Customer Reviews

Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye Nikkor Lens

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A fantastic lens! I was hesitant to move into the digital realm, because any lens wide enough to still be wide on the DX sensor can be priced in the area of thousands of dollars. As an advanced amatuer, willing to spend money, but not in a position to have an economic return on the investment, anything more expensive then a single paycheck is beyond my means.

But I bit the bullet, and bought the amazing Nikon D70. Lo, and behold, Nikon actually DIDN'T disappoint its customers (like so many other companies which make promises that never come to fruition). The new line-up of DX lenses are amazing.

In my opinion the sexiest of all the new DX Nikkor lenses is the 10.5mm Fisheye (not the most usefull, nor the strongest lens in the series, yet certainly the most interesting, and definitely the least expected). With its 180% field of view, and dramaticly cartoonish effect, I'm sure that many Nikon shooters, myself included will be having alot of fun, and getting alot of laughs at some of the great pictures we'll be taking with this affordable piece of glass.

Highly recommended.

I do feel the need to add a closing remark to this review. At the time of this writing, two other reviews preceeded my own. Both require a differing amount of disagreement. For the first gentleman who was disappointed by the large amount of pincushining, the question must be asked to him what he thought a fisheye lens was. This is NOT simply a 10.5mm lens. This is a FISHeye lens. Its SUPPOSED to have that effect. His review was negative quite obviously because he didn't know what he was buying, and giving a piece of equipment a 2/5 rating because you don't know what your buying is the height of ignorance. I would request that his review would be removed, although I'm sure it wont be, since it wasn't vulger, or offensive to anyone (its only offensive to people who are offended by ignorance, which apperently I am).

And to the second gentleman, I appriciate your review, it was well thought out, and I'm in no way saying you are ignorant, although I still think your slightly missing the point of the lens. Sure, you can use Nikon Capture to reduce the fisheye effect, but I feel I must as why you would do such a thing. Granted, at that point you could use it as a standard 16mm lens (on a D series camera), but in my opinion this would be a tragedy.

This is THE fisheye lens for all us DX shooters. Don't regret the fisheye, don't deny the fisheye, don't pretend it isn't a fisheye, EMBRACE the fisheye.

Go out and take pictures which EMPHASIZE the fisheye. Learn how the lens works, how the distortion "feels". Take ADVANTAGE of the fisheye. If all you use this lens for is a 16mm (35mm equivalent), then your missing the most wonderfull thing about this lens.

Anyone who doesn't understand the charm of the fisheye, heres a photography tip which wont cost you a cent: find a perch ten, or fifteen feet in the air, have a friend (kids are the best choice), and take a shot STRAIGHT down at them. They'll be dead center in the picture, they'll be low on distortion, and you'll have your ENTIRE backyard in the periphery of the shot.

Sure, you could do that shot with a regular 16mm lens... but... what fun would that be?

Just another shot of your kid.

I doubt it if anyone would want to use this lens for family photos (unless you want to get a good laugh out of grandma's smile!) or weddings (pros know better) or even your average wide angle landscape. This lens is for those who see the world in a different way and would like to run with their creative shoes. Those who complain about the huge distortion from this lens should realize the sole purpose of this lens is to give you distorted images! If you want to get super wide angle, go for Nikon's 12-24 (if you have a grand to part with and a very happy marriage to ruin!) or the equally impressive and half the price 12-24 Tokina. You can even get the sigma 10-20 and be very happy. All these great lenses will give you minimum distortion and ultra-wide images. But if you invest some $600 in a fisheye like this superb Nikon glass, you should be prepared to see the world differently. Once you teach yourself how to bring the best out of this lens, there will be a whole new world for you to explore.

This really is a fabulous lens - I am relatively new to digital SLR photography, and have been slowly acquiring lenses over the past six months. Just added this to my camera bag, and I am impressed.

First, the build quality is first-rate. The lens feels solid in the hand. This is a DX lens, so there is no aperture ring, and the result is a lens with very few moving parts and a clean, well put-together appearance. Second, the optics are very good - I don't know much about pincushioning, but I do know that the quality of the image I get is #1. I have been experimenting by taking close-ups of my dogs, and I can't get enough of the fisheye treatment.

If you are looking for a second wide-angle lens, and have an eye for images that are beyond the ordinary, this lens will not disappoint.

