Question for all the photographers...

[Triathlete]

...I just got a new DSLR camera (Nikkon D5000). I want to get a fisheye lens for it but don't know which one. It will mainly be used for pics of wheeling trips, so fairly close up shots of the vehicles and terrain. Would like to get one that is reasonably priced...gently used is an option. What MM should I be looking for? The appeture seems to be f2.8 for almost all but I have seen a few at f3.5 also? So throw me some advice and schooling!

[VX KAT]

IIRC fisheye lens are in the 15mm ballpark....
Fisheye lens actually causes that bowl/rounded effect...is that what you're after?

Or are you just interested in a good close up macro lens? (I think in Nikon speak it's called a Micro) which is a fixed focal length (no zoom/changing). A close up macro would generally be in the 15mm -18mm range.

I have an 18-20mm on my D90 and it does everything I need, I never have to change lenses, and I finally decided to sell all my prime lenses, and just use this one.

[Triathlete]

Looking for that "bowl" effect.

[dietz99vcross]

One of the challenges you (and many of us) are going to have is that your camera doesn't have a full 35mm image sensor. As opposed to a full frame sensor your camera has what most call an aps-c sensor which is only about 40% of the full frame size. This matters why? Because you must take the focal length of your lens and multiply it by approx 1.5 or 1.6 to get the effective equivalent of 35mm lenses. Since a fish eye lens would be around 8 to 15mm, if you get the 15mm and multiply it by 1.6 you get an effective focal length of around 23mm which is basically a nice wide angle. If you by an 8mm you could still manage the equivalent of 13mm, but I am not sure what is available for you.

Hope this helps - Mike

[Triathlete]

2the^^^^^^

[nfpgasmask]

Billy, I just bought this lens before I went to Japan:

http://www.amazon.com/NIKON-14MM-Ult...5397068&sr=8-1

Here are a couple example shots with this lens on my D80:







Its a wonderfull lens, but a bit on the high side. I'm still not done paying for that puppy. My next lens will be a true fisheye, probably this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-10-5mm-2...5397081&sr=1-1

There are also some nice options from Sigma and Tokina but for roughly the same price, I stick with Nikkor. F2.8 will give you a lot of flexibility in low light conditions, which for me, is important.

HTH,

Bart

[Triathlete]

What in the lens desription denotes how much of a bubble look the lense will give? I have noticed some have just a slight bubbleness and others more so (which is what I want).

Okay after doing a bit of reading it sounds like the lower the "mm" the more bubble effect? Is this right?

[lasturbo]

We need ol' Jofotoz to chime in here. He is one of the photographers!!!

[nfpgasmask]

What in the lens desription denotes how much of a bubble look the lense will give? I have noticed some have just a slight bubbleness and others more so (which is what I want).

Okay after doing a bit of reading it sounds like the lower the "mm" the more bubble effect? Is this right?

Yes, my lens is a 14mm, aspherical lens, technically its an "ultra-wide angle", not quite a "fish eye". If you get say, a 10mm lens, you will get much more distortion. Like these (not mine):





What can happen with fish eyes though, is you might get vignetting, depending on the lens. Example:



In which case, you would have to crop the image. I prefer "full frame" lenses, but you start talking big money when you are looking for "full frame", like $600 and up, which I guess isn't bad when you are talking decent lenses...

Bart

[dietz99vcross]

A shorter focal length (smaller mm) will give a wider angle of view which typically goes with the bubble look. The difference between a full frame fisheye and circular fisheye is that a full frame lens just uses the rectangular portion out of the center of the circle. It is important to realize the angle of view is still typically 180 degrees, but in a full frame lens that is only if you measure diagonally from one corner to the other. While the novelty of the circular lens is fun, the full frame fisheye is one of my favorite lenses. When you get close you still get the major distortion but from farther away it looks alot like a typical wide angle

[fotomaker]

I have a Nikkor 10.5 I might be willing to sell...

[mindaugas]

those wide angle shots are great. I just got a DSLR and I'm still learning, but wide angle and telephoto are on my list. I just got an adapter for my old meade telescope to use it as a lens. Not portable, but it's better than nothing and cost me $30 vs $200