[tingeltangelben]

My K50 came with an 18-55 mm WR lens. As I'm not really interested in using digital lenses for now (using the old lenses from my old Super ME), I'm thinking of selling it and buying a fisheye lens with the money. Does anyone have a particular fisheye they'd recommend? Not digital is of course fine.

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I'm a bit curious about whether or not you really want fisheye or rectilinear wide angle (UWA). Most people would want UWA first, as it tends to be more versatile.

If zoom, the Pentax 10-17 has a good reputation - with less distortion at the 17mm end. That makes it more versatile. If UWA and prime is the preference, the Pentax 15mm Ltd. is very nice, small, but not cheap. The Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 14mm f/2.8 is excellent, and a good value (but manual focus). It has considerable distortion, and has been referred to as fisheye by some. However, most fisheye-designated lenses have considerably more distortion.

[cport]

Samyang 8/3,5 is pretty cheap but still wery nice option. APS-C only

[tingeltangelben]

Thank you for the responses. I did a bit of googling to understand what a UWA is, and I'm more interested in the fisheye really. The Samyang 8 seems like a deserve option, manual focus is fine too. Is APS-C a problem. Not really sure what that means to be honest.

[AquaDome]

The Pentax DA10-17 FishEye is an APSC lens designed for digital. I love it.

[blackcloudbrew]

I have...um...about 5 fisheye lenses and they are all fun in their own special way. Personally, I would have to recommend the DA 10-17 fisheye lens as a place to start. While you can go wider (and I have), the DA 10-17 gives you the ability to vary the amount of fishiness - so to speak - and is complementary to your kit lens as an ultra wide angle lens. This was the first lens I bought in 2008 with my old K10d and kit lens and it opened my eyes to a really different way of seeing. In addition, the minimum focus depth of the DA 10-17 allows you to get really close to subjects kinda like a macro but different. Anyway, while my favorite now is my manual focus Rokinon 8mm fisheye, it's nowhere near as versatile as the DA 10-17.

[todd]

I picked DA10-17 last year here from a fellow forum member at an irresistible price, and fell in love with it. I also have DA15 and you couldn't go wrong with either of them, imo.

DA10-17(@11mm)


DA15

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

Blackcloudbrew is absolutely right. I also have the Samyang/Rokinon 8mm - and its a very brilliant lens both in its stereographic design (mild fisheye, controls the shape of spheres extremely well) and its great work with the sun in image - but you would be not well served by making it your first fisheye. Way too wide for regular use.

I don't have the DA 10-17, but it makes sense to go with that lens first to gain a good understanding of spatial relationships in wide angle. Not to mention its versatility.

Sorry we jumped ahead in terminology - most dSLRs are APS-c with a smaller sensor size than 35mm film - usually referenced as full frame or FF. Many FF lenses work perfectly well on APS-c, although a fairly large share of older wide angle lenses and fisheyes tend to be marginal on APS-c. All the DA lenses were designed for APS-c, or crop sensors. They tend to be smaller than FF lenses.

[mattt]

I have an old K fish eye SMC Pentax 17mm f4.0 - shooting it on crop "de fishies" the photography - so keep in mind that old non digital fish eye glass is severly handicapped on APS-C.

I also have a Rokinon 8mm Fish eye... love love love.

[mikeSF]

What blackcloudbrew said.

I too have the 10-17 fisheye which I find a good lens for the job.

obligatory pics:

Solo
@10mm

Black Sands Beach
@10mm

[tingeltangelben]

Thank you very much for all the information, recommendations and jargon translations! I'll probably leave the 8mm alone based on the feedback and go with something more appropriate to my skill level that will help me learn a bit.

Also, some great photos as examples too, can't wait to spend more money on a lens! Thanks again.

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

You're headed in the right direction, Tinge. I'm in my fifth decade of shooting, and the extreme perspective presented by the 8mm has yet to make me feel comfortable. Its a great lens, but the ability to make the most of it is hugely challenging. My ability to accurately gauge a scene starts around 12mm on the typical dSLR (APS-c). If you get the 10-17, you'll be tempted to use it mostly near 10mm initially. However, learning at the more-normal end and working your way wider will serve you better in terms of getting the most interesting shots - especially the ones that include a main subject in the foreground.

[stevebrot]

I have both the Rokinon (Samyang) 8/3.5 Fisheye and the Zenitar 16/2.8 Fisheye*. I shoot both on APS-C and think highly of both, though the Zenitar has the nod should I ever be forced to give up either. I also shoot the Zenitar on 35mm film and sing the praises of the lens on that format as well.


Steve

* As noted above, the Rokinon is 180 degrees diagonal on APS-C. The Zenitar is 180 degrees on 35mm FF but can still be plenty fishy on APS-C depending on composition and subject.

[lesmore49]

I have and recommend a Pentax 10-17. Being a zoom, I like it's versatility over a single focal length prime. I find I can get everything from 10mm...where the fisheye is quite pronounced to 17mm...where it can almost perform like a wide angle...if I play the angles right.

[Dartmoor Dave]

I'll give another vote for the Zenitar 16mm. It's a good sharp lens once you get it set up properly, and it has the advantage that you can actually buy it for about the money you'd get for selling your 18-55mm WR.