Do you use your fisheye?

Bob from Aus · 02-21-2013, 06:56 PM

Fisheyes are great up and close. It provides a different perspective and unlike an extreme wide angle it doesn't generate crazy corner monsters stretched like a silence fiction movie. So provided you are interested in the closeup part of the composition you won't get much use from it. examples of how I use mine is in forests, photographing lizards, bringing forward one specific element in a photograph, making people look demented, photographing large groups up close - they take up the middle of the image. with plenty of head room. If it is a broad landscape you want, this for me would not be a lens I would never choose.

kh1234567890 · 02-21-2013, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by GabrielFFontes

Mine is sharp at f4.5 and soft at 3.5, even after the calibration..
I'm thinking about calibrating it again, but now the screws aren't in good condition, because i used something weird to turn them.
If someone could post some crops at 3.5 with it, i would appreciate it.

Nice shots !

I have the Samyang one and it is soft at f3.5, gets better by about f5.6. I have some test shots at Samyang 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Test - a set on Flickr - you should be able to see the originals. A fair bit of CA in the corners of those, normally I'd correct this.

As for the original question - when you get bored with fisheye you can always de-fish your shots and pretend that you have a 8mm rectilinear

GabrielFFontes · 02-21-2013, 07:32 PM

Originally posted by kh1234567890

Nice shots !

I have the Samyang one and it is soft at f3.5, gets better by about f5.6. I have some test shots at Samyang 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Test - a set on Flickr - you should be able to see the originals. A fair bit of CA in the corners of those, normally I'd correct this.

As for the original question - when you get bored with fisheye you can always de-fish your shots and pretend that you have a 8mm rectilinear

Thank you!
That is true, i've tried defishing a couple of times, it looks good...
Do you use PTLens?

**Just1MoreDave** · 02-21-2013, 07:33 PM

I chose the DA 10-17 over the Samyang 8mm partly to make sure I used it more often. I thought the Samyang might be just big enough to leave at home. The DA is small enough to take most of the time.

stevebrot · 02-21-2013, 09:24 PM

I have the Zenitar 16/2.8 Fisheye and use it frequently for film and APS-C digital. The fishiness is only partly a matter of focal length and format size. Much depends on the angle of the lens axis to whatever lines are in the frame. It is not unusual for landscape shots to look quite "normal" even on 35mm film. Yes, both photos below were taken on 35mm film with the fisheye...

-- or on APS-C --

Steve

mikeSF · 02-21-2013, 09:26 PM

I just used mine on my shoot last Saturday. Down in the tiny wine cave, the fisheye added some dimension to to cramped quarters.

SpecialK · 02-21-2013, 10:06 PM

Originally posted by mikeSF

I just used mine on my shoot last Saturday. Down in the tiny wine cave, the fisheye added some dimension to to cramped quarters.

Good one.

kh1234567890 · 02-22-2013, 01:59 AM

Originally posted by GabrielFFontes

Thank you!
That is true, i've tried defishing a couple of times, it looks good...
Do you use PTLens?

I've used PTLens in the past - it is good but not quite right. Recently I've tried Pannini projection in Kolor Autopano Giga 3.0. It is much better in shots where perspective is involved. The open source Panini perspective tool also works well.

The Pannini Projection
The General Panini Projection - PanoTools.org Wiki

GibbyTheMole · 02-22-2013, 06:00 AM

Some great fisheye shots in here! I love my DA 10-17. Very fun lens. Here's a couple I took with it:

No Photoshopping on the first one other than cleaning up a little PF. Lots on the last two, but I was havin' fun with it.

cmohr · 02-22-2013, 06:16 AM

I love my fisheye's but must admit, they are a "luxury" item.

NotSteve · 02-22-2013, 10:41 AM

I realize this is a thread in the SLR lens forum, however... Like the OP, I had been curious about fisheye lenses and whether I would find one interesting/useful, but was concerned about the outlay for something I might not use in the end. What I decided in the end was to get a Q and the 03 fisheye lens. I wanted it for wide crowd shots, which it handles very well, but I've also been pleasantly surprised by how much fun it is to use for any variety of subjects. It worked out very well for me since I got a fisheye lens plus a small backup camera for a bit more money than one of the Samyang variants (got the Q used for $315; lens for about $115). Lately, the fisheye is one of my most used lenses.

The photos in this thread are really great and inspiring. Maybe one day I'll get the Pentax fisheye zoom -- looks like a great lens to have in one's arsenal.

Usuqa · 02-22-2013, 12:08 PM - **5 Likes**

Fish eye's are great. All taken with k5 and 8mm samyang.

stevebrot · 02-22-2013, 08:54 PM

Originally posted by Usuqa

Fish eye's are great. All taken with k5 and 8mm samyang.

These are just too cool! Seriously! And the best part is that all but the first would have suffered badly if you had used a rectilinear ultra-wide.

Steve

mikeSF · 02-22-2013, 10:40 PM

wow, those family photos are great and i love the processing youve applied too.

