[Jeff C]

Hey guys im thinking about getting a fish eye lens. Im not really sure what would be a good one to look for. Any suggestions on some good ones?

much appreciated

-Jeff C

[SpecialK]

How about the Pentax 10-17 FISHEYE?

[k100d]

the Pentax DA 10-17 is one of the best. take a look on flickr for samples from it and its tokina cousin
however that lens shows a huge purple fringe problem

if you don't want those lenses, there are a few alternatives
sigma has a few fishies, Zenitar 16mm, Pentax had a 16 and a 17mm, or the lamer 17-28mm fish as well

[Jeff C]

also note that i need it to fit onto my pentax me super i havnt researched the mounts on the ones you listed, ill do that now, but i just thought id say it

[stevebrot]

also note that i need it to fit onto my pentax me super i havnt researched the mounts on the ones you listed, ill do that now, but i just thought id say it

35mm? Then, by all means get a Zenitar 16/2.8 in Pentax K-mount! It will work in aperture priority or manual mode and performs on a par with lenses costing 2-3 times more. There is one on the marketplace as part of a package, but the seller may be willing to consider an offer. (If you are interested in purchasing that one, I would be able to confirm the condition since the seller is local to me.)

Link to Zenitar as part of package.

Steve

BTW...There are reviews for many of the options on site. Here is the review page for the Zenitar. (Am I a fanboy or what?)

[troyz]

also note that i need it to fit onto my pentax me super

I agree with Steve; The Zenitar K is easy to find, and quite good for the money (especially stopped down to f/4.0-f/5.6). You get a 180-degree diagonal fisheye on film, and a fishy-wide-angle on digital.

Other options in the 16mm range are:

Sigma 16/2.8 manual focus
Sigma 16/2.8 autofocus
Pentax K 17/4 (hard to find)
Pentax A 16/2.8 (impossible to find)
M42-mount Pentax 17/4 Fish-Eye Takumar (in Super and S-M-C versions) -- this is the very good looking lens shown in my avatar

If you ultimately decide you want to go fishier, you can always add on the DA 10-17 fisheye or an 8mm Sigma or Peleng.

EDIT: I just read your profile and realized that you're film-only: in this case forget about the DA10-17.

[troyz]

Forgot to mention: another advantage of the Zenitar is that it that you can make your own lens hood (for use on crop-sensor digital) out of a two-dollar flexible PVC pipe cap:

Attachment 19003

(pretend you saw this contraption attached to a K20D)

Please see the fisheye fever thread for details

---

Last edited by troyz; 09-20-2008 at 10:30 AM. Reason: attachment management

[PentaxPoke]

I agree with SpecialK and k100d. I just got the Pentax 10-17 and I love it. It is so versatile, and can double as a regular wide angle lens. The lens has minimal distortion at 17mm, and at that focal length, has roughly the same angle of view as a 14mm rectilinear.

[nixcamic]

The lens has minimal distortion at 17mm, and at that focal length, has roughly the same angle of view as a 14mm rectilinear.

I'd like to see some shots at 17mm, if anyone would be interested in posting them.

[beaumont]

I'd like to see some shots at 17mm, if anyone would be interested in posting them.

Did you check the Len Review section on this forum? It has reviews on the Pentax fisheye as well as a link on at least one of the reviews to some pictures...

[roentarre]

I'd like to see some shots at 17mm, if anyone would be interested in posting them.

This is taken at 17mm

[roentarre]

At 15mm

[roentarre]

if you select your scene carefully, you can get the illusion of no distorsion.

at 17mm

[K200D]

The Pentax 10-17mm fisheye is a pentax lens that all pentaxians should have in their arsenal!

[k100d]

if you want to go for the extreme fish eye effect, there's the Peleng 8mm