Does anyone own a Tokina 10-17 Fisheye Lens?

zeckdude · Nov 12, 2007

Hello all,

Does anyone here own the Tokina 10-17 Fisheye-Wide Angle lens? I really like some of the creative effects you can do with the square fisheye image, but I also like how you still have wide angle capabilities. I'm looking for a wide angle lens, but I really how the Tokina combines fisheye capability as well as a wide angle capability.

Does the Tokina truly have BOTH fisheye and wide angle capabilities? How do you think it measures up against the Canon 10-22, which is what I'm comparing it to? Am I going to get annoyed by the Tokina lens? Should I just buy a Wide Ange and Fisheye lens separately?

Here's pics created from either camera that I found:

Tokina 10-17 Pics

Canon 10-22 Pics

I really hope you can answer my questions. Thanks!

-Chris

Don Simon · Nov 12, 2007

Hi,

I'll refer you to a review of the lens (in Nikon mount) on Photozone...
and note that it ends...
"Typical for fisheye lenses it's a hell of a fun to use but remember that this is not a mainstream lens like conventional (corrected) ultra-wide lenses."
That's the thing to remember. It's a fisheye lens, not a regular (rectilinear) wide-angle. Similarly the Canon 10-20mm is a rectilinear ultrawide zoom, not a fisheye. They are very different lenses.
As the reviewer mentions, it is possible to turn an image from a fisheye into a corrected "normal"-looking image using software. But it has to be done with software; the lens itself doesn't have the ability to stop being a fisheye.

So I think you would get annoyed with the Tokina if you don't want to shoot lots of images with a fisheye lens. If you do want to shoot lots of images with a fisheye, then it appears to be a very good choice. But yes, if you want a rectilinear wide-angle lens and a fisheye lens, then you should buy a rectilinear wide-angle and a fisheye, because you won't find a lens which is both