 AM

Originally posted by RioRico

16mm FE is just much less fishy than 10mm FE. So it depends on the effect desired|needed, as well as the togger's vision and skill.

Well, yes, I just mentioned those two as an example leading up to the point

As for the 7/8mm (Samyang), I can comment on those - in short, one of the best lenses for the money (seems to be true for most of the samyang glass as of late). There are plenty of reviews over the net that show this lens performing better than the old sigma 3.5, there was also someone here in the marketplace recently (well, couple months ago) who wanted to trade out of a DA 10-17 for the Samyang 8mm + cash (can't remember the reasoning behind it though).

---

**ManuH** · 09-08-2011, 10:52 AM

The great thing about the Pentax is that the minimum focusing distance is only 14cm, you can almost touch the front element with the subject to get close to 1:2 macro!

Groucho · 09-08-2011, 10:58 AM

I've got the Zenitar and 10-17mm... I like them both but the Zenitar pretty much gathers dust while the 10-17mm gets a ton of usage.

If the 10-17mm got destroyed and I had to replace it, I would have a hard time NOT getting the Samyang... I haven't used one, but from everything I've read, it's the spiritual successor to the Zenitar - cheap, manual focus, and good IQ. I don't know how the purple fringing compares - that's kind of an annoyance of the 10-17mm (I know some say that you can just post-process, but I haven't found a good way to clean up PF!) but I think it's pretty unavoidable in these extreme wide lenses.

My dream lens is Pentax updating the lens a little, getting less PF, maybe a little more sharpness wide open, 9 aperture blades, and weather sealed... I would be first in line for it. If they could get it to F2.8 at the wide end, even better.

09-08-2011, 08:19 AM	#1
jerryleejr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TN Posts: 774	Fisheye conundrum Just wondering what most people are using, Looking on B & H they have a good selection but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are? Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount? JJ

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Republican conundrum	jeffkrol	General Talk	3	09-02-2011 05:52 AM
Catch in focus conundrum	Transit	Pentax DSLR Discussion	22	10-23-2010 10:46 PM
Here's a conundrum	StarDust	Pentax DSLR Discussion	4	08-01-2009 07:24 AM
Telephoto Zoom Conundrum	gnaztee	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	16	09-19-2008 11:13 AM
The Wendy B. Conundrum	benjikan	Pentax News and Rumors	339	09-18-2008 07:13 PM

09-08-2011, 08:27 AM	#2
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	You might check this thread. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/33549-fisheye-fever-club-flaun...ye-photos.html

09-08-2011, 08:42 AM	#3
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by jerryleejr Just wondering what most people are using, Looking on B & H they have a good selection but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are? Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount? Bower = Rokinon = Vivitar = Samyang (the lensmaker) CS mount is short cine -- might work on a Pentax Q, will NOT work on a Pentax dSLR. The DA10-17 rulez! The finest fisheye zoom available, IMHO. For rather less, the manual-focus Zenitar-K2 16/2.8 is probably under US$200 from eBay sellers. The Zen is only slightly fishy on an APS-C dSLR and is considerably faster than the DA10-17 at 16mm. There are also fisheye adapters which invariably suck. Which lenses at B&H are you considering?

09-08-2011, 08:44 AM	#4
ManuH Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Montreal Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,249	Originally posted by jerryleejr Just wondering what most people are using, There are not much fisheye. There is the cheap Samyang (and their rebadged version see below) 8mm. I Believe Sigma also does one. And then of course there is the Pentax DA 10-17mm which I'm using and recommend. Originally posted by jerryleejr but wonder what the difference is in the 300 dollar vs 800 dollar lenses are? I remember asking that kind of question to a new vendor and she replied 500$ Originally posted by jerryleejr Is Bower a relabeled Rokinon? What about the Pentax C70100 it says its for a CS mount? Bower, Rokinon, Vivitar, etc. usually re-badged the original Samyang. CS mount is probably for video cameras.

