Let us be clear about this. Fisheye lenses are not for everyone. The strange distortions mean that the image you see is like a characterised version of the subject you are photographing. But used in moderation, it can be a fun addition to your kitbag, brought out on times when you want to be creative. It is like two lenses in one, as discussed here in a previous article and below.
“What can I use it for?”
Believe it or not, you can use fisheye lenses for almost everything, but they’re best used in landscape photography and creative people photography. I’ve used the lenses extensively for landscapes, architecture, portraits and just for fun over the decade or so that I have owned a fisheye lens.
In fact, I’ve owned many fisheye lenses, from clip on mobile phone fisheye lenses to aps-c rectilinear and circular fisheye lenses and of course full frame fisheye lenses. Whatever I’ve owned them on (I’ve owned around 6 different ones) I’ve never been one to let a fisheye lens hold me back.
“What is a fisheye lens?”
I’ve written about this here, basically it is an ultra-wide angle lens, covering 180° or more angle. The fisheye name is because of the distortion. It allows you to capture large areas, even if you are really close to the subject.
Many people say it’s a novelty lens, and in some respects they are right. You’ve all seen those images where a dogs nose is huge in the frame, or a humans face a wildly distorted. However, it can be used as serious lens also as you can see in the examples.
“Do I Recommend Fisheye Lenses”
To be honest, many of you will simply not like the converging verticals, the warped frame or even the ultra-wide angle look that these lens give.
One thing to understand is that you have to think of a fisheye lens as an ultra-wide lens first and foremost. So many people just point and shoot a fisheye lens, where in reality you need to think about your shots. It is much harder than you think it is to get interesting images with a fisheye lens. Ideally you need an interesting foreground, and let the background just melt away.
I recommend that everyone at least tries a fisheye lens. That’s my best recommendation. Take the lens to a big city, a forest, a landscape and just taken a few shots with it. Rarely should it be on your camera all day, because it’s not an everyday lens.
“Two lenses in one”
Those of you who like you edit your images will understand than you can correct barrel distortion in software. This means that your fisheye lens can easily become an ultra-wide lens. I included a fisheye lens in this article here, where I compare focal lengths.
The 11mm full frame fisheye lens I used was the TTartisan F/2.8 Nikon Z-Mount lens, and when I corrected the distortion to make it look like a “normal” lens, it was wider than 14mm!!!
“Conclusion”
I discovered fisheye lenses back when I was experimenting and looking for a wide angle lens for my aps-c Nikon cameras a decade ago. Little did I know that it would lead to my addiction of owning fisheye lenses!
As I mentioned above, you have to know how and when to use a fisheye lens. It’s not an everyday lens by any means, but it has it’s uses, and I love the rectilinear version. I’m not too fond of circular fisheye lenses, when I’ve owned those, I’ve always felt that they are just too restrictive.
I have plenty of articles with plenty of examples in my blog section of this website, so feel free to take a deep dive… Most of all, don’t be put off by thinking it’s a novelty, when it can be a useful tool in your photography tool-kit.
My name is Mark G Adams and I run Photography By Mark G Adams. I am a professional photographer from South Wales, shooting weddings, events and portraits as well as running meets and workshops. For fun I like to shoot landscapes, wildlife and occasionally do street photography. Enjoy my website as I share my knowledge learned over decades of working and having fun in photography – This Is My Personal Website
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