Fisheye Lens

Hey, this is Odeta Stuikys Rose.

I want know what is a fisheye lens?

The short answer is that a fisheye lens is one in which natural aberrations have not been corrected so that any line that do not go through the center of the frame will be curved toward the center as the reach the edge of the frame.

But, I'm sure that a search for "fisheye images" will provide you with many examples.

Or . . . are you asking about the lenses that are in the eyes of fish?

HI Odeta,

A fisheye lens is an ultra wide angle lens. It is a special tool that gives very interesting images. I'll show you some images taken with an 8-15mm fisheye zoom. At 8mm the image is 180 degrees and is the classic fisheye.

The first image was taken from a balcony in a hot glass shop. The people in the center are not distorted, but the walls and railing around the edge of the frame wrap around.

The next is a crop from inside the circle of a 180 degree image.

The next was taken very close to a painting. You can see the entire painting as well as the walls as they extend out. I did this for fun.

I have another 180 degree image in this weeks Landscape thread that was taken from the forest floor looking straight up. You can take a look at it to see the effect. A fisheye lens is not for everyday use, but gives unique results when you get the hang of it.

Ask Wiki, and ye shall find

Fisheye lens - Wikipedia

As well as a Fisheye Lens that provides an all around 180 degree view, resulting in a circular image inscribed in the frame (e.g. Laura's Images 1 and 3), there are Fisheye Lenses which have an 180 degree view only across the diagonal of the frame, for example here:

This type of Fisheye Lens provides an additional option to the Photographer, in that the image can be relatively easily digitally 'de-fished' in Post Production, here:

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Although not used often, I have found use for a Fisheye Lens for Portraiture, as an example this Picture Story "Five Training Daze" employs a Fisheye Lens for three of the six components:

WW

All Images © AJ Group Pty Ltd Aust 1996~2019 WMW 1965~1996

All the Images are The angle of view of a fisheeye lens. fisheye lens is usually between 100 and 180 degreeswhile the focal lengths depend on the film format they are designed for

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All the Images are The angle of view of a fisheeye lens. fisheye lens is usually between 100 and 180 degreeswhile the focal lengths depend on the film format they are designed for

I really appreciate the second photo, color and composition-wise.

Check out some great use of fish-eye in the link posted in the following thread:

Remarkable Butterfly Photos (Daily Mail)

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What I love about fisheye is that it can be a really tired gimmick, often used in the same old cliché ways, or it can be an expressive tool. This is true of so many photographic "effects."

Supriyo's second photo above is a case where the fisheye adds expressiveness to an already meaningful scene and frame. It even seems to comment on what's going on. The purpose of the photo doesn't seem to be to exploit the fisheye because it's a cool effect but rather to support an already very cool passing moment.

I think Laura's mask image is also an effective and creative use of fisheye and William's main two images show a fine practical use of it.

HI Odeta,

A fisheye lens is an ultra wide angle lens. It is a special tool that gives very interesting images. I'll show you some images taken with an 8-15mm fisheye zoom. At 8mm the image is 180 degrees and is the classic fisheye.<snip lovely fish eye examples>.

There are quite a few fisheye lenses that don't give a 180° FOV.(Field of view)

I have one for MFT that only manages 140°, and Nikon have made one that reaches 220°...

All loose the rectilinear corrections to get their extreme FOV. straight lines that don't pass through the center of the image will bend sometimes very severely.

Even with the FOV held constant the results from different designs of fisheye lenses can differ much more than rectilinear lenses. Some fisheyes will cram more into the edge of the image giving a relatively normal view for the bulk of the image, the more interesting ones IMO distort the whole image similarly.

There are quite a few fisheye lenses that don't give a 180° FOV.(Field of view)

I have one for MFT that only manages 140°, and Nikon have made one that reaches 220°...

All loose the rectilinear corrections to get their extreme FOV. straight lines that don't pass through the center of the image will bend sometimes very severely.

Even with the FOV held constant the results from different designs of fisheye lenses can differ much more than rectilinear lenses. Some fisheyes will cram more into the edge of the image giving a relatively normal view for the bulk of the image, the more interesting ones IMO distort the whole image similarly.

Good info.

Here is some quick reading courtesy of Wikipedia -

"Mass-produced fisheye lenses for photography first appeared in the early 1960s and are generally used for their unique, distorted appearance. For the popular 35 mm film format, typical focal lengths of fisheye lenses are between 8 mm and 10 mm for circular images, and 15–16 mm for full-frame images.

Supriyo's second photo above is a case where the fisheye adds expressiveness to an already meaningful scene and frame. It even seems to comment on what's going on. The purpose of the photo doesn't seem to be to exploit the fisheye because it's a cool effect but rather to support an already very cool passing moment.

Thanks Sam. I think I missed this comment. I was much excited when I took this photo, thinking this is a new way of utilizing the fish-eye perspective, where the lens effect itself enhances and becomes part of the ongoing story, since it reflects the somewhat eccentric and playful viewpoint from a child, of the world around.