[johnmflores]

I've been using the 03 Fisheye quite successfully for POV motorcycle shots, but every once in a while I'm miss focus and have to throw away a whole sequence of shots. I've been eyeing the 08 Wide Zoom for a number of reasons including its ability to AF. Does anyone have both? Care to comment on IQ, FOV, and distortion?

Thanks!

[Marktax]

Where else can you get 18mm eq. rectilinear in such a small package? The 08 is indispensible in the Q-system, IMHO.

[semaca]

I was wondering if you can use a fisheye made for video cameras on Pentax Q or on some M 4/3. For some Beastie Boys style videos

[narual]

There's a guy on the forum who makes these really nifty little focus keepers for the fisheye. I got one a few weeks ago. It's nice - once you tape it on with a little double sided tape, it has a little ridge that pokes into the ridges of the lens, so they click when you focus, and makes it much less likely to change focus without your active participation in the matter.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/136-pentax-q/246173-03-lens-focus-lock-helper.html

[someone902]

There's a guy on the forum who makes these really nifty little focus keepers for the fisheye. I got one a few weeks ago. It's nice - once you tape it on with a little double sided tape, it has a little ridge that pokes into the ridges of the lens, so they click when you focus, and makes it much less likely to change focus without your active participation in the matter.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/136-pentax-q/246173-03-lens-focus-lock-helper.html

I have one of these and it makes focusing on the 03 a non issue anymore.

I also have the 08 but haven't found much use for it for now. You can probably look up reviews on it and from what I have read before it's a great lens to use. Fairly expensive though.

[johnmflores]

There's a guy on the forum who makes these really nifty little focus keepers for the fisheye. I got one a few weeks ago. It's nice - once you tape it on with a little double sided tape, it has a little ridge that pokes into the ridges of the lens, so they click when you focus, and makes it much less likely to change focus without your active participation in the matter.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/136-pentax-q/246173-03-lens-focus-lock-helper.html

Yup, I saw that. I currently use a rubber band which works well. My issue is that I need to estimate focus, then put the camera on my back and hope that my estimate was good:


Escape route from the cold by john m flores, on Flickr

I've been doing this long enough now that I'm right 80% of the time, which is often good enough. But it stinks when part of that 20% is a shot that I really wanted and have to either do again or do without. The AF of the 08 will help me in this case. I'm just wondering how its FOV, flare resistance, etc compares.

[CarlG]

I am very happy with my 08. Together with the 06, it turns the Q into a very good camera. I seldom use the FE anymore.

There' a few (perhaps surprisingly few) 08 pictures at the PPG.

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Last edited by CarlG; 04-09-2015 at 09:55 AM. Reason: Added the link

[narual]

Are you going to be happy going from a 160 degree field of view to a 102 degree field of view? That's a pretty substantial drop, especially when it's going to be mounted so close to your head.

This isn't with a Q, and these are much wider than you can get on a Q, but it shows the kind of difference you'd see with a fisheye vs ultra wide

[someone902]

I
There' a few (perhaps surprisingly few) 08 pictures at the PPG.

Probably because it's a very pricey lens hahaha

[jethro10]

Probably because it's a very pricey lens hahaha

Although it's an expensive Q lens, is it actually expensive for a super wide zoom of similar quality?
J

[narual]

Although it's an expensive Q lens, is it actually expensive for a super wide zoom of similar quality?
J

Costs more than the much wider sigma 10-20mm for K mount. Less than the Pentax 12-24.

[johnmflores]

Are you going to be happy going from a 160 degree field of view to a 102 degree field of view? That's a pretty substantial drop, especially when it's going to be mounted so close to your head.

Maybe. If you look at the photo above you'll see that I have a lot of extra room up top and some down below. The 08 would give me a much tighter composition. Not necessarily better, but different for sure. With shots like this, for example, I'm really taking advantage of the fishiness of the 03:


Somewhere in Canada... by john m flores, on Flickr

But I might be trading one problem for another, as the wide FOV of the 03 gives my some latitude for error when composing the shot. With the 08 I will likely have to be more precise in my composition, which is tough because I guesstimate the composition before mounting the camera. That said, they are such small lenses that if I buy the 08 I will likely bring both along.

[pacerr]

I like your thinkin' and your images..

Although we have different uses, and I have the 03, I believe both lenses will have their unique place and I'm lookin' forward to acquiring the 08 myself.

[jethro10]

Costs more than the much wider sigma 10-20mm for K mount. Less than the Pentax 12-24.

Ah, I see. Mind the Nikon 1 equivalent is closer in size and is quite a lot more expensive. I wonder is making it smaller is cheaper or more expensive?

[Sandy Hancock]

The 08 is a much easier lens to use, but the 03 is *ridiculously* wide.
Both is the sensible option.