Fisheye for Canon

[Lin]

Is focal length the biggest difference between a fisheye lens that connects to an existing lens and one that connects directly to the camera's body?

I'm hoping to buy a fisheye lens (cheap preferably, yes, quality does go down) but I wasn't sure what direction to go ...

I have a Canon 20D, and I mostly use a Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-63 -- a good all-around lens that has served me well. I was looking at a Tokina .22x fisheye which would connect to the lens I already have, but I wasn't sure what this would do to the pictures. ... I'm guessing the focus would be pretty nonexistent at 200mm, but I'm wondering how it would fare at 18mm.

I've been looking around at past forum posts and different websites, but I was hoping someone may have more simple explanation, or maybe a recommendation for a different lens.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to being a part of this forum.

[Bob Nichol]

It's strange that the Tokina http://tokinalens.com/ and THK http://www.thkphoto.com/ sites don't mention the .22x fisheye screw in that I could find. The only Internet reference I found was in some eBay auctions!

What I did find seems to indicate that the screw is a 58mm diameter however and since your lens is either 62mm or 72mm diameter this would be a show stopper. Even though you can get step down rings you would get dark corners (called vignetting) which is even more of a show stopper.

Overall any optical accessory that screws on the front of the lens usualy degrades the image quality. Based on the price I saw for the .22x fisheye you would probably get better results with the bottom out of a Coke bottle!

[Lin]

http://tokinalens.com/ and THK http://www.thkphoto.com/ sites don't mention the .22x fisheye screw in that I could find. The only Internet reference I found was in some eBay auctions!

This is probably my problem when I'm trying to find out more about the lenses .. that they're only sold on ebay, haha. You're right, my lens does have a 72mm mount, and it seems the price for fisheye add-ons goes up from there. There's no doubt I would love a decent $500+ lens, but that's not feasible with my budget right now.

What about something like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/.43x-Fish-Eye-%2...18155007r31188

It's a no-name brand and less than $100, so I'm not expecting too much quality, (and I'm not worried about the vignetting) but mainly I want to experiment with wide-angle photography -- and I'm all for experimenting with cut-out coke bottles too!

Thanks for your help ---

[hgernhardtjr]

Save up your money.

You will find out very soon after receiving it thata front-end-screw-on "fisheye" is a great disappointment, andthat "Digital Concepts" (several of my students have had very bad experiences with that"brand")wide angle attachment in your linkis not much better.

If you cannot save to get the absolutely MARVELOUS $500 or so Tokina 10-17 fisheye, then consider the roughly $350 8mm Peleng which is also quite nice (but not as nice as the Tokina 10-17 zoom fisheye, IMHO).

While minimally useful for experimenting around, if there is any way possible, you should (in general) also avoid that screw-onwide angleattachment (which is not a fisheye) in your link as I believe you will also be disappointed with it.

On edit: If you are insistant on a front-mount attachment lens to save some money, I have had good luck with a couple of Raynox front-mount lenses in the past.While they are still not as good as the true fisheye lens, this one gives a decent fisheye view —an adapter ring (which they sell) may be necessary for a particular lens' filter threads. Of course, it is also more expensive as better lenses are: http://raynox.co.jp/english/dcr/dcrf...proindexeg.htm

[interested_observer]

I too can recommend the Tokina 10-17 Fisheye. I have the Pentax version of the same lens. At 10mm it is 180 degrees wide reducing down to 100 degrees wide at 17mm. I have used it in many situations with great results. the 17mm end is somewhat rectilinear, and at 10mm you can frame the shot with the ability to put the "bend" from the fisheye where you desire by aiming slightly up or down in addition to just straight on. It takes a bit of experimentation to understand and apply it effectively, but it is a fun lens.

http://www.tokinalens.com/products/t...107afdx-a.html
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/tokina/...5_at_x_107_dx_

One advantage that is not normally associated with fish eye lenses is that your able to get extremely close to objects, since the fish eye essentially pushes the center back in order to pull the view from the sides in to the frame.

Another solution that a number of folks on the Pentax dSLR forum use is the 16mm Zenitar f2.8 lens that is available in a number of mounts.

http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/z...sheye_lens.htm





I have never used but have read accounts of the front end add on lense not providing the expected results, along with just the mechanical problems of attaching a some what heavy weight on the front of a lens that was not really designed to support the weight (the screw in threads are designed for light weight filters). It is somewhat of a disaster waiting to happen.

Here is an image using a Pentax K100D (6mp) and the Pentax DA 10-17 FE (which is the Tokina 10-17 both companies co-designed the lens). This is at 10mm and 180 degrees wide.

[caheaton]

I recently purchased the Tokina .22x Fisheye for my Olypus SP565 and have been playing around with it. Interestingly, the lens doesn't appear on Tokina's website, but it does appear on Sakar's.

http://www.sakar.com/p-2304.aspx?categoryid=142

Very little detail is given about the lens, however.

Below are some sample photos from this lens. It exhibits quite a tunnel effect due to the adapter tube (most of which I cropped out), but it isn't a bad little lens and has been fun to play with.

Geranium:


backyard:


TV:


Craig

[interested_observer]

It appears that the site upgrade killed off my attachment, so here it is again...

... now I see that since I added it back, it now appears in both posting - well I guess Steve has some debugging yet to do...