lens questions

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

I want a fisheye, micro/macro, and a better zoom.
I wanna sell my 18-55mm zoom and get maybe an 18-200mm telephoto zoom. But I've heard that you get best quality out two different zoom lengths instead of one big one.
Also, I want a fisheye but can't decide between a 10.5mm Nikkor or a 10mm Sigma. I've been told the Nikkor is better but I do not know why. I know that since I have a Nikon D40 the Nikkor will not autofocus on it because of the AF-S, but the Sigma will cause it has an autofocus motor on the inside. If the Nikkor is better I would get that because in the future it would be able to autofocus on that camera and I could just deal with manual until then. But if the Sigma is better I have no problem.
And I know absolutely nothing about micro/macro lenses so I don't know what to save up for. I guess I want the best... haha.
Thanks.

icassell · Jul 14, 2008

Just curious ... Are you sure you want a fisheye rather than an ultrawide (like the Sigma 10-20)? Alot of folks I know got bored with the fisheye and they are expensive. Then again, some really like it.

Here's a 10-20 gallery if you're interested : http://www.10-20mm.com/

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

Wow, that looks really nice.. I don't know. Let me get this straight, that gives the same effect as a fisheye and zooms. I can't tell.

icassell · Jul 14, 2008

It gives an ultrawide angle view and very deep depth of view without that 'fisheye' effect. It is a zoom, so it goes from ultrawide (10mm) to moderately wide (20mm). Personally, I find it more useable than a fisheye. Canon makes one (10-22mm) and I'm sure Nikon makes one too if you don't want the Sigma (but I love my Sigma).

I have found that photosig.com is a great place to compare lenses

http://www.photosig.com/go/photos/browsecategories?typeId=7

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

I skateboard take pictures of it. Would an ultra-wide lens give this sort of effect?

Easy_Target · Jul 14, 2008

I think that might be fisheye, rather than ultra wide.

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

Yeah I know that it is. I just cannot tell the difference between the two.

Bifurcator · Jul 14, 2008

I thought the only difference was that one was really curvy and the other attempted correction. Fish-eye being the curvy one. But I think "technically" speaking a fish-eye is any lens that gives you 180 degree field of view. It's just that everyone misuses the term.

EDIT: Here's some more: http://www.yourdictionary.com/fisheye-lens and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisheye_lens

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

Bifurcator said:
I thought the only difference was that one was really curvy and the other attempted correction. Fish-eye being the curvy one.

So, ultra wide has the same effect as fisheye but distorts it less?

Bifurcator · Jul 14, 2008

As the common usage (or misusage

) seems to go I would say that's correct. But since it probably is actually a misusage people will use the term differently for some idea they have of what fisheye is - or "means to them". I guess the confusion comes from the two terms "Fisheye lens" and "Fisheye effect". <shrug>

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

Bifurcator said:
As the common usage (or misusage ) seems to go I would say that's correct. But since it probably is actually a misusage people will use the term differently for some idea they have of what fisheye is - or "means to them". I guess the confusion comes from the two terms "Fisheye lens" and "Fisheye effect". <shrug>

Fisheye lenses are typically the most used lenses in skateboarding but I really liked the ultra wide lenses pictures too. So now I really don't know what to save for.

Bifurcator · Jul 14, 2008

Well, go for what you like. That's the important bit. Don't worry about what it's called. One thing to keep in mind is that you can add curves to an image more easily than you can remove them. So if you have a flatter (more corrected) lens you can always add the curves if you want later. (you can remove them too though - just to keep you as confused as possible

)

Curves added (left) to a nearly perfectly flat image (right).

iknowdatalfabat · Jul 14, 2008

hmmm, then I really don't know. How about someone tells me what to do with my zoom situation. Or my micro situation. I'm just all around confused and I don't really want a million different lenses.

icassell · Jul 14, 2008

My suggestion is to rent one of each and try it out. Most big camera shops rent lenses and there are several on-line places as well. Your skateboard pic is done with a fisheye, but you can simulate that with photoshop. I think you'd find more use for the UWA, but I can't be in your shoes. Renting is a great alternative.