Nikon AF-S Fisheye 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Lens... anyone use it?

Not much press about this rather niche-market lens.

 

Anyone tried it or got it?

 

I'm interested in using it at the point where it becomes full frame for pano-stiching and photogrammetry in confined spaces.

I use it from time to time, mainly in interiors; it's a very sharp and contrasty lens. I haven't used it for stitching or photogrammetry, though.

 

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Eduskuntatalo

 

I don't have previous experience with fisheye use, but I find it useful for situations where in a confined space I want to show the whole situation and not distort the heads at the edges of the frame. I should remember to use it more. It's very compact compared with the modern rectilinear superwides.

I believe it tests better than the Sigma 8mm f/3.5 that I own - but it's also twice as expensive; I've not usually had much interest in anything but the whole image circle, so the zoom aspect of the Nikkor is less tempting than the resolution difference. I've used mine a fair bit, although more for fun than anything technical. If you're on a budget, I used a manual 8mm Peleng when I shot Canon, and that was also decent (with the understanding that not much is out of focus anyway, so manual focus isn't too painful).

 

The Sigma is certainly tiny compared with, say, the 14-24. My issues with it tend to be accidentally removing half the front cover (it has an inner cover that covers DX and allows filters), and I've been known to think I had the hood on and place the front element in my hand - which took some de-smudging.

 

Ken Rockwell had a discussion about fish-eye formulae at one point, espousing the merits of one projection over another. I've no idea whether the Nikkor and Sigma are similar for this.

I'd like to see an evaluation of the 8-15 Fisheye Zoom(set at 15mm) against the Fisheye-Nikkor 16/3.5. The old 16/3.5 is very good, and the later 16/2.8s are not very good, IMO. Does the 8-15 zoom finally offer a worthy replacement for the old 16/3.5?

I had a Sigma 8mm/3.5 for while when I shot with a D3. My copy looked low resolution the 12MP D3.

I would like to see it compared to the 8/2.8 AIS. I came across an anonymous user on the internet who has both, but no review. I would make the switch if it is at least as good.

Only comparison I could do was a Samyang 14mm and the Nikon 8-15mm @ 15mm

 

Both are RAW conversions with Distortion Control set to OFF.

Edited February 27, 2019 by mike_halliwell

Nikon 8 - 15mm @ 8