I've had this lens for about a year (I use it on a D90 right now) and it's a lot of fun. You might think that you'd quickly get bored with such an unusual piece of glass, but the truth is that the more you use it, the more you start to see with this ultra-wide-angle perspective in mind. Everyone is familiar with the caricature-type portraits that can be taken with a fisheye lens, but they are also very useful in landscape photography, group portraits (read on to find out why) and architectural work. This lens is the equivalent to about 16mm in 35mm terms and because it's full-frame (and not the circular type of fisheye) it lends a very interesting perspective to many types of photography. The quality seems pretty good physically (it's small and light, which is nice), though it doesn't have the tough metal body that would make it more durable (and more expensive and heavier). But rather than go on here, I'll just quote from a recent blog posting that I wrote on my [...] blog (let's see if Amazon leaves in the rough address). I am the author of a number of photo books, by the way including: The Joy of Digital Photography (Lark Photography Book) and Exposure Photo Workshop: Develop Your Digital Photography Talent and Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book). Here's what I wrote on my blog, I hope it helps. If you can justify owning this lens, I think you'll enjoy it (especially if you get the $30 software I recommend below):

If you happen to be a Nikon DSLR shooter, are completely bored with all of your lenses and have (roughly) an extra $700 burning a hole in your equipment pocket, the Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX Fisheye Lens may be just the lens you need. That's exactly the situation I was in when I bought mine and I have to tell you, as unnecessary as owning a fisheye lens is, it's still a lot of fun--and actually, there are some practical uses (just in case you need to justify owning it to a nit-picking spouse), though you may have to stretch the word "practical" a bit to find them.

The fun part first: The Nikkor 10.5mm fisheye lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens that provides a whopping 180-degree (measured diagonally from corner-to-corner) angle of view and that is far wider than even our own peripheral vision which is about 120-degrees. This is also what's known as a full-frame fisheye lens because it does not provide the cropped circular angle-of-view that some fisheye lenses produce. The result is a wild and distorted (but again, full frame) view of the world that can't be obtained with any other lens. Photos taken with this lens have a curved (bowed) distortion that, combined with the super-wide view, produce some really interesting and, I think, creative images. At the moment I think that Nikon is the only lens manufacturer making a full-frame fisheye and it can only be used on cameras with a DX-size sensor (D80, D90, etc.) and it can't be used on a full-frame DSLR body because it won't cover the field of the sensor.

Another side benefit of such a wide lens is that it has incredible depth of field--you barely have to focus this lens and if you shoot at a mid-range aperture like f/8 or smaller, everything from your feet to the horizon will be in sharp focus. In fact, I shot the frame here at f/6.3 and everything is in sharp focus from the bench that's about a foot from my knee to the far horizon. And, by the way, as you can see here, when you include the horizon in a fisheye shot you get a wickedly curved horizon line that looks like the edge of the earth (which, from where you're standing, is exactly what you're seeing).

OK, so now that you have yourself convinced you absolutely need one of these lenses, what are the practical applications? Because these lenses produce such a super-wide angle-of-view and because they have enormous depth of field, you can use them in tight spaces (like photographing your beautiful newly remodeled bathroom so that you can show it off to the relatives--you see, a perfect argument in favor of owning this lens) to provide very inclusive and very sharp images. You can also photograph large groups of people (like all of your wife's relatives gathered on your front steps--you can see where I'm going with this) without having to back up three blocks.

But won't these images be horribly distorted? Ahh, there's the fun part (oops, this is supposed to be the practical part): there is software available that can correct the distortion and leave you with an optically correct image that still retains the wide-angle-view and great depth of field. The Fisheye-Hemi Plug In from Image Trends ([...]) is probably the most popular and sells for just $29.95 and works with both Photoshop and Apple Aperture software. Once you've run the image through the software the curved lines and image distortion are totally removed. Neat, eh?

To be honest, as much as I wanted this lens, it sat in my camera bag and was only used infrequently for the first few months that I owned it. Since then, however, I've been carrying it with me everywhere and though it doesn't fit into every situation, it's a ton of fun to have around. It's also a tiny lens physically and will easily fit into a jacket pocket. So if you're hiking it around Manhattan and shooting with all your traditional lenses and then suddenly you run into your spouse's cousin in their brand new car and you want to show everyone just how cool and spacious the backseat is...hey, I'm trying to help you get a new lens here, work with me.

[...].

This is a fish eye lens. You have to be careful to keep your own toes out of the picture. It focuses close enough that even spots on the lens stand out, so it must be kept spotless. Like other fish eyes, this lens will not accept a filter.

I use this lens for landscapes, portraits, even close-ups. I use it inside airplanes when instructing student pilots. Things to try with this lens:

Close-up of a bouquet or group of flowers.
Landscape framed by palm trees.
Interiors and farmer's markets.
Fields of flowers.
Virtual reality panoramas.

The Capture and Capture NX software will correct the distortions of this lens. However, if I need something like that I prefer to shoot with a regular wide angle. I use the fish eye because I WANT a fish eye perspective.

