Circular Fisheye

Photobug

I read about the new Lensbaby Circular Fisheye and have seen some of the promotional images. At $250 USD for the Nikon mount, this is a great price and signficantly less than buying a used Nikon Fisheye lens. Anyone bought one of these Lensbaby lens? Care to share some images? For more info:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1043385-REG/lensbaby_lbcfen_5_8mm_f_3_5_circulr_fisheye.html

5.8mm, F3.5, 185 degree circular fisheye. It will focus to 1/4" from the front of the lens. Very impressive.

WestEndBoy

At 5.8mm, I am surprised that it doesn't focus behind the front of the lens.

Golf007sd

spraynpray

Wow, if it got any wider, you would need to put the lens hood on backwards...

paulr

Sigma have done a 4.5mm 2.8 circular fisheye for years Nikon fit


I use it rarely but very creative

Photobug

@WestEndBoy: Funny comment about focusing behind the lens. I can't image such a wide angle of view. )

@spraynpray: Very funny.

@paulr: Thanks for the link, will check it out.

@Golf007sd: Thanks for the link, that was on my "to-do" list. Will view it and get back with comments.

Photobug

Check out that Lensbaby fisheye review by Adorama that Golf posted above. This looks like a fun lens for parties and for scenery. Rather inexpensive compared to the $895 Sigma lens.

The Sigma fisheye at 4.5mm F2.8 is attractive, focusing to 5.3" with auto focus. But that price. Thanks Paulr for the video post.

For a lens you won't use too often the Lensbaby fisheye is a niche market for the pro-sumer. I don't own any of the Lensbaby lens but those that own them really like them. Would sure like to see some pictures posted from the Lensbaby and Sigma circular fisheye lenses.

paulr

Here are some images taken with the Sigma 4.5 lens on a DX camera. You have to be careful or you get your feet in the shot!

Taken with a D300 and the Sigma 4.5 2.8 CF.

Msmoto

The Lensbaby for the price is pretty impressive. And of course, I am a fisheye fan….. so, to remind folks of the 10.5mm f/2,8 Nikkor, modified, here it is on full frame.

Pikes Peak, Colorado at the get together in 2013…


NAIAS 2014


Streamliners in Spencer 2014


In the last shot, there is the "normal" perspective in the central area of the frame, plus the gradual distortion as one progresses outward… I think I like this effect…...

Photobug

Here are some images taken with the Sigma 4.5 lens on a DX camera. You have to be careful or you get your feet in the shot!
Taken with a D300 and the Sigma 4.5 2.8 CF.

Thanks for the photos. They are nice. Anything with 180 or 185 degrees will be a challenge to keep the feet and hats out of the frame. I was impressed with the sharpness.

Photobug

@Msdmot: Excellent images and a nice sample of different types of shots. These are very sharp images and I agree with you about the last shot. I remember seeing some of your inside shots at car shows with your fisheye. Love all three of them. I can see having a circular fish eye is going to challenge your creativity and make you think differently about how to use this lens.

I am thinking of putting the Lensbaby circular fisheye on my list of future purchases. It may force me to think more about how to use this lens...which is always good. Too many photographers get stuck and take the same type of pictures all the time. Thanks for sharing.

Pistnbroke

If you look at the fisheyes above and measure you will find there is more cut off the top than the bottom. This is because the sensor is not centred on the optical axis of the lens. Once you have accepted this as true perhaps you can tell me why ??

Msmoto

The image of the waiting room area above measures identically at the top and bottom…. when I measure it in LR.

However, one must understand the 10.5mm f/2.8 Nikkor was never intended to be use in this way. There may be a problem in the modification of the lens, i.e., cutting off the lens hood, which affects the edges in an irregular way. Also, as the hood has been removed, there is a tendency for flare as a result of extraneous light entering from the edges.

Here it is:

Photobug

Great tips @Msmoto. Interesting modification to the front of the lens. Not sure I would be brave enough to do that to any of my lens.

Speaking of this 10.5mm DX lens, I had a Nikon representative put this on a D800 in full frame mode, not DX mode. He handed it to me and wow, that was very interesting if you want a centered image with black surround the image. I took about half dozen pictures and really was impressed. He told me that wedding photographers use this combination to get a different look for their albums.

You should try this out to expand your creativity.

Msmoto

I think the D4 images demonstrate the format effect when one turns off the Auto DX crop mode. But, I will have to put this on my D800E as it seems to be a very sharp lens.

As to cutting off the hood, the secret is in placing the cardboard in the inside of the hood before beginning and to go very slowly…..