Fisheye lens or converter?

[MelanieC]

Hi

I have an Olympus E-300 and would like to take fisheye effect photos. It looks as if I have two options: buy a fisheye lens (paying big bucks for an Olympus one or around $250 to $400 for a Zenitar/Peleng one on ebay, or $250 for a Lensbaby Scout) or buy a converter lens for under $100. I'm not trying to be a professional - I just want to have a bit of fun with the fisheye look - so I'm not adverse to buying a converter, but I've also read that they work best on a wide angle lens (which I don't have). What do people recommend, based on your experience?

Thanks,
Melanie

[inkista]

Lens. The converter won't have the same image quality.

And instead of the Peleng, I'd recommend looking for the Rokinon/Samyang 8mm. Better C/A control, and made as a crop sensor diagonal fisheye. The Peleng is made as a circular for a full-frame/film. The Zenitar is 15mm diagonal for full-frame, and you're unlikely to get quite as much fisheye effect for it on a four-thirds sensor.

But then, I shoot with a fisheye lens all. the. time. If you just want a toy, then maybe the conversion lens will do you, but I wouldn't expect much, optically from it.

[Aegea]

Here's an example of the IQ you can expect from an adapter (Zeikos 0.18x on a Tokina 12-24 at about 20mm and stopped way down to f/16). OK to play with, as Inkista says.

[inkista]

That's actually nicer than I assumed it would be. Here's my Sigma 8mm f/3.5 circular fisheye on my XT.

[Aegea]

@Inkista - I expect the adapter would have significantly degraded IQ if I were shooting wide open as you were - I'll have to try that and see how it does.

[MelanieC]

Thank you both for posting a reply. I'm looking into Rokinon and Samyang lenses.

Inkista, I have just been looking at your flickr site and am awed by your gear and knowledge. Your explanations for things like the little planets and droste photos go right over my head but I know that I LOVE them. You create such amazingly beautiful images out of everyday things (a picnic table for goodness' sake!). Not to gush or anything...

And Aegea, how do you get those great shots of birds mid-flight (exposure wise)? I especially like the Canada Goose and White Ibis.

Ok, a bit off topic there!

[inkista]

Glad you enjoyed the crazy pano stuff. Most folks just get a headache. As far the bird thing, I have no idea how Aegea does it, but for me, it took a lotta practice and a $1000 lens.

[Aegea]

About birds, pretty much what Inkista says, though my lens was only $700

Generally set the exposure to 1.5 to 2 stops overexposed, or set it manually with a grey card, otherwise you tend to get a nicely exposed sky with a black bird-like object in the middle.

Also, birds that pretty much fly in a predictable paths like geese and ibis are not too difficult with decent gear,but birds like swallows that dart around very fast result in maybe a 1% keeper rate for me. On a good day.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Aegea

...Also, birds that pretty much fly in a predictable paths like geese and ibis are not too difficult with decent gear,but birds like swallows that dart around very fast result in maybe a 1% keeper rate for me. On a good day.

You've got me beat. I think I'm at 0.02% for darty little passerines. This is why I prefer raptors. Northern harriers in particular.

[MelanieC]

I had to find out what a grey card is. From Wikipedia:
A gray card is an (approximate) realisation of a Lambertian scatterer; its apparent brightness (and exposure determination) therefore does not depend on its orientation relative to the light source. By placing a gray card in the scene to be photographed, oriented at a defined angle relative to the direction of the incident light, and taking a reading from it with a reflected light meter, the photographer can be assured of consistent exposures across their photographs. This technique is similar to using an incident meter, as it depends on the illuminance but not the reflectivity of the subject.

Gulp! I have so much to learn... And on that basis, I won't be spending $700-$1000 on a lens just yet (must learn to walk before I can run).

Thanks again and best wishes with your photography :-)

Cheers
Melanie