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04-03-2008, 12:40 PM   #1
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Zenitar 16mm fisheye

Hello,

I am a beginner and i am slowly investing in some much needed equipment. Right now, i have bought a body (GX-10, would have loved to get the K10D but every dollar counts) with the kit lens, a Pentax-M 50mm f1.7, and a tripod.
My next investment, which is not for right now but hopefully not in too long, will be something wide.
If i go for some rectilenar (i don't know how to spell this, my native language is French, sorry) i am pretty set with the sigma 10-20mm. I have seen plenty of pictures taken with this lens and people seam to be quite happy with it.
I am also considering buying a Fisheye lens. I like to shoot inside or in narrow streets so i feel like the fisheye effect can be right for me. The Zenitar 16mm is cheap and I have heard good things about it. I am not really concerned about the lack of AF. I don't have any on my old 50mm and i am coping with it. I can't lie, lots of the shots are out of focus, but it makes it that much better when you get it right.
Anyways, i was wondering if some of you out there had been playing around with this lens (the Zenitar) and had some pictures to show for it. I would especially like to see some sort of blog or website where i can see a wide variety of shots in different lighting and spaces.

Thank you very much!

04-03-2008, 12:43 PM   #2
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Here ya go:

Zenitar 16mm f/2.8 MC Fisheye Lens Sample Photos and Specifications
04-03-2008, 12:54 PM   #3
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It seams you can only get a real fisheye effect on a FF or film camera. If i am looking for something with a little more distortion, what should i go for?
04-03-2008, 04:13 PM   #4
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You will need Pentax DA10-17 Fish-eye:
Pentax Digital SLR Cameras :: Lenses :: DA 10-17mm

cheers
Kenny

04-03-2008, 05:28 PM   #5
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The 10-17 looks to be your ticket. The Zenitar produces just a bit of distortion.
04-03-2008, 08:50 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by deudeu Quote
It seams you can only get a real fisheye effect on a FF or film camera. If i am looking for something with a little more distortion, what should i go for?

I love the 10-17.

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Last edited by SpecialK; 06-04-2015 at 08:03 PM.
04-04-2008, 08:09 AM   #7
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yes, this is what i am looking for... I was hoping that i could get something good for $200... i guess it is going to cost me twice that.
Oh well, thank you for your help.

04-04-2008, 08:22 AM   #8
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whether you get distortion or not depends on what you shoot and how you shoot it,

much easier to achieve at 10mm obviously, but the zenitar can hold its own


no noticable distortion:






noticable distortion:



04-04-2008, 10:35 AM   #9
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You could also try the Pentax 17mm F4 fisheye, if you can find one! I recently bought one myself, it's a sharp lens with high contrast

Mike
04-04-2008, 11:27 AM   #10
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forget the zenitar!!!
it is very very soft at 2.8...
16 mm is not enough wide to have a good fisheye distortion..
try to find a second-hand 10-17....
04-04-2008, 04:49 PM   #11
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Soft at f/2.8? Crap...that means I should dump my Helios right away.

Too bad it makes fantastic colors and the softness wide open makes a wicked portrait lens.

It's not like 2.8 shots are unusable. We're looking at $150 for the Zenitar and how much for a 10-17?
04-04-2008, 05:03 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by ryan s Quote
Soft at f/2.8? Crap...that means I should dump my Helios right away.

Too bad it makes fantastic colors and the softness wide open makes a wicked portrait lens.

It's not like 2.8 shots are unusable. We're looking at $150 for the Zenitar and how much for a 10-17?
not to mention complete confidence in using it to hit someone over the head...


wait did i say that outloud?


honestly the only downside to a zenitar is that it does not auto meter requiring complete manual mode

lack of autofocus is ALMOST irrelevant as anything past 10 feet is pretty much in focus

the softness at 2.8 is an artistic tool, atlesat you HAVE the option of 2.8.
04-04-2008, 06:29 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gooshin Quote
whether you get distortion or not depends on what you shoot and how you shoot it,
Love your first picture. How does it work. Does is all depend on how close your subject is?

I checked out some pictures for the 10-17mm and the purple fringing can be quite uncomfortable.
What about the sigma 15mm? it is not as cheap as the zenitar but slightly wider and it does auto-focus. Anyone knows this one.

I guess i should change the name of this thread to fisheye... oh well.
04-04-2008, 06:33 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by wavecurrent Quote
You could also try the Pentax 17mm F4 fisheye, if you can find one! I recently bought one myself, it's a sharp lens with high contrast

Mike
how much did you pay for it?
i didn't even know this lens existed, i check fleabay and it's going for $200+ :| ... for that much, might as well get the DA10-17
04-04-2008, 07:49 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Gooshin Quote
not to mention complete confidence in using it to hit someone over the head...


wait did i say that outloud?


honestly the only downside to a zenitar is that it does not auto meter requiring complete manual mode

lack of autofocus is ALMOST irrelevant as anything past 10 feet is pretty much in focus

the softness at 2.8 is an artistic tool, atlesat you HAVE the option of 2.8.
Lens: 1
Head: 0

The Zenitar does have some PF, but really, what lens doesn't? Rooflines, trees, stuff like that...it's almost impossible. You wouldn't know unless I said it There has never been enough PF to even bother with fixing it...imo.
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