Pentax MX and Peleng 8mm Fisheye?

Nando · 01-23-2007, 12:16 PM

Hello everybody,

This is my first post on these forums but I've been a lurker for a while now. Great resource!

I was wondering if anybody here would know if the Belorussian Peleng 8mm/f3.5 fisheye works on the compact M-series SLR's. I have a Pentax MX.

The Peleng has an M42 mount so it will mount to my MX with a M42-K adapter. Most of the information I've found on the Peleng comes from the Canon/Nikon crowd and I've been made aware that the Peleng is not compatible with a number of SLRs (mainly Nikons) because its rear element protrudes too far into and the mirror will hit it when the shutter button is pressed.

Any feedback would be appreciated. I just don't want to spend $250-350 on a lens that I won't be able to use.

Thanks.

Alvin · 01-24-2007, 10:22 PM

Sorry Nando - I've never heard of this lens. Do you have any pictures of this lens?

roentarre · 01-24-2007, 10:45 PM

I read about this lens a few times in DPR. It is quite a good lens and I think it is a rebatched lens from a Russian company.

It is often sold about 200-300 US dollars and they often come up on ebay.

The main criticism about this lens is the light falling off at corners wide open and stopping down to f8 will resolve the issue. Hence this lens becomes a bit too dark to use.

The build is alright, the lens is prone to flare. And I think canon crowd is more keen on Sigma FE 8mm f4 instead of Peleng whose images are too "spherical" in my opinions.

A bit of search in pbase will give you some examples

Cheers

Nando · 01-25-2007, 06:14 AM

Here are a few links:

8mm peleng lens :: muellerworld

Experiences with the Peleng 3.5/8 mm Fisheye

Quality control is pretty bad at the Belomo factory but the price is cheap.

I've been impressed with the photos on thelightregistry.com which were probably taken with an 8mm fisheye and a slight circular crop perhaps. I want to see if I could make the same sort of images with my Pentax mated with a Peleng.

Nando · 02-08-2007, 04:45 PM

I found a website called Pinky Pentax where it is stated that the Peleng protrudes 8.5mm into the body from bayonet flange when set at infinity.

Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye

Using the 'MX Flick' trick, I locked up the mirror and measured from the top of the mirror to the top of the bayonet flange. It is 8mm. Now when the mirror is released it does swing down at an angle, of course, and eventually settles at 19mm from the bayonet flange. I did some quick trigonometry and I think that the mirror will just miss hitting the rear element of the lens by 3-4 millimetres. If I knew the diameter of the rear element, I would have been able to come up with a more accurate solution. From photos, I guessimated that it was about the same diameter of the rear element on my SMC 28/f2.8 so I used that in my calculations.

What do you guys think? Should I take the risk?

Alvin · 02-08-2007, 09:28 PM

Did a google and found this.

The Peleng 8mm Lens

Looking at the pics there, that rear element is just way too far for me to give it a go, even though the website says it's doable. Need a bit more time to do more searching.

Nando · 02-08-2007, 09:56 PM

Thanks for the website, Alvin. After seeing the following photo, I don't think that my previous calculations will work. I assumed only the rear element would move but it looks like that big black barrel surrounding it will move. If the mirror misses it, the mirror will probably miss it just by a hair.

Last edited by Nando; 02-08-2007 at 10:20 PM.

Alvin · 02-08-2007, 10:18 PM

Nando,

My guess is that it's focussed to infinity at the point where the barrel is right now. Bet you can focus up to a certain point before infinity though.

Still trying to dig up info.

Nando · 02-10-2007, 10:26 AM

One option that I can consider is using the lens without focusing to infinity. The depth of field on this lens is extremely immense and I can probably get away that.

I think I might hold off on the Peleng 8mm for a little while. Another piece of gear for about the same price is tickling my fancy at the moment.

Nando · 02-10-2007, 04:12 PM

Well, due to my complete lack of will power, I've succumbed to GAS and I'm currently in negotiations with a Russian seller for one. I'm trying to plead my case to see if I can return the lens if it doesn't work or settle on a lower price.

Nando · 03-07-2007, 05:44 PM

Well today the Peleng 8mm/3,5 Fisheye arrived from Belorus.

I ordered the lens from East Wave Products that is based in Ottawa but the lens is sent from Belorus. I ordered mine in Pentax K mount. No adaptors necessary.

Ok, enough with the chit-chat. I know what everyone wants to hear.

The Peleng 8/3,5 Fisheye works perfectly with a Pentax MX

At infinity, the mirror does come close to the rear element but there is more clearance than I anticipated.

Also, many articles on the internet state that the front cap pops off easily. Perhaps the manufacturer made some improvements since those articles were written. Mine front cap stays in place. The lens is solid and heavy and everything is smooth. I did find a little flex in the k-mount. Perhaps tightening the three screws holding the mount in place will fix that. Overall this lens is a really sweet piece of glass.

I can't wait to use this lens. Thanks for the help guys.

Alvin · 03-07-2007, 08:13 PM

Nando, make sure to post up some shots! I'd like to see what the Peleng can do!

Nando · 04-01-2007, 03:43 PM

Ok... here's the first one. I admit that I may have gone a bit overboard with Photoshopping but I like it.

