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Unusual, rebranded 7mm Fisheye, know anything about it?
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:44 am    Post subject: Unusual, rebranded 7mm Fisheye, know anything about it? Reply with quote

Hi,

I just bought a fisheye off the 'bay, because its missing from my lens lineup.
I wanted a Canon 7.5mm f5.6, but it is pretty expensive, at over $500 for an ok-ish FD lens.

Anyway I just impulse bought a Hanimex 7mm, f5.6 for $105, but I have no idea what its like, and I can't seem to find any information of it. there are some pictures of it on the ebay page:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350319512817&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_6955wt_1167

Does anyone know much about the hanimex brand? I have never heard of them before, and I don't know much about fisheye lenses either.


Last edited by dnhkng on Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:16 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That thing looks pretty funky, don't know it but I sure am curious about the performance! Keep us posted.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just found a history of Hanimex at www.camerapedia.org.

Quote:
Hanimex was founded after WWII to import European cameras to Australia. It was founded by Jack Hannes who gave it its name which was an abbreviation for Hannes Import Export. It sold cameras that were made by Tōkyō Kōgaku and Sedic in Japan, by Finetta, Montanus, Vredeborch and Dacora in West Germany, by Pentacon in East Germany, by Chinese and other manufacturers. Hanimex distributed SLR lenses for several different lens mounts of renowned camera systems. The lenses were also just branded as Hanimex. Nowadays the website of Fujifilm Australia appears behind the web-address www.hanimex.com.au.


So, pretty much anybody could have made the lens. Does anyone recognize its shape? Its a third party lens, so maybe there were a variety of lens mounts available.



PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ahhh, looks like its a spiratone:

http://goods.ruten.com.tw/item/show?11090408561185


PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's got a Canon FD mount. I suspect that the image circle would be smaller than other 8mm's out there on FF.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like it may be a T-mount lens with FD-T adapter, but more likely it is CS-mount with CS-FD adapter. The T and CS mounts are only slightly different, same thread M42x0.75, but CS mount is thinner, thus T adapter will act as thin extension tube, lens will not reach infinity focus.

ref: http://photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00QGou


PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My guess is this is a relative to the Spiratone auxiliary fisheye attachments of the 70's. I did a short write up on those here with some sample images:

http://makingnottaking.blogspot.com/search/label/Auxiliary%20fisheye

Although the lens you bought does not need a "base" lens to attach to, I would believe it will yield similar image quality. Considerable softness at the edges as well as CA. Nevertheless, you save hundreds and still get a great 180 degree perspective! I have had the auxiliary attachments for a few years and love them!


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 7:33 am    Post subject: Spiratone fisheye Reply with quote

I picked up this new toy for pocket change...Came in Nikon mount and since I had Nikon adapters for the Canon Dslr...well....

Searched and found this old thread so thought I'd update it with some photos....

It appears to be soft with a lot of CA on one side...well both sides, but moreso at the right (bottom) of frame...will try another adapter, though I doubt I'll see any improvement...it didn't....oh well....

still, a nice toy...





shot at 1 yd from bush...



IMG_3855Rs by kitaflix, on Flickr
Working with the Spiratone 7mm fisheye....still trying to figure it out....
Each time I use it and look at the results I see more to correct....next time I'm going to try to straighten the horizon...


IMG_4038Rs by kitaflix, on Flickr


IMG_4038RCsb by kitaflix, on Flickr

Having discussed/defended the idea that primes force one to look at framing and perspective more critically than one does with zooms, I am more convinced than ever of this, with this extreme FL at least....


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can't help it but they remind me of deodorant roll ons Laughing


PostPosted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy


PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is interchangeable mount similar to T-2, but slightly larger thread diameter. Same fine (0.75mm) pitch. Same register. Many T-2 mounts can be machined out inside the take the inner threaded ring from the existing mount. That's how I put an Exakta mount on mine, I have the Haminex branded version.

It's possible that the Spiratone branded one is T-2 mount.

(No, it's not the same as a Komura Unidapter either. Yet another size of threaded interchangeable mount.)

Not a lens for pixel peepers, but there sure isn't much selection of fisheyes that will give you a fully circular image.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:33 pm    Post subject: spiratone mount Reply with quote

When I got it the short section at the rear was loose and I have had to retighten the set screws a few times....
I can see that the last section would come off and I imagined other mounts would have been available...
There are several versions under different "brand" names...

I"ve determined that F22 is better than F8, and that yes, this is not the sharpest knife in the drawer....not for pixel peepers
....but it is fun.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still trying to figure out how to shoot with this puppy...to frame a shot that when cropped doesn't "look fishy"..wide yes, fisheye no...





Last edited by mfkita on Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:36 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have a "bokeh monster" already, now we have a "CA monster" Laughing Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, I'm just shooting pictures here, not doing a scientific evaluation of a $12 lens...


PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mfkita wrote:
I'm still trying to figure out how to shoot with this puppy...to frame a shot that when cropped doesn't "look fishy"..wide

Try to shoot more "rectangular" to your object/lines in pictures or only shoot objects without straight lines so that the distortion does hurt so much


PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ForenSeil wrote:
mfkita wrote:
I'm still trying to figure out how to shoot with this puppy...to frame a shot that when cropped doesn't "look fishy"..wide

Try to shoot more "rectangular" to your object/lines in pictures or only shoot objects without straight lines so that the distortion does hurt so much


....or no lines at all..... Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mfkita wrote:
ForenSeil wrote:
mfkita wrote:
I'm still trying to figure out how to shoot with this puppy...to frame a shot that when cropped doesn't "look fishy"..wide

Try to shoot more "rectangular" to your object/lines in pictures or only shoot objects without straight lines so that the distortion does hurt so much


....or no lines at all..... Laughing


Yes but it's very hard to find a nice object without any lines Smile
And small lines lines or horizons are usually not looking distracting with fisheyes.

Here some examples where the fisheye-effect is not distracting (to my eyes):


And here with some more lines but still viewable

Or this which has many lines but is shot very rectangular


Last edited by ForenSeil on Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:38 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well done....


PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:33 am    Post subject: a no lines shot Reply with quote

This scene lent itself to the lens I thought...



PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:08 pm    Post subject: Re: a no lines shot Reply with quote

mfkita wrote:
This scene lent itself to the lens I thought...

Nice composition.

If you keep making shots like that you'll have to save up for a nicer fisheye lens Very Happy

Have you tried converting to B+W, it might tame the CA somewhat?


PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good idea about the B/W look....I'll give it a try...thanks...