Opinions please

[nickcowen]

Currantly don't have a wide angle lens in my line up for my dslr. I'm in a toss up between a tamron 10-24mm and a samyang 8mm fisheye. Obvisuly the samyang is cheaper and its a fisheye so is a bit specialized.

Dose anyone own ethier of these lenses or equivalent lenses and what is you opinion in which will get the most use. I feel the 8mm is restricting but that possibly that will lead to more creative photos.

[danjama]

Need to know your camera first

[nickcowen]

danjama said:

Need to know your camera first

Sony a390
The fisheye works out as not being circular which is better I think.

[DibblyDobbler]

What are you planning to do with it Nick ? I think a lot of people fancy a fisheye but don't end up getting much use out of it...

[flat-planedCrank]

I'd take an ultra-wide-angle lens over a fisheye.


Imo fisheye shots are pretty niche, great when the situation suits it but not for general shots.

[nickcowen]

Looking to use it for various thing. Sports (biking) environmental portraits, in the city photos of the environment.

Ultimately I will probably end up with both but at the moment I think I'm leaning toward fisheye.

[flat-planedCrank]

nickcowen said:

Looking to use it for various thing. Sports (biking) environmental portraits, in the city photos of the environment.

Ultimately I will probably end up with both but at the moment I think I'm leaning toward fisheye.

Interested to know why you'd go with a fisheye over an ultra-wide?


Here is a nice example of fisheye curvilinear design (top) vs. the ultra-wide rectilinear design (bottom):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Panotools5618.jp...

[RobDickinson]

Fisheyes are good for 2 or 3 shots a year, when they are used right they are stellar, but mostly they are the wrong lens more often than not.

[JulianHJ]

The Sigma 10-20mm is very good. I had a Canon-fit version and only sold it as I went full frame.

[nickcowen]

Might go for the wide angle. At least I have a zoom to go from 10-24

[Otispunkmeyer]

UWA and to be honest even then I found limited uses for it. A fisheye would get even less use. Also aren't the samyangs all completely manual?

[Mojocvh]

Otispunkmeyer said:

UWA and to be honest even then I found limited uses for it. A fisheye would get even less use. Also aren't the samyangs all completely manual?

You can change the focusing screens if you want/need/feel brave enough.

Edited by Mojocvh on Sunday 28th July 11:31

[nickcowen]

Otispunkmeyer said:

UWA and to be honest even then I found limited uses for it. A fisheye would get even less use. Also aren't the samyangs all completely manual?

I use manual film cameras as well my DSLR so I don't mind manual focusing and at 8mm most everything is in focus anyway.

[RobDickinson]

Film cameras are much easier to manual focus. But saying that focusing an 8mm isn't a challenge.

[rottie102]

I'm really really tempted to buy Canon's 8-15mm... Fisheye and UWA in one

[flat-planedCrank]

rottie102 said:

I'm really really tempted to buy Canon's 8-15mm... Fisheye and UWA in one

It'll still have a 'curvilinear' design throughout its range though, not the normal 'rectilinear' design that a normal UWA has - i.e. it'll have curved lines rather then trying to keep everything straight.

[The Jolly Todger]

When I was researching UWAs and talking to people who had owned the various ones, the Tamron really didn't have a great reputation. The Sigma was better and the Tokina 11-16mm was the best of the off-brand lenses.

[CommanderJameson]

Otispunkmeyer said:

UWA and to be honest even then I found limited uses for it.

Heh, and there's me with my 10-22 that I use as a walkabout lens...

[rottie102]

I rented the 8-15mm today, oh my god - what a lens! I'm mainly shooting dogs and this lens on a 6D is such a perfect combo for dog portraits...