01-23-2007, 12:16 PM	#1
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82	Pentax MX and Peleng 8mm Fisheye? Hello everybody, This is my first post on these forums but I've been a lurker for a while now. Great resource! I was wondering if anybody here would know if the Belorussian Peleng 8mm/f3.5 fisheye works on the compact M-series SLR's. I have a Pentax MX. The Peleng has an M42 mount so it will mount to my MX with a M42-K adapter. Most of the information I've found on the Peleng comes from the Canon/Nikon crowd and I've been made aware that the Peleng is not compatible with a number of SLRs (mainly Nikons) because its rear element protrudes too far into and the mirror will hit it when the shutter button is pressed. Any feedback would be appreciated. I just don't want to spend $250-350 on a lens that I won't be able to use. Thanks.

02-08-2007, 04:45 PM	#5
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	I found a website called Pinky Pentax where it is stated that the Peleng protrudes 8.5mm into the body from bayonet flange when set at infinity. Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Using the 'MX Flick' trick, I locked up the mirror and measured from the top of the mirror to the top of the bayonet flange. It is 8mm. Now when the mirror is released it does swing down at an angle, of course, and eventually settles at 19mm from the bayonet flange. I did some quick trigonometry and I think that the mirror will just miss hitting the rear element of the lens by 3-4 millimetres. If I knew the diameter of the rear element, I would have been able to come up with a more accurate solution. From photos, I guessimated that it was about the same diameter of the rear element on my SMC 28/f2.8 so I used that in my calculations. What do you guys think? Should I take the risk? Last edited by Nando; 02-08-2007 at 04:59 PM.

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01-24-2007, 10:22 PM	#2
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Sorry Nando - I've never heard of this lens. Do you have any pictures of this lens?

01-24-2007, 10:45 PM	#3
roentarre Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 11,783	I read about this lens a few times in DPR. It is quite a good lens and I think it is a rebatched lens from a Russian company. It is often sold about 200-300 US dollars and they often come up on ebay. The main criticism about this lens is the light falling off at corners wide open and stopping down to f8 will resolve the issue. Hence this lens becomes a bit too dark to use. The build is alright, the lens is prone to flare. And I think canon crowd is more keen on Sigma FE 8mm f4 instead of Peleng whose images are too "spherical" in my opinions. A bit of search in pbase will give you some examples Cheers

01-25-2007, 06:14 AM	#4
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	Here are a few links: 8mm peleng lens :: muellerworld Experiences with the Peleng 3.5/8 mm Fisheye Quality control is pretty bad at the Belomo factory but the price is cheap. I've been impressed with the photos on thelightregistry.com which were probably taken with an 8mm fisheye and a slight circular crop perhaps. I want to see if I could make the same sort of images with my Pentax mated with a Peleng.

02-08-2007, 09:28 PM	#6
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Did a google and found this. The Peleng 8mm Lens Looking at the pics there, that rear element is just way too far for me to give it a go, even though the website says it's doable. Need a bit more time to do more searching.

02-08-2007, 09:56 PM	#7
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	Thanks for the website, Alvin. After seeing the following photo, I don't think that my previous calculations will work. I assumed only the rear element would move but it looks like that big black barrel surrounding it will move. If the mirror misses it, the mirror will probably miss it just by a hair. Last edited by Nando; 02-08-2007 at 10:20 PM.

02-08-2007, 10:18 PM	#8
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Nando, My guess is that it's focussed to infinity at the point where the barrel is right now. Bet you can focus up to a certain point before infinity though. Still trying to dig up info.

02-10-2007, 10:26 AM	#9
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	One option that I can consider is using the lens without focusing to infinity. The depth of field on this lens is extremely immense and I can probably get away that. I think I might hold off on the Peleng 8mm for a little while. Another piece of gear for about the same price is tickling my fancy at the moment.

02-10-2007, 04:12 PM	#10
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	Well, due to my complete lack of will power, I've succumbed to GAS and I'm currently in negotiations with a Russian seller for one. I'm trying to plead my case to see if I can return the lens if it doesn't work or settle on a lower price.

03-07-2007, 05:44 PM	#11
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	Well today the Peleng 8mm/3,5 Fisheye arrived from Belorus. I ordered the lens from East Wave Products that is based in Ottawa but the lens is sent from Belorus. I ordered mine in Pentax K mount. No adaptors necessary. Ok, enough with the chit-chat. I know what everyone wants to hear. The Peleng 8/3,5 Fisheye works perfectly with a Pentax MX At infinity, the mirror does come close to the rear element but there is more clearance than I anticipated. Also, many articles on the internet state that the front cap pops off easily. Perhaps the manufacturer made some improvements since those articles were written. Mine front cap stays in place. The lens is solid and heavy and everything is smooth. I did find a little flex in the k-mount. Perhaps tightening the three screws holding the mount in place will fix that. Overall this lens is a really sweet piece of glass. I can't wait to use this lens. Thanks for the help guys.

03-07-2007, 08:13 PM	#12
Alvin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,517	Nando, make sure to post up some shots! I'd like to see what the Peleng can do!

04-01-2007, 03:43 PM	#13
Nando Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Canada & Coimbra, Portugal Posts: 82 Original Poster	Ok... here's the first one. I admit that I may have gone a bit overboard with Photoshopping but I like it.