[zoolander]

In the next couple of weeks I'll be buying a fisheye lens. I've been researching these two lenses, and its hard to make a decision because there seems to be contradictory information online about their sharpness.

On Pentax forums, one reviewer has the Sigma 10mm being sharper side by side. But I go to lenstip and the Sigma 10mm is not as sharp as the Tokina 10-17mm - perhaps that was due to the camera the 10mm was tested on.

Ephotozine has the Pentax 10-17mm slightly sharper than the Sigma 10mm.

Looking on the Flickr groups, the 10mm appears to be sharper, but I only look there to see if the reviews concur with peoples results. So I'm leaning to the Sigma 10mm for now.

So these two lenses seem to be the best fisheye lenses for crop sensors, and I'm having a tough time deciding. I want to explore fishey photography, and I'm going out to the Australian desert and I want to capture the Milky way far from the light pollution of the city.

[AquaDome]

I love the look from the Sigma 10mm, but I chose the Pentax for focal range and price.

[DSims]

The value of variable Fisheye distortion with the 10-17 should not be underestimated. It's images have a sharp appearance and the colors are some of the nicest you can get. Technically, if you look really close, it may not be as sharp as most non-fisheye lenses - but it gives the overall impression that it is, which matters more, IMO.

---------- Post added 04-17-14 at 05:59 PM ----------

Traditionally, people choose the Samyangs (like the 14/2.8) for astro photography, though the brand new 10/2.8 looks the most interesting for me (but I have non-Astro needs). Consider also the Pentax GPS add-on because it compensates for the movement of the earth.

[Kozlok]

I love the 10-17. Such a versatile lens, and it renders beautifully. You can get fishy shots:



and not so fishy...

[Sandy Hancock]

I'm with Kozlok. the DA10-17 is like having a fisheye and a (slightly inferior) DA15 in one lens. It's also surprisingly small and incredibly close focussing. Did I mention sharp?

[EricBrown]

I'm very happy with the Pentax 10-17. I think it is very sharp and the colors are very rich.

[jrpower10]

+1 for the 10-17. Love mine.

[lesmore49]

I think there's little choice. The Sigma is a prime fisheye...it's always a fisheye.

The Pentax 10-17 mm being a zoom has much more versatility ...IMHO.

I have the Pentax and it goes from extreme distortion (10mm) to if you play the angles right at 17mm...it's almost a super wide angle. But you have to know how to hold it...as Kenny Rogers once said.

[lytrytyr]

the DA10-17 is like having a fisheye and a (slightly inferior) DA15 in one lens. It's also surprisingly small and incredibly close focussing.

Both the 10-17 and the Sigma focus down to 14cm.

The 03 on the Q does better: 9cm. Here's a sample of what it can deliver:

[manacho2005]

Have you considered the samyang/rokinon 8mm? I have the Rokinon with removable hood...shaarrrrp. AF is not necessary with the hyperfocal distances of a fisheye, and since you mention shooting the night sky, AF won't even come into play. The price is also very nice.

[zoolander]

The value of variable Fisheye distortion with the 10-17 should not be underestimated. It's images have a sharp appearance and the colors are some of the nicest you can get. Technically, if you look really close, it may not be as sharp as most non-fisheye lenses - but it gives the overall impression that it is, which matters more, IMO.

---------- Post added 04-17-14 at 05:59 PM ----------

Traditionally, people choose the Samyangs (like the 14/2.8) for astro photography, though the brand new 10/2.8 looks the most interesting for me (but I have non-Astro needs). Consider also the Pentax GPS add-on because it compensates for the movement of the earth.

Thanks ! I'll consider getting the GPS add-on. But I have a feeling something was going on on my K-5 one night when I was shooting the stars and an airliner flew into the shot with lights on and the sensor tilted so I had star trails all over the place !

---------- Post added 04-18-14 at 07:43 PM ----------

Thanks to everybody so far, those are some stunning shots, and you are all making a compelling case for the 10-17 with the advantage of it being a zoom.

I also had a concern about CA's at the corners - any thoughts ?

I'm also hoping that a Sigma 10mm owner might also make their case - anybody ?!

---------- Post added 04-18-14 at 07:52 PM ----------

Have you considered the samyang/rokinon 8mm? I have the Rokinon with removable hood...shaarrrrp. AF is not necessary with the hyperfocal distances of a fisheye, and since you mention shooting the night sky, AF won't even come into play. The price is also very nice.

Thanks for your input manacho, but I saw a review on Pentax forums where a guy who owns the Rokinon and Pentax 10-17, and the 10-17 appears to be better. I'm not after another non-AF lens. I'm after THE sharpest fisheye designed for crop sensor - I'm committed to crop sensor and not full frame.

Samyang 8mm F3.5 Fisheye CS Lens Reviews - Samyang Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

[Just1MoreDave]

Thanks to everybody so far, those are some stunning shots, and you are all making a compelling case for the 10-17 with the advantage of it being a zoom.

That's one reason I bought it. Another is size - the DA is small enough to bring along with other lenses, just in case. The Rokinon is just big enough to not make the cut.

I also had a concern about CA's at the corners - any thoughts ?

Don't worry, the DA 10-17 is awesome at this! It is more apparent because of the type of photos you'd take with a FE include perfect conditions for it. Lens correction software helps of course, but that may affect the sharpness you end up with, which you want. That might tip you back into Sigma.

[reeftool]

My DA 10-17 is one of my favorite lenses.

I always have a lot of fun with this lens. I never even try to "correct" the fisheye effect but prefer to use it for a different view of the world.

[schnitzer79]

i believe the sigma 10mm is 1.5-2 times more expensive than the pentax 10-17. if you are between those 2 i'd go with the pentax not only for the price but for its versatility. The sigma might be faster focusing but IQ difference is insignificant between the two. I was in the same boat as you but funds were limited and ended up with the samyang 8mm not too long ago. you also have that option if you want something cheaper. its a great lens in my opinion. heres some of my shots i took recently :

[cxdoo]

That Curium photo came out really nice, considering the difficulty of the location. I'd say CP and a windy day are a must (to get rid of glare and dust/mist). Also, the dynamic range and saturation are great; was there much PP (or HDR) involved?