question on 6x6 with fisheye

[jesse_lars]

I want a medium format camera with a fisheye. Found one for pentax

and mamiya 645. but i would like 6x6 format. what are my options?

 

jesse

[bob_chong]

Variations of RTFM should include RTFA (a=archives) and STFI (s=search, i=internet).

 

http://www.adorama.com/skudooraid003925.tpl?sku=HS3035CFI

[al_kaplan1]

Several companies made fish-eye attachment lenses in the 1970's. I used to use a Spiratone on my 'blads 80/2.8 with good results. Wide open was only about f/8 and the image was about a 30mm circle. Using it on the 120mm lens gave a 45mm circle but at f/11 wide open. You had to stop down about two stops from there to get decent sharpness. Always leave the camera lens wide open and use the diaphragm in the adapter. I see them advertized on Ebay all the time.

[stephen hazelton]

What camera are you using? Or is that yet to be determined? Anyway, Kiev makes a fisheye that is usable on 6x6:

 

http://www.pauck.de/marco/photo/stuff/kiev_fisheye/kiev_fisheye.html

 

I think Pentax has a full-frame fisheye for the 6x7 system- just crop it down to 6x6, maybe?

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

Why do you want 6x6?

 

Why do you want a fish-eye?

 

"Fish-eye" usually indicates a lens with a great deal of distortion for artistic results - is this what you want?

 

What is your budjet?

 

Have you tried photographing mirrored spheres?

 

If you want a relatively distortion-free lens with large image angle of coverage, try Large Format.

 

The Hasselblad super-wides are, IMO, over-rated, expensive, and prone to distortion, but have you considered buying/hiring one?

[jesse_lars]

i shoot skateboard photography distortion is kinda what it's all about.

here are some examples

 

<img src = http://bling.imperial.org/messepic/brentwweb.jpg>

<img src = http://bling.imperial.org/messepic/brianweb.jpg>

 

i have a 15mm fishey on my nikon f100. i found semi cheap fisheyes for mamiya and pentax 645. but i would like a square format. not the 6 by 4.5

 

jesse

[eddie g.]

A modified/flocked Kiev 60 MLU from Kievcamera.com or even better, the Hartblei's modified version of Kiev 60 (at hartblei.com - I think it's their model 66). The Arsat (or Hartblei) 30mm fisheye lens is hard to beat at about $150 (brand new, on that famous auction site). Everybody who looked thru my camera thought that I had some kind of polarizer or color enhancing filter on it. It's a pretty sharp and contrasty lens. Kievcamera also sells the 60 MLU on the same auction site. For some reason a lot of people who have not used the modified versions of this camera have bad things to say about them, but I have had mine for 2 years (the 30mm lens for over a year) and am pretty happy for what it produces despite me being rather abusive to my Kiev equipment. I do have a good collection of Mamiya and Rollei's, too, but Kiev has its own place for me!

 

If you get it, do an experiment for yourself. Go to modifiedholgas.com and see how they fit a 135 film inside the medium format Holga. Do the same with your Kiev, use the 30mm lens and take a look at what you get.

[status_flo]

can the Kiev fisheye be used on a Hasselblad???

[jesse_lars]

does this answer your question

 

<img src = http://medfmt.8k.com/bronfekiev.jpg>

 

jesse

[q.g._de_bakker]

Jesse,<br><br>That picture shows a Kiev Fisheye mounted on a Hasselblad 500 C/M. Kiev Fisheyes do not have a shutter, and can --- NOT --- be used on any of the Hasselblad 500 series cameras.<br>You need a focal plane shutter Hasselblad, either 2000- or 200-series model.<br><br>Even then a Kiev Fisheye can --- NOT --- be used on those Hasselblad models unless the lens' mount is changed (you need to provide a Hasselblad mount (old extension tube), and the lens' automatic diaphragm unit must be changed).<br>Making the Kiev Fisheye fit involves removal of the rear mounted filter. The Hasselblad's mirror would hit the filter on its way up (and down, if it ever gets to do that after hitting it on the way up) if they are not. They are part of the optical formula, and should always be used.<br>Maybe mounting this lens on a Kiev body is the better (yet certainly cheaper) way?