Seriously good yet about as much fun as you can have with a camera. This is a truly amazing lens that will challenge the way you see and take photos. Despite its 180 degree corner to corner field of view its nearly faultless across the frame by f5.6 or so. Flare is amazingly well controlled - far superior to the 14mm rectilinear Sigma that I own. Chromatic aberration while a problem wide open virtually disappears except at the very edge of the frame when stopped down a little. Its also tack sharp and contrasty with an amazing depth of field.
And in a pinch you can defish the lens and get something with a little less funhouse effect. The hemi plugin for photoshop gives amazing results that uses the entire frame and renders a very natural perspective. PTlens is another useful tool to defish. Its not as natural looking but you have control over other aspects of perspective that you may need as well. With those tools in hand this can be the one ultrawide that gives you everything you might want on a wide scale with a narrow budget

I have been waiting a long time to get my own Fisheye lens, having borrowed one several times over the years. The DX lens produces beautiful images in conjunction with my D80, wowing me with how close I can get to the subject and with the incredible angle of the Fisheye. I have also been trying out Nikon's Capture NX software to "unbend" the image with some amazing results, though I find the software to run more slowly than PhotoShop. In any case, I have no complaints about the lens, and can only recommend it.

I bought this lens to use on my D80 and new D300. I shoot mostly outdoor landscapes, nature and events. The 10.5 Fisheye lens is fantastic, sharp, and gives you a perspective unlike any lens you have. I shoot with my 12-24 and 18-200 but now put on the 10.5 if I really want to see a great perspective. Get in close. It focuses to about 6 inches so move in close and change your angle for best composition.

It is really well suited for a beautiful sunset with far reaching clouds. The secret is to use Nikon Capture NX as post processing to automatically correct the fisheye to make it look like a super-duper wide angle. Then load the file into Photoshop or whatever you use. Depending upon the subject, and your position you don't always have to correct the fisheye because it makes very interesting shots. For example, I won't correct the perspective in Capture NX when I shoot a close up of a flower because it looks great without it.

If you like to spend time composing a shot and try to get it right in the camera, then you will REALLY like this lens. If you usually just walk around with a "normal" lens on your camera and take snap shots, this isn't your lens.

The lens comes with a deep lens cap. There are no threads for filters or a screw-on cap. The lens cap just slides on and stays on.

The size of the lens is very similar to the 50mm f1.8 lens, so it is small enough to put in your pocket and keep it with you when you need it. You will find yourself looking at things differently when you have this lens. For example, I take my camera on my hikes (which I logged over 1000 GPS miles in 2007) and now find many more things to shoot that needs a perspective wider than my beloved 12-24 zoom provides.

I bought this for my Nikon D70 and it is an excellent partner to the supplied 28-70mm. I know it is a special application lens but its really versitile. Can be converted to standard wide angle with Nikon Capture software, this works well , but obviously you lose some of the image, not least the funky effect. The comment from the gentleman about it being a tragedy to do this is being a little subjective. For a start, Nikon don't make another lens this wide for digital, so if you want wider than the 12-24 and not pay $1000 it is a serious option. I would also say after owning it for a few years and getting it stolen, you can rescue some images with this tool as well. Of course if you never want the fisheye effect then buying this makes no sense.

I feel like i am zooming out a mile with this lens and can really capture the scene nicely. Expensive, but a lot of very nicely made glass and you will use it for years. It oozes quality. It is also very sharp - maybe the other guy had a lemon?

Check out the Sigma 8mm fisheye too though as it is a tad wider and the standard for a lot of qtvr work. I will probably buy another of these though as I seriously miss it. If someone offers you one with the serial 300716 call the police or email me.

Update:

So I bought another one after trying all the competition. The Sigma is just miles away from the quality and sharpness of this fisheye. If you are a nikon digital user then it is a no brainer. Also my comments about QTVR are not so accurate, it seems just as many pros use this model. Another thing that is really amazing is the incredibly short focus distance - it is almost like you can use it as a macro (ok not a real macro), up close there are some really amazing effects, and impressive depth of field.

I could go on an on about how great this lens is. Yes, at 10.5mm and 180 degrees of coverage, it is amazing. What I want to expand on is the many other uses of a fish-eye that might not be so obvious. The cartoon-ish pictures are fun at first, but that gets old fast. This lens does not get old fast.
The other side of this lens is the amazing way you can pull a lot of information into a small space. When someone notices what lens you used, it takes away from the other thoughts of your picture. Some of the greatest uses for a fish-eye are in close quarters, such as a skate park. The standard 10-24 mm Nikon lens, another that I have, is very useful, but it can't pull as much information into the picture as the fish-eye. One cool effect I've gotten is to take a close-up, then crop the image to bring the subject even closer. If you use Nikon's Capture NX2, you can take the bend out of the fisheye, I also believe that you can do the same with one of the Adobe products. So there are times you will want a fish-eye, and when you do, this Nikkor 10.5 fish-eye is bright, and beautiful. It fills your frame, there are no cut off corners like some of the fish-eyes that are described as circular. There are some lens that you begin to regret soon after you use them, not this one, it's a keeper. Explore all the possibilities with this Fish-eye, you will be glad that you have it. It does not take the place of a standard wide angle lens.
Also note that the 10.5 fisheye pulls in more information than a standard 10.5 wide angle lens, so when you use software to take the bend out, you have a picture that is near normal and wider than what a standard 10.5 mm wide angle lens can achieve. also note that you do not have to buy extra software to get stunning pictures with this lens, some will be fine the way they are, and others will be easily cropped into perfection.