# Fisheye lens recommendations



## hdh607 (Sep 8, 2008)

I have a full-frame Canon 5D mark II

I'm looking to get a fisheye lens - any recommendations?

thx


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## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

I've heard good things about the Canon 15mm fisheye (if you can find one used, I don't think they make them any more) ... I don't think there are a lot of choices for true fisheye lenses though. Aside from the effect factor I don't think they are incredibly useful, but maybe that's just me. I'm very happy with my 16-35 f/2.8 L II lens personally 

Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye

There's a new 8-15mm f/4 L one Canon makes but it's pricey!

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4.0L Fisheye Lens DSLR Lenses Full Frame 4427B002 - Vistek Canada Product Detail


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## lukasf (Oct 31, 2010)

If you are looking for a cheap one try this one:


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http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/peleng_fisheye_lens.htm
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But it will be a manual one ... (manual aperture setting).


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2011)

It looks like it only does a circular image and not a full frame, even at 35mm. Depends on what you are looking to do with it I suppose. My father-in-law has a russian fisheye lens, not sure if it's the same brand or not. It's pretty soft at best, but again it depends on what you want to do with the images, if you're not trying to print large format you're probably ok with a cheap one.


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## lukasf (Oct 31, 2010)

For full fisheye lens (180 degrees) you will every time obtain circular picture ... (this is how optics works). If you use it on non-full frame camera you will get partly circular picture, or you should use fish eye lens with less degrees for field of view ...

Yeah Peleng is a cheap one for some special/creative pictures ... Like LensBaby


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2011)

lukasf said:


> For full fisheye lens (180 degrees) you will every time obtain circular picture ... (this is how optics works). If you use it on non-full frame camera you will get partly circular picture, or you should use fish eye lens with less degrees for field of view ...
> 
> Yeah Peleng is a cheap one for some special/creative pictures ... Like LensBaby


It seems like the Canon 15mm I linked to in the Ken Rockwell review doesn't do this (circular picture only). I could be wrong as I've not used it myself.. The new Canon 8-15mm only seems to do full circle at 8mm but at 15mm you get mostly full-frame.

Sometimes effect lenses are fun  Especially when they are pretty inexpensive


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## lukasf (Oct 31, 2010)

Yes, and this is a difference between FULL (circular/180 degrees) fisheye - 8 mm and PARTIAL fish eye - 12-15 mm.

There is software for "stretching" circular or partly circular image to "normal" one.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

I have the Canon EF 15mm full frame fisheye in my kit. It shoots a full frame image that takes in I think 180 degrees side to side. It has limited use but creates an extremely distinctive image.

Canon does not make an EF circular fisheye, they did make one for the FD series of lenses. That lens created a circular image with 360 degree field of view so you had to really think about how you tilted the camera to set up a shot.

There is/was some really low cost circular fisheye on the market which would work with EF bodies.


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

Turns out Canon now has an 8mm - 15mm fisheye zoom. When used on a full frame body such as the 5D or 1Ds you get an 8mm circular fisheye and zoomed to 15mm you wind up with a 180 degree full frame shot. Price.... well kind of steep. Can't wait to get one at work to test drive.


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2011)

Yep I mentioned that one in my post above too  It's pretty pricey for me as well as it would be mostly an "effect" lens. I'm very happy with my 16-35 f/2.8L II lens as far as ultra-wide goes


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## Niteshooter (Aug 8, 2008)

You did, sorry missed it. Yup it's pricey, I can't say I would have a need to own one in my kit. Even the 15mm full frame fisheye is more of a novelty than working lens though I did use it before getting a full frame sensor camera as all my wide lenses weren't on the crop camera.


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