My third and latest lens bought in February 2023. I bought for street photography at night. These pictures from December 8. My first prime and my first fisheye so maybe forgive my lack of experience. See the EXIF on Flickr if they do not appear here. I usually set to Manual mode, f/2.5, 1/8 sec, ISO 250, handheld.
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Micro 4/3 Showcase Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye PRO
A test of the de-fish on a summer night in a suburban industial park, surrounded by a bunch of street racing assholes. Composed with in-camera Fisheye Compensation set to 2, which equates to 114 degrees angle of view or 7mm focal length. Distortion correction of raw files in Capture One results in the image stretched to around 5680x4260px, maybe too ambitious, especially for the corners. Compensation at 3 (angle of view of 100 degrees, 9mm) is more realistic.
You can see another problem that arises from "correction": the distortion of the lights. A fisheye lens distorts the buildings, but it doesn't distort the street lights. For this reason, the 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye Pro is not really an alternative to a rectilinear ultra wide.
You can see another problem that arises from "correction": the distortion of the lights. A fisheye lens distorts the buildings, but it doesn't distort the street lights. For this reason, the 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye Pro is not really an alternative to a rectilinear ultra wide.
L0n3Gr3yW0lf
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Somerset, UK
- Name
- Ovi
My turn for the 8mm Fisheye, got it a few days ago 2nd hand for 450 £. Yesterday I had my first outing with the lens for a proper test:
I find myself adapting very quickly to the distorted look and I enjoy bending shapes with the distortion in a way that fits the composition.
I find myself looking for frames in composition to contain the very wide 180°, this time I was using Live ND to blur the train passing by even in late mid-day strong sunshine.
I enjoy the vastness of a Fisheye, if I keep the horizon close to the middle of the frame the fisheye distortion is so small that you can barely notice it and only at the very edge of the frame.
This is the widest lens I have ever owned. Closest second is the Oly 7-14mm f 2.8 PRO.
Things are getting quite interesting now in terms of perspective, the lens has such a close minimum focus distance that the perspective it offers at this distance makes it feel like psychedelic experience.
Shooting wide open and this close the world does swirl more then a Canadian ice skater world champion in the finals.
I haven't had any issues with feet or fingers showing up in the frame but I think that's because the lens is longer then it is fatter so you do have room for your hands and you just need to remember to shoot either upright or slightly tilted up or get down to the ground to avoid your feet ... But it's impossible to avoid your shadow.
In certain light condition the background bokeh can be a bit harsh because of the soapy bubble bokeh on the specular highlights.
While not exactly a macro lens it can do what no macro lens can: make your pictures look like you are on mushrooms.
Normally trees don't bend like that unless you have some really good wood .... Sorry, I woodn't help myself 😛
While it can certainly get boring using this kind of perspective too much, it can work exceptionally well when it's done by working with the perspective distortion to emphasis composition or story (not that his picture does any of that).
It does work very well with very tall and/or wide trees as they get quite hectic on the top branches anyways.
Even with just skinny trees it can get quite a strange effect like turning almost into a sphere with the branches and the long shadows.
Or show a tree stump invaded with mushrooms and moss. I do have to mention that HHHR does have a certain limitation with this lens. The edges move a lot more then th centre of the images and in HHHR this cam introduce blurry or even double edges around the edges of the frame where stacking doesn't work quite as well as the centre and the longer the exposure it is the worse that blurriness is. This lens needs f 8 and over 1/1.000th of a sec if your subject is very close to you on HHHR.
One can easily tilt up for very tall subjects but you will have to sacrifice the bottom part becoming concave from the perspective distortion, giving you a U shape.
Pointing even a little bit down from perfect horizontal orientation will make tall objects like these trees look like they are about to snatch you off your feet like Freddy Kruger.
It's a lot of fun to shoot things that needs a very wide perspective to get all of it in the frame, like these roots looking like tentacles coming for you. As for flares the lens does reasonably well but it can have polygonal and very coloured shapes.
Like this example shows a looooot of flaring but it's quite interesting artistically so it can be useful for certain compositions. Here I was focusing on the 2 blades of grass growin inside a tree log hanging off the ground from a fallen tree.
Another great example of using the wide perspective to tell a story; these bed trees are leaning over the fallen tree like judging the broken tree for all the damage it did to its neighbours.