09-08-2011, 08:57 AM	#5
jerryleejr Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: TN Posts: 774 Original Poster	Originally posted by SpecialK You might check this thread. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/lens-clubs/33549-fisheye-fever-club-flaun...ye-photos.html SpecialK my internet connection over here is to slow takes forever to download if at all but I will keep trying. Originally posted by RioRico Bower = Rokinon = Vivitar = Samyang (the lensmaker) CS mount is short cine -- might work on a Pentax Q, will NOT work on a Pentax dSLR. The DA10-17 rulez! The finest fisheye zoom available, IMHO. For rather less, the manual-focus Zenitar-K2 16/2.8 is probably under US$200 from eBay sellers. The Zen is only slightly fishy on an APS-C dSLR and is considerably faster than the DA10-17 at 16mm. There are also fisheye adapters which invariably suck. Which lenses at B&H are you considering? Rico, Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye JJ

09-08-2011, 09:28 AM	#6
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by jerryleejr Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye The wonders are not created with the lens, the wonders are created with the photographer with minimal help from the lens! In short, it doesn't matter what FE lens you are using, incredible results can be made using a cheap Zenitar or a more expensive DA.... ---

09-08-2011, 09:53 AM	#7
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by joe.penn Originally posted by jerryleejr Kinda what I thought the DA is on my shortlist a friend of my has a Nikon and she does wonders with her fisheye ... it doesn't matter what FE lens you are using, incredible results can be made using a cheap Zenitar or a more expensive DA.... Well, yes, but... 16mm FE is just much less fishy than 10mm FE. So it depends on the effect desired\|needed, as well as the togger's vision and skill. Down in this realm, every 1mm (focal length) and every radian (shooting angle) make a big difference. My zoom-with-feet paradigm just doesn't apply here. It's easy to minimize fishiness at the long end. It's easy to maximize fishiness at the short end. Vice-versa is not so easy. What's great about the DA10-17 (besides the superb optics) is the flexibility in achieving those effects. I now use the Zen mostly indoors where I need the speed, or outdoors when I just want to exploit its FOV -- ya, it's an interesting walkaround. I use the DA10-17 in very tight (and rounded) spaces, or anywhere I want to exploit angles and bend lines in various ways -- more of a flexible specialist tool. I can't comment on the variously-branded Samyangs. I'll just say that the Zenitar 16/2.8 and the DA10-17 are both bargains for what they can do. CONFESSIO: The DA10-17 is what drove me to Pentax in the first place.

09-08-2011, 10:08 AM	#8
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	i went with the DA10-17 and it has proven to be a very useful lens..just over $400 used, IIRC.

09-08-2011, 10:09 AM	#9
joe.penn Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Maryland (Right Outside Washington DC) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,902	Originally posted by RioRico 16mm FE is just much less fishy than 10mm FE. So it depends on the effect desired\|needed, as well as the togger's vision and skill. Well, yes, I just mentioned those two as an example leading up to the point As for the 7/8mm (Samyang), I can comment on those - in short, one of the best lenses for the money (seems to be true for most of the samyang glass as of late). There are plenty of reviews over the net that show this lens performing better than the old sigma 3.5, there was also someone here in the marketplace recently (well, couple months ago) who wanted to trade out of a DA 10-17 for the Samyang 8mm + cash (can't remember the reasoning behind it though). ---

09-08-2011, 10:52 AM	#10
ManuH Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Montreal Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,249	The great thing about the Pentax is that the minimum focusing distance is only 14cm, you can almost touch the front element with the subject to get close to 1:2 macro!

09-08-2011, 10:58 AM	#11
Groucho Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 416	I've got the Zenitar and 10-17mm... I like them both but the Zenitar pretty much gathers dust while the 10-17mm gets a ton of usage. If the 10-17mm got destroyed and I had to replace it, I would have a hard time NOT getting the Samyang... I haven't used one, but from everything I've read, it's the spiritual successor to the Zenitar - cheap, manual focus, and good IQ. I don't know how the purple fringing compares - that's kind of an annoyance of the 10-17mm (I know some say that you can just post-process, but I haven't found a good way to clean up PF!) but I think it's pretty unavoidable in these extreme wide lenses. My dream lens is Pentax updating the lens a little, getting less PF, maybe a little more sharpness wide open, 9 aperture blades, and weather sealed... I would be first in line for it. If they could get it to F2.8 at the wide end, even better.