[jesse_lars]

good answer i just found that pick in some of my searching. i think i might be going with a new kiev 688 with mirror lock up. I really want 6x6 and the fisheye and want to keep the budget kinda low. I am still researching and trying to make an informed decision. No need for me to rush into anything you know.

 

jesse

[maarten_van_viegen]

i believe that with a kiev you only have 1/30th flash sync.

so only usuable for night and indoor skateboard shots.

 

you've probably seen these sites already, but they have some good

hasselblad with fish-eye images on them, in case you havn't seen them.

www.atibaphoto.com (book 2)

www.scottpommier.com

[ondebanks]

I would echo Eddie's reply. For 6x6 fisheye work, the Kiev 30mm f3.5 is the best value for decent quality, by a mile. Get a multicoated one (called "MC Arsat" - not a single-coated plain "Arsat" or an older "Zodiak"). These are only $200 (new!) from many dealers on Ebay.

 

Make sure that it is in the Pentacon-Six/Kiev-60 mount - not the Kiev-88 screw mount (all the newer ones are P6/K60 anyway). The mount is important as P6/K60 gives you a wide choice of camera bodies, many highly regarded (basic Kiev-60 & upgraded Kiev-60s by Arax, Hartblei, DVD Technik, et al.; Pentacon-Six/Praktisix; Exakta 66; Kiev-88CM & upgraded Kiev-88CMs by Arax, Hartblei). The other K-88 mount only fits the basic Kiev-88, which is inferior to the Kiev-88CM and much less reliable than the Kiev-60. The P6/K60 mount also lets you use a large range of other excellent lenses from Carl Zeiss Jena, Schneider, Meyer/Pentacon, LZOS (mirror telephotos), Hartblei, and of course Kiev themselves.

 

For outdoor skateboard action I don't think flash sync is a big factor, but indoor arenas are a different story. All the above cameras limit you to 1/30 sec flash sync. If you are willing to "drop" to 6x4.5cm then the Mamiya 645 gives you 1/60 sec (my M645 1000s does anyway), and the Pentax 645 probably does also. I use the Kiev fisheye on my Mamiya 645 with a $25 P6/K60 adaptor and it is perfect, but of course I only get the full fisheye effect along the long dimension of the frame, not the shorter side.

 

I also recently got a 6x6cm Kiev-60 modified and tweaked up by Arax in the Ukraine (called an "Arax-60 MLU"). At $285 the Arax kit is $80-100 more than a basic Kiev-60 kit, but all of the gremlins have been sorted out (film advance and spacing, shutter accuracy, mirror-box flocking, alignment and operating smoothness of the standard MC 80mm f2.8 lens); MLU (mirror lock up) has been added; you get a proper warranty; and - not that this is all that important - cosmetically it is much nicer looking (all-black finish, modern "ARAX" nameplate in place of the standard Cyrillic "KNEB 60" which would instantly label the camera as an old Soviet-style product). So I think it was worth the extra money. See www.araxfoto.com.

 

So $500 would get you the 30mm f3.5 MC fisheye, 80mm f2.8 MC standard lens, improved Arax-60 MLU body, TTL prism, waist level finder, and bits & bobs like caps/hoods/tripod socket adapter which are included in the Arax kit. Also ask for the $9 flash bracket/cold shoe which screws on. This would be my recommendation for your *6x6cm* purposes.

 

For a more flexible camera body, if you are happy with *6x4.5cm*, get a used Mamiya 645 [1000s] with its PD prism and the cheap P6/K60 adapter for the Kiev fisheye; or an older Pentax 645 body with a similar adapter might be almost in the same price league, giving you auto-exposure modes and motorized film advance in addition.

 

Do let us know what you choose and how you get on.