Fisheye Lens

RedSoxGrl · Apr 11, 2008

Hey all! I have been into photography for a couple of years now, I have been wanting to get a fisheye lens for my Nikon D40 camera. I looked at them online, and realized they were very expensive lenses.

I would like to know if there is any information any of you could give me to help me find out where I could possible get any used one or ANYTHING!!!

Thanks :mrgreen:

Trevor Weaver · Apr 11, 2008

Have you tried ebay/craigslist? Thats where I get all of my lenes, you're going to take a risk though because they're usually used, and they might have problems.

deudeu · Apr 11, 2008

Check out the zenitar 16mm fisheye. It's not going to give you very much of the fisheye look on a small sensor, but it seams to be quite sharp from f4 and it is quite CHEAP...

chrisburke · Apr 11, 2008

i use a D40 as well.. I do a lot of skateboard photography.. I to didn't want to pay the big bucks for a fisheye, so i just got one of these http://cgi.ebay.ca/WIDE-ANGLE-FISHE...yZ106863QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

it works really well (sample image)

it just screws onto the end of my 18-55mm lens and it really does do a great job

LateModelSedan · Apr 12, 2008

no offense to you chris but this clearly looks like a case of you get what you pay for. has anyone else had any experience with these cheap add-on fisheye lenses? are they worth buying at all?

RebelTasha · Apr 12, 2008

Chris did you crop out the usual outline on that shot or is there away of zooming through it?

no offense to you chris but this clearly looks like a case of you get what you pay for. has anyone else had any experience with these cheap add-on fisheye lenses? are they worth buying at all?

At $40 I doubt anyone would take this lens too seriously but they sure make a fun toy to play around with, the shots that I have seen definitely are worth the $40 IMO.

I would really like to save up for the cheaper Zenitar one myself they are only like $160 or under...but I also like the fact that you don't need to bring a ton of lenses with you if you are just taking casual shots because with an adapter you will already have a regular lens on your camera.

However there are some AMAZING fisheye lenses out there that can give beautiful shots I would really love one that's for sure if you are going to be taking pictures at weddings and the like I would definitely not recommend an adapter and spend the money and get something really worthwhile.

pm63 · Apr 12, 2008

chrisburke said:
(sample image)

it just screws onto the end of my 18-55mm lens and it really does do a great job

Wheres the fish?

LateModelSedan · Apr 12, 2008

pm63 said:
Wheres the fish?

my point exactly !!

RebelTasha · Apr 12, 2008

I think the fish may have been cropped out, all the pictures I have seen using add on adapters have a huge black ring around the parameter...
There are different adapters too some aren't very fishy 0.45 some are better 0.22.

Here's an example and review of the 0.42 fisheye adapter

http://www.camerahobby.com/Access-LensAccessories.htm

JerryPH · Apr 12, 2008

Thats not a fisheye, thats just an extension to make it a little wider.

Not sure what the appeal of a fisheye lens is in the first place. It is a 600-1500 dollar investment that you use MAYBE 2 times a year, take 100 pics of and end up using 1-2 of those.

Of all lenses, that one to me has the LEAST useability.

Now an ultra-wide angle, THAT is something that one can use often and in many different ways, and even has some "fishy" in it... lol

deudeu · Apr 12, 2008

JerryPH said:
Thats not a fisheye, thats just an extension to make it a little wider.

Not sure what the appeal of a fisheye lens is in the first place. It is a 600-1500 dollar investment that you use MAYBE 2 times a year, take 100 pics of and end up using 1-2 of those.

Of all lenses, that one to me has the LEAST useability.

Now an ultra-wide angle, THAT is something that one can use often and in many different ways, and even has some "fishy" in it... lol

It all depends on what kind of pictures you want to take. All the people that take pictures of people playing extreme sports (skateboard, rollerblade, BMX, Mountain bike....) are using those all the time. Most of the people shooting some of what i will call urban arts (graffiti, breakdancing and the likes) can also get quite some use out of a fisheye.
Finally, indoor shots. This is where a fisheye really gets handy IMO. Especially when there are some people involved, i usually like those better than the regular wide-angles.
All a matter of taste, but fisheye is far from being useless!

PS: where did you get the $1500???

LateModelSedan · Apr 12, 2008

chrisburke said:
i use a D40 as well.. I do a lot of skateboard photography.. I to didn't want to pay the big bucks for a fisheye, so i just got one of these http://cgi.ebay.ca/WIDE-ANGLE-FISHE...yZ106863QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

it works really well (sample image)

it just screws onto the end of my 18-55mm lens and it really does do a great job

Nikon D40 with a true fisheye lens (Nikkor 10.5mm). These were taken by a friend while in Paris.

JerryPH · Apr 12, 2008

I did not say all fisheyes were 1500, I said from 600-1500, which is the range in Canada/USA. Nikon's are in the $1200 range with taxes in Canada, and the 8mm Sigmas are in the $1500 range.

As far as personal choice, thats what it is. If one person out of 1,000 uses their fisheye a little more, thats more the exception than a rule. I am a member of about 10 forums, and this is the general concensus concerning fisheye. Everyone likes them, few use them 1/10th as much as they do their other lenses.

There is also no refuting that the useable range of a fisheye is a lot less than other lenses, like say, a prime of most kinds. It is also very easy to get tired of 'the look".

carlostau · Apr 13, 2008

I read quite a few good reviews about the Sigma 10-20mm. It is fully compatible with the D40 (it will autofocus) and it's priced around 450 bucks which is half the price a Nikon lens. The 10mm end can give you some extreme views!

LateModelSedan · Apr 13, 2008

carlostau said:
I read quite a few good reviews about the Sigma 10-20mm. It is fully compatible with the D40 (it will autofocus) and it's priced around 450 bucks which is half the price a Nikon lens. The 10mm end can give you some extreme views!

half the price? nah, you can grab the nikon 10.5mm fish for maybe $100 more than the sigma. shop around.