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12-17-2017, 04:56 PM   #1
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Fish eye options. (Vintage and convertibles)

I really want to play with a fish eye lens but everything is beyond my budget. I know lens converters are woeful, I also know about the samyangs, zenitars, lensbabys and pentaxes. What I was wondering was are there any vintage fish eye lenses out there? Maybe a screw mount or something made for another brand that can be converted to Pentax k? Basically I am hoping someone can suggest the kind of leftfield eBay request that sometimes throws up a gem. Anyone? Please?

12-17-2017, 05:45 PM   #2
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In all the years I was on eBay, I don’t remember an off-brand, old or real cheap fish eye. That being said, I think the Zenitar 16 is probably the cheapest. I paid less than $200 for mine in great condition and $225 for my Pentax 17-24 fish eye.

It may be possible to adapt another brand lens, but depending on the host lens, that may be more trouble than its worth.

Maybe someone has done it and can drop in with some knowledge.
12-17-2017, 05:49 PM   #3
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The Rokinon used is well under $200. It is by far the cheapest option I know of that provides a useable image. I tried some of the vintage converters and most were junk.
12-17-2017, 05:55 PM - 1 Like   #4
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I have an m42 zenitar, cost $175 new from Kremlin optics when I got it about 5 years ago.

Also have the samyang 8mm

Both are great lenses for the money

Legacy fish eyes like the Pentax 17mm will likely cost you more.

I have tried wide angle converters on a 24mm to get close, but they suffer from moustache distortion, and not terribly sharp

12-17-2017, 05:58 PM - 1 Like   #5
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Just checked eBay and none are under $200 buy some are close. The Nikon versions are cheaper - and they should be possible to fit onto the mount without major modifications.
12-17-2017, 06:38 PM - 1 Like   #6
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One way is a Q and the Fisheye # 3 lens. Just do some trials and set the focus for about 4 ft to infinity and tape it in position. Anyway that was my initial trial, and now I also have Pentax 16mm (PKA) and Rokinon 8mm. Also cannot say enough good things about Fisheye Hemi software. I would never have expected I would like fisheye--pictures where walls/buildings/etc. are not parallel--and now I am kicking myself for not having done it many decades ago.
12-17-2017, 07:56 PM - 1 Like   #7
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This is in the marketplace. Rokinon 8mm f3.5 Fisheye Lens - PentaxForums.com

12-17-2017, 08:38 PM - 1 Like   #8
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What's your budget?
12-17-2017, 08:41 PM   #9
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The 8mm has been on sale for under $200 new. You should be able to get it for even less used.

I'd recommend that you sign up for price alerts here, as you never know how low these things may dip.

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12-17-2017, 10:04 PM - 1 Like   #10
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What format are you shooting? Lenses intended for 35mm film of 24x36mm sensors will not provide the full FOV and will likely not provide the obvious fisheye (circular) projection one might expect.

How do you like your fish? The most common fisheyes cover 180° on the diagonal axis of the frame. Also available are circular fisheyes that project a round image to the frame and offer a full 180° FOV in all directions.

What is your quality expectation? My Zenitar and Rokinon (Samyang) fisheyes are both capable of high detail capture (sharpness) with excellent contrast. The same is generally true with most name-brand lenses of recent manufacture, though the coatings of older lenses may not provide adequate flare resistance. At the low end of the quality spectrum are accessory lenses that attach to the filter threads on the front of another lens. They typically project a round image.


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12-17-2017, 11:24 PM - 1 Like   #11
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I have a "vintage" Spiratone Curvatar, complete with Series VII to 52mm adapter, that I used for years prior to purchasing my DA10-17mm lens. Used it with my Pentax ME Super with my M50 f/2 lens and later on my Kodak P880 digital. Actually, it's not a bad littlee accessory for what it is. Depending on the lens it's attached to, vignetting can be a bit heavy handed. Something I've been meaning to put it on the Marketplace. It definitely qualifies as a budget minded solution for fisheye photography.
12-18-2017, 12:29 AM - 1 Like   #12
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+1 on zenitar 16mm f.28, it's fullframe so you won't have to buy a new one when you upgrade to K1 kidding aside, the image quality is very good if you shoot around f4-f11, even though it's a f2.8 it's kinda soft at 2.8, the lens is very small and extremely well built (russian tank )
12-18-2017, 01:30 AM   #13
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I have a Pentax k-30 which I bought in October. (Moving up from a Fuji hs20 bridge). I have been collecting lenses and have generally paid between £20-£75. If my wife knew what I have spent she would go nuts but then she smokes and I don’t, so, I have a nice wide angle 24mm and would like a fish eye that gives me the distortion but didn’t realise just how expensive they are. This will be a fun lens rather than a regular use lens so didn’t really want it to be my most expensive to date, however that appears to be the way it is heading. Thanks for all the brilliant advice. The one in our marketplace is too much for me at the moment but once Christmas is out of the way....who knows
12-18-2017, 04:36 AM - 1 Like   #14
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If you are willing to use an M42 to K adapter you might be able to find a Pentax 17mm f4 in good condition. However beware. The focal length of a fish-eye makes a difference. An older 15~17mm fisheye will not have the same coverage as a modern 8mm fisheye, although you will get the characteristic distortion. The Rokinon/Samyang/Bower/Vivitar 8mm (or 7.5mm) is really an outstanding bargain. IQ is better than you'd expect or need.
12-18-2017, 05:50 AM - 1 Like   #15
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I got an m42 Zenitar for about £100 on the marketplace here on PF. As others have said, it's a well built and compact lens. Not the most fishy on APS-C, though. If you want really fishy images you need something wider. I'd think a Samyang/Rokinon/<insert rebrand name here> 8mm is the least expensive very wide option. Definitely fun to shoot, but IMO too wide for most situations. Also, I mostly leave it at home because of its bulk. But then I'm more than average fond of compact lenses.

I'm aware of your budgetary constraints, but I think the DA10-17 to be close to the ideal fisheye lens for APS-C, going from wiiide and fishy to wide and not-so-fishy. It's also more flare resistant than the two above.
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