[Just1MoreDave]

PentaxForums.com Marketplace Listing

Item for Sale
Sigma 16mm f2.6 Fisheye, KA mount

Asking Price
$125 USD

Item Location
Aurora, CO (United States)

Item Description

(taken for fun with the DA 10-17 fisheye zoom at 10mm.)

This is an older Sigma fisheye lens with a 180 degree diagonal field of view on film. I've had it for about three years now. I got it because it has the A position on the aperture ring, and the Zenitar fisheye I had didn't. I didn't know a lot else about it. It's better than the Zenitar in many ways: it's sharper, it has better coatings, it focuses much closer (0.15m vs 0.3m), and it's built better, even with the issues I mention below. The field of view is the same, so it's very fishy on film, milder on APS-C, and can be defished for a more rectilinear shot with a wide field of view.

It has three problems:

1. It overexposes unless it's wide open (f2.8). The overexposure is about 0.66 stop at f4, 1.33 stops at f5.6, 1.66 stops at f8 and f11, 1.33 at f16 and f22. That's using the DA 10-17 at 16mm and f4 as a metering standard. The overexposure is the same whether using the A position or the aperture ring. I adapted to it quickly. It had a Ricoh pin and I removed it.

2. It has some slop in the focus ring. I guess backlash is the correct term. If you focus one way, then start to turn the ring the other way, the ring turns about 1/8" before it changes focus again. I adapted to this too. Focus is smooth throughout the range. (Both these problems appear to be mechanical but I have partly disassembled the lens and not found any mechanical issue. Because the lens still works, I gave up and put it back together.)

3. I bought it without a cap. I fixed this problem by borrowing a tip from a Zenitar user that lost his cap. I screwed together 3 67mm filters and slid them over the outer edge of the front, then used a 67mm cap. It acts as a short hood too. It doesn't show in the frame on a DSLR, but on film, just slide it off.

I usually put this lens in my travel kit and used it often. I liked the less extreme fisheye view because it's easy to defish or disguise the effect - just center the horizon and sometimes the distortion looks natural. The extra sharpness over the Zenitar helps with defishing. The flare and contrast performance is very good, which helps because inevitably, the sun or a bright highlight is in the frame. You can even use it as a low light lens: 1/10 sec. or less at f2.8 is easy to handhold. I remember reviewing this lens too, so check there and see if I contradicted myself.

Here is a photo album of the lens itself and some examples. The lens separates in the center and has an internal 22.5mm filter, so I showed that and my hood/cap. The rainbow was taken with a K-7, the dog with a *ist DS. The fire engine was taken on film (P3n).

The aperture blades are snappy and oil-free. The glass is unscratched and has no haze or fungus. The lens comes with the 67mm filter rings and 67mm cap I described, plus a generic rear cap.

I can ship wihin 24 hours of payment except maybe for weekends, holidays and more than a foot of snow. I'm pretty available for questions and international shipping quotes. The price is exactly what I paid for it. I cover Paypal fees.

Are you the original owner of the item being sold?
No

Are you selling or trading this item?
Selling

Item Condition (Key)
Used
Good

Shipping Destinations
Worldwide

Shipping Charge
$9 US, $22 Canada, about $32 worldwide

Shipping Services
US Postal Service

Accepted Payment Types
PayPal

Return Policy & Additional Details
Exact worldwide shipping quotes given on request

Please send me a private message if interested in the item!

[Raybo]

Does it come with the screw-on filters?

[Just1MoreDave]

Just the clear one that is on the lens.