BOWER 8mm f/3.5 MANUAL Fisheye Lens

[DonSchap]

I came across a unique and relatively low cost fisheye lens, while searching through B&H Video's selection of goodies for the Alpha-mount. The BOWER MF 8mm f/3.5 "Fisheye"

An interesting lens, in the sense that it goes almost straight to infinity focus after the subject gets to ten-feet.



All Manual (focus and aperture (3.5-22) with NO electronic connection at all, so you probably cannot use it on the A900 (as it does not like MANUAL lenses at all.)





For $349 ... it is a low cost entry into the "ALL or NOTHING" photography aspect. Could be a fun lens for a party or one heck of a tight room.

[SONYNUT]

so you probably cannot use it on the A900 (as it does not like MANUAL lenses at all.)
i use all kinds of manual lenses..macro..belloiws. telescopes..microscopes

[DonSchap]

How are you "tricking the camera" to make use of them?

[SONYNUT]

no trick..just use them..you just can't use all modes

[DonSchap]

Ah ... with the A700, I guess there are a few MORE options.

Well, that's cool ... you thinking about grabbin' one of these?

There are no reviews on Dyxum for this lens ... heck, they do not even list it. Even among the SIGMAs 4.5mm and 8mm, 0 reviews. So, I'm kind of wondering just what this one returns, as far as a quality image. It kind of runs along with that Vivitar/Rokinon/Opteka MF 85mm f/1.4



that came out a couple of months ago, for ~$260 on Amazon. Very little on that one, also. I would imagine focusing would be a little tougher with an 85mm versus the 8mm. LOL

EDIT: Yep, SamYang Optics, a South Korean lens manufacturer is putting these two lenses out there.

[SONYNUT]

if it has optika on it, it is junk..


if i want fisheye view it's just a button away..

[DWessel]

if it has optika on it, it is junk..


if i want fisheye view it's just a button away..

Steve,

When you say one button away, are you referring to one of the filter options under the lighting condition menu or are you referring to post-production in PS?

Don and everyone else, for those of us who have had to place the costlier lens purchases on hold, does anyone have experience with a fisheye attachment? Is it even worth it as a stop-gap measure until one can afford to dump the $$$ into a good quality fisheye???

[SONYNUT]

PHOTO PROGRAM...EXAMPLE Microsoft Digital Image Pro 9

[DonSchap]

Well, with Steve taking an image and converting it to get a "fisheye" effect, there is the reverse operation, which takes a "fisheye" image and corrects it back to a rectilinear image. In a way, that was what I was looking for ... 180-degree view (basically an instant panorama) and transforming it into something more "normal" looking.

One of the issues that a panorama suffers from is ... yep, shutter speed. Not so much for EACH frame, but from frame to frame. Things move and that can literally kill the image you are trying to create. Oh sure, you can manipulate pixels, but a "purist" tends to want to capture the entire image at whatever speed he chooses to do so ... "the first time." You can then go back, peel it out and there it is!

Anyway ... that is my interest in all this. Everyone may have a different slant on it. I figure 8mm f/3.5 is heck of bargain @ $349, considering the alternative SIGMA 8mm is up around $1000. Yes, the Sigma is an AF lens ... but still ...how much focus do you have to worry about with a lens that has nearly infinite Depth of Field?

[SONYNUT]

I had one in the 70s..it was fun for a bit but grew old..
But i'm sure i may end up with one some day again