[jasphotoart]

Hello,

I have recently bought a Sigma 15mm fisheye and was after some help. I have not been able to find the same model as the one I have anywhere or any information or reviews.

The one I have is not a EX or EX DG model. It has the A setting for aperature but everything else is manual.

Just wondering if anyone know any history of this lens and shed some light as to how old it may be. It is in excellent condition. I have attached a photo. Any help is appreciated.

Regards

Jason

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[stevebrot]

Sigma has sold several different fisheye lenses over the years. The more recent models are excellent performers with prices to match. As for your lens, I don't see any real need for a user manual. It is manual focus with "A" contacts and is no older than the early 1980s. It should support all features of a Pentax dSLR with the exception of auto-focus. You may want to check for the dreaded "Ricoh Pin", but other than that it looks to be play time!

I may make one comment regarding focus with a fisheye. Conventional wisdom is that you don't need to focus due to large DOF. That is true to a point, though DOF is the same as for any other 15mm lens and missed focus still happens, particularly on the close end of the range (say 6 feet and closer). The problem is that everything is so tiny in the viewfinder that it is hard to tell when focus has been attained. I use an aftermarket focus screen and that helps.


Steve

[jasphotoart]

Sigma has sold several different fisheye lenses over the years. The more recent models are excellent performers with prices to match. As for your lens, I don't see any real need for a user manual. It is manual focus with "A" contacts and is no older than the early 1980s. It should support all features of a Pentax dSLR with the exception of auto-focus. You may want to check for the dreaded "Ricoh Pin", but other than that it looks to be play time!

I may make one comment regarding focus with a fisheye. Conventional wisdom is that you don't need to focus due to large DOF. That is true to a point, though DOF is the same as for any other 15mm lens and missed focus still happens, particularly on the close end of the range (say 6 feet and closer). The problem is that everything is so tiny in the viewfinder that it is hard to tell when focus has been attained. I use an aftermarket focus screen and that helps.


Steve

Thank you for the reply Steve and thank you for the tips with regards to focus, that will come in handy.

I am happy with the lens so that is the most important thing, now I just have to wait for the moon to get back to being new so I can try some star photos

Cheers

Jason

[Just1MoreDave]

I don't know exactly what year it is, but roughly mid 80s. Sigma lenses with the A position on the aperture ring started out with rectangular blocks on the focus ring. The diagonal slashes on your lens's grip are a later version. It probably has a Ricoh pin which won't get stuck. My Sigma 24mm of this vintage is fine.

I had a Sigma fisheye that was older than this, 16mm f2.8, with the A position on the aperture ring and the rectangular block focus ring. Sigma called it a Filtermatic because it separated in the middle so you could change the filters. I compared it mostly to the Zenitar-K 16mm f2.8 fisheye. It was slightly sharper, but the big difference was it focused closer, I think 0.18m. Closer is better. My lens had an exposure error that seemed mechanical but I could never figure out, but I learned to compensate for it. On APS-C, the fisheye effect is not always dramatic, but I didn't mind, and used it as a wide angle.