[LMRacing]

Im looking at buying a pair of lenses and Im not sure if I should just go ahead and do it or hold off.

First my Sears 135mm is my FAVOURITE film lens, I know that 85mm is aproximately the digital equivilant so I have been looking for a lens at this focal length. I also have a lust for a fish eye lens for some of the more panoramic photographs I take.


This being said I've been looking at buying two lenses with my tax return this year. The photography got me a good portion of this money and Id like to put a little bit of money back into it.

First the bower 85mm 1.4 portrait lens
Seems like a decent deal for a fast lens. The optics may not be up to par, but if I'm happy with the optical quality of a 135mm sears branded lens thats 20 years old, I dont think I should be too dissapointed with this lens.

Secondly

Bower 8mm 3.5 fish eye
OR
Rokinon 8mm 3.5 Fish Eye

Now These appear to be the same lens with a different tag and a different price so Im temped to go for the $50 cheaper lens since this lens would be more of a toy for me than anything else. I also know thought that the Rokinon has just about a 0 resale value if I decide I dont use it enough to justify keeping it around. So does anyone have some insight? I do a lot of animal photography and the 135 focal length on the film camera always works out perfectly for me and I just dont have a digital lens that can fit the bill. I dont like using zooms when I dont have to, the primes just seem to have a softer feel to them, of course that could just be me. I also like shooting with a lens wide open which is hard to do with a zoom and have the shot come out right unless your at the far end of the focal length.

If you think Im nuts just let me know, I may not jump on the 8mm but Im pretty sure Im going to find an 85mm somewhere to buy. I do have cash and if anybody has a used one they'd be willing to part with of better quality around the same price point Im more than open to suggestion. I do like how fast this lens is though. The F1.4 is a big selling point on me right now

[Marc Sabatella]

These lenses are made by Samyang and sold under lots of different names, inc;uding Bower, Rokinon, Vivitar, and probably other. Browse/search this forum and you'll find lots of discussion of the 85 (which people basically seem to like). Haven't seen discussion of the fisheye; didn't even realize it was available yet.

[jeffrey r]

Here is some discussion on the 8mm Fisheye lens.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/63836-samyang-...heye-lens.html

I ordered my Rokinon 8mm fisheye from Overstock a little while back, and it is a fun lens. I haven't had a chance to use it all that much due to the winter weather, but its optics seem quite good. Samyang, Rokinon, Bower, Opteka, etc. are all the same exact lens. I would buy whichever one is cheapest, which is what I did.

Note that this fisheye lens (all versions of it) has the "A" contact, allowing full automatic metering with the Pentax DSLRs (as opposed to the fully manual Zenitar 16mm fisheye for example). It is still a MF lens, but due to its focal length and crazy DOF, it operates almost like an AF lens. It's a good value if you are in the market for a fisheye, and don't want to shell out for the Pentax DA 10-17mm.

[LMRacing]

Here is some discussion on the 8mm Fisheye lens.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/63836-samyang-...heye-lens.html

I ordered my Rokinon 8mm fisheye from Overstock a little while back, and it is a fun lens. I haven't had a chance to use it all that much due to the winter weather, but its optics seem quite good. Samyang, Rokinon, Bower, Opteka, etc. are all the same exact lens. I would buy whichever one is cheapest, which is what I did.

Note that this fisheye lens (all versions of it) has the "A" contact, allowing full automatic metering with the Pentax DSLRs (as opposed to the fully manual Zenitar 16mm fisheye for example). It is still a MF lens, but due to its focal length and crazy DOF, it operates almost like an AF lens. It's a good value if you are in the market for a fisheye, and don't want to shell out for the Pentax DA 10-17mm.

Thank you both Very much. Just knowing who acctualy makes it to know what to search for helps me leaps and bounds

[Lowell Goudge]

I have had the vivitar variant of the 85 mm F1.4, which is the only variane that has different appearance, focusing collar etc, all others are identical with the exception to name printed on the label.

The vivitar seems to be quite sharp, even wide open, and I have found this a great lens to use.

I am thinking about the fisheye also, but just thinking for the moment

[LMRacing]

went ahead and orderd a set of the Rokinon Lenses. Thanks all