Fisheye converter question

gcrimmins · Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 146 Location: Moscow, Idaho, USA

I'm looking for information about the 0.15x fisheye lens converters that used to be sold by Spiratone and others. Does anyone know if they result in a true 180-degree circular fisheye image? I need to shoot such images, and the Peleng or Samyang 8mm lenses are out of my price range at the moment. Thanks,

--Geoff

PBFACTS · Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 569

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 879

RioRico · Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:36 am Post subject:

I'm not familiar with the Spiratone adapters, but I use a "Kenko FISH-EYE 180" adapter. It is about 85mm long, 60mm diameter, weighs 250g and comes with adapters for 49mm and 58mm threads. I mount it on a SMC Pentax-M zoom, 40-80mm f/2.8-4, on my Pentax K20D. It produces a full 180 degree fisheye image with the zoom at ~43mm. On a full-frame camera, it produces a full circle with the zoom at ~55mm, or with the Helios-44M 58mm lens. Mounted on the 40-80, the whole weighs 540g and is about 165mm long. Quite a piece of work!

The Kenko has an interlocked two ring f-stop system, one to set the focal length of the host lens, the other showing the effective f-stop you can set -- at 40mm, that's f/4.5-19. For maximum sharpness, a small aperture and tripod are definitely required. The image circle can be adjusted by zooming in -- with the 40-80 at 80mm, the image fills the K20D's frame with a view similar to my DA 10-17 fisheye at 12mm, maybe ~150 degrees.

Exposure isn't difficult when producing a full-circle image, at least with my setup. The PK-M-type zoom forces the K20D's metering to be center-weighted, which still reads the black areas outside the circle. It's best to go +3 EV or so, depending on light. The image circle is not sharp-edged, but slightly fuzzy as it fades in quickly to rather good sharpness. If the host lens' aperture is stopped down at all, its aperture blades become visible and shape the image (no longer a circle).

I bought the Kenko in a camera shop in Arizona last year for US$80. It's available online for less -- I see one on eBay right now for about US$50, for 49mm thread only. If you seek edge-to-edge sharpness, this adapter isn't for you. If you can live with the edge softness, it's fun. Note that the costlier Peleng and Samyang 8mm lenses do NOT provide a full circle on an APS-C sensor. You would need a ~6mm prime for that. And the Peleng's edges are about as fuzzy as the Kenko's, judging from the pics I see online. The Kenko is probably equivalent to the Spiratone you asked about, and both are likely much sharper than modern cheap adapters. I hope this helps you.

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

I'm thinking about and when I watch a pic taken with a fisheye lens I don't remember to have looked for sharpness at borders.

The effect have my total attention. The central image is all that I pay attention to.

Rino.

aniramca · Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 66 Location: Canada

I have a Soligor fish-eye converter. It works OK for me
Here are some samples

(a) Photo taken with the converter

(b) Cropped photo of (a)

(c) Another sample

justtorchit · Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 269 Location: St. Louis, MO

I have had the kenko, spiratone, and panagor auxiliary fisheyes. Of them, the kenko has been the best and the spiratone was the worst. For some reason the spiratone had a big issue with flair and images were also often plagued with a light bluish/low contrast haze nearest the center (this may have been some hazing in the elements or something though). Either way, they have provided me an excellent, cost effective intro into the world of fisheye! I have used them mostly on a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E lens using a step ring.

The ultimate look is completely dependent on two variables, the base lens size and the sensor/film plane size. On an APS-C sized sensor, the 50mm looks like this:

And on a Full Frame sensor:

I did a blog write up on these if you are interested. I love 'em!

Mike Deep · Joined: 25 Oct 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Upstate New York

Mine is a Kenko. I found it in a local shop, and since neither the store owner or myself knew what the heck it was exactly, he let it go for $5.

I haven't been impressed with its image quality, but it's fun to play with.

josedad · Joined: 10 Feb 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Indonesia

I was lucky when I found a pristine used one of EPOQUE 0.56 DCL-20 Wide AngleUnderwater Conversion Lens for 15$. I bought it from local flea market in Jakarta.
I was surprised with the result I got. I use it on my 18-55mm II from canon 350d. I shot with Canon 500d. Here is some result and I post process it with lens correction software, PT lens and adobe lightroom.

bigger size

complete shot with other manual lens here h++p://www.flickr.com/photos/45231959@N02/

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

josedad · Joined: 10 Feb 2010 Posts: 15 Location: Indonesia

thank you F16SUNSHINE

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

Welcome to the forum Jose.
First photo post needs to be quoted. It's a spam protection.
Please post freely now. Enjoy your stay. Very Happy

Cheers
Andy