GibbyTheMole · 02-23-2013, 06:34 AM

Awesome shots, Usuqa! The action & the humor come across well. :-)

02-21-2013, 09:24 PM	#20
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	I have the Zenitar 16/2.8 Fisheye and use it frequently for film and APS-C digital. The fishiness is only partly a matter of focal length and format size. Much depends on the angle of the lens axis to whatever lines are in the frame. It is not unusual for landscape shots to look quite "normal" even on 35mm film. Yes, both photos below were taken on 35mm film with the fisheye... -- or on APS-C -- Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 02-21-2013 at 09:41 PM.

02-22-2013, 01:59 AM	#23
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	Originally posted by GabrielFFontes Thank you! That is true, i've tried defishing a couple of times, it looks good... Do you use PTLens? I've used PTLens in the past - it is good but not quite right. Recently I've tried Pannini projection in Kolor Autopano Giga 3.0. It is much better in shots where perspective is involved. The open source Panini perspective tool also works well. The Pannini Projection The General Panini Projection - PanoTools.org Wiki Last edited by kh1234567890; 02-22-2013 at 03:40 AM.

02-22-2013, 08:54 PM	#28
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Usuqa Fish eye's are great. All taken with k5 and 8mm samyang. These are just too cool! Seriously! And the best part is that all but the first would have suffered badly if you had used a rectilinear ultra-wide. Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 02-22-2013 at 09:04 PM.

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02-21-2013, 06:56 PM	#16
Bob from Aus Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,094	Fisheyes are great up and close. It provides a different perspective and unlike an extreme wide angle it doesn't generate crazy corner monsters stretched like a silence fiction movie. So provided you are interested in the closeup part of the composition you won't get much use from it. examples of how I use mine is in forests, photographing lizards, bringing forward one specific element in a photograph, making people look demented, photographing large groups up close - they take up the middle of the image. with plenty of head room. If it is a broad landscape you want, this for me would not be a lens I would never choose.

02-21-2013, 07:16 PM	#17
kh1234567890 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Manchester, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,653	Originally posted by GabrielFFontes Mine is sharp at f4.5 and soft at 3.5, even after the calibration.. I'm thinking about calibrating it again, but now the screws aren't in good condition, because i used something weird to turn them. *If someone could post some crops at 3.5 with it, i would appreciate it.* Nice shots ! I have the Samyang one and it is soft at f3.5, gets better by about f5.6. I have some test shots at Samyang 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Test - a set on Flickr - you should be able to see the originals. A fair bit of CA in the corners of those, normally I'd correct this. As for the original question - when you get bored with fisheye you can always de-fish your shots and pretend that you have a 8mm rectilinear

02-21-2013, 07:32 PM	#18
GabrielFFontes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Posts: 647	Originally posted by kh1234567890 Nice shots ! I have the Samyang one and it is soft at f3.5, gets better by about f5.6. I have some test shots at Samyang 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Test - a set on Flickr - you should be able to see the originals. A fair bit of CA in the corners of those, normally I'd correct this. As for the original question - when you get bored with fisheye you can always de-fish your shots and pretend that you have a 8mm rectilinear Thank you! That is true, i've tried defishing a couple of times, it looks good... Do you use PTLens?

02-21-2013, 07:33 PM	#19
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	I chose the DA 10-17 over the Samyang 8mm partly to make sure I used it more often. I thought the Samyang might be just big enough to leave at home. The DA is small enough to take most of the time.

02-21-2013, 09:26 PM	#21
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	I just used mine on my shoot last Saturday. Down in the tiny wine cave, the fisheye added some dimension to to cramped quarters.

02-21-2013, 10:06 PM	#22
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Originally posted by mikeSF I just used mine on my shoot last Saturday. Down in the tiny wine cave, the fisheye added some dimension to to cramped quarters. Good one.

02-22-2013, 06:00 AM	#24
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	Some great fisheye shots in here! I love my DA 10-17. Very fun lens. Here's a couple I took with it: No Photoshopping on the first one other than cleaning up a little PF. Lots on the last two, but I was havin' fun with it.

02-22-2013, 06:16 AM	#25
cmohr Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Brisbane. Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,824	I love my fisheye's but must admit, they are a "luxury" item.

02-22-2013, 10:41 AM	#26
NotSteve Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 200	I realize this is a thread in the SLR lens forum, however... Like the OP, I had been curious about fisheye lenses and whether I would find one interesting/useful, but was concerned about the outlay for something I might not use in the end. What I decided in the end was to get a Q and the 03 fisheye lens. I wanted it for wide crowd shots, which it handles very well, but I've also been pleasantly surprised by how much fun it is to use for any variety of subjects. It worked out very well for me since I got a fisheye lens plus a small backup camera for a bit more money than one of the Samyang variants (got the Q used for $315; lens for about $115). Lately, the fisheye is one of my most used lenses. The photos in this thread are really great and inspiring. Maybe one day I'll get the Pentax fisheye zoom -- looks like a great lens to have in one's arsenal.

02-22-2013, 12:08 PM - 5 Likes	#27
Usuqa Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scotland Photos: Gallery Posts: 348	Fish eye's are great. All taken with k5 and 8mm samyang.

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02-22-2013, 10:40 PM	#29
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	wow, those family photos are great and i love the processing youve applied too.

02-23-2013, 06:34 AM	#30
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	Awesome shots, Usuqa! The action & the humor come across well. :-)