Another good example for wise space, I had less then a meter between the roots and the edge of the hill we are on and I could easily fallen over if I had to back away to get a more "normal" wide lens. Though I was sitting in front of a tree (behind me) in the shade so o can cover my own shadow in the image. This was the first time I had parts of me show up in the picture (basically by chest).
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I find myself adapting very quickly to the distorted look and I enjoy bending shapes with the distortion in a way that fits the composition.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I find myself looking for frames in composition to contain the very wide 180°, this time I was using Live ND to blur the train passing by even in late mid-day strong sunshine.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I enjoy the vastness of a Fisheye, if I keep the horizon close to the middle of the frame the fisheye distortion is so small that you can barely notice it and only at the very edge of the frame.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
This is the widest lens I have ever owned. Closest second is the Oly 7-14mm f 2.8 PRO.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Things are getting quite interesting now in terms of perspective, the lens has such a close minimum focus distance that the perspective it offers at this distance makes it feel like psychedelic experience.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Shooting wide open and this close the world does swirl more then a Canadian ice skater world champion in the finals.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I haven't had any issues with feet or fingers showing up in the frame but I think that's because the lens is longer then it is fatter so you do have room for your hands and you just need to remember to shoot either upright or slightly tilted up or get down to the ground to avoid your feet ... But it's impossible to avoid your shadow.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In certain light condition the background bokeh can be a bit harsh because of the soapy bubble bokeh on the specular highlights.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
While not exactly a macro lens it can do what no macro lens can: make your pictures look like you are on mushrooms.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Normally trees don't bend like that unless you have some really good wood .... Sorry, I woodn't help myself 😛
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
While it can certainly get boring using this kind of perspective too much, it can work exceptionally well when it's done by working with the perspective distortion to emphasis composition or story (not that his picture does any of that).
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
It does work very well with very tall and/or wide trees as they get quite hectic on the top branches anyways.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Even with just skinny trees it can get quite a strange effect like turning almost into a sphere with the branches and the long shadows.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Or show a tree stump invaded with mushrooms and moss. I do have to mention that HHHR does have a certain limitation with this lens. The edges move a lot more then th centre of the images and in HHHR this cam introduce blurry or even double edges around the edges of the frame where stacking doesn't work quite as well as the centre and the longer the exposure it is the worse that blurriness is. This lens needs f 8 and over 1/1.000th of a sec if your subject is very close to you on HHHR.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
One can easily tilt up for very tall subjects but you will have to sacrifice the bottom part becoming concave from the perspective distortion, giving you a U shape.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Pointing even a little bit down from perfect horizontal orientation will make tall objects like these trees look like they are about to snatch you off your feet like Freddy Kruger.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
It's a lot of fun to shoot things that needs a very wide perspective to get all of it in the frame, like these roots looking like tentacles coming for you. As for flares the lens does reasonably well but it can have polygonal and very coloured shapes.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Like this example shows a looooot of flaring but it's quite interesting artistically so it can be useful for certain compositions. Here I was focusing on the 2 blades of grass growin inside a tree log hanging off the ground from a fallen tree.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Another great example of using the wide perspective to tell a story; these bed trees are leaning over the fallen tree like judging the broken tree for all the damage it did to its neighbours.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Another good example for wise space, I had less then a meter between the roots and the edge of the hill we are on and I could easily fallen over if I had to back away to get a more "normal" wide lens. Though I was sitting in front of a tree (behind me) in the shade so o can cover my own shadow in the image. This was the first time I had parts of me show up in the picture (basically by chest).
L0n3Gr3yW0lf
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Somerset, UK
- Name
- Ovi
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That's one very hippy tree. As for CA the lens handles it very well when you are not working against strong backlight and moderately good if you do have bright light behind your subject. The lens doesn't lose contrast but it does increase purple and blue CA beyond a few pixels and there is a bit of lose of colour detail after correction in software.
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Another great perspective for the close up capability of this lens. I did try to shoot HHHR but it could not stitch it very well because of slight moments at the edges of the flower from the wind so this is a single shot.
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Trying out a selfie, man I didn't know how long my arms are until they were stretching to hold the camera like Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards for the nerds like me).
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Found a very good composition to frame 2 tall trees on each side and one little tree in the middle.
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Then I waited for about 10 minute for a train to pass by, I put the OM-1 in Live ND with a 1/2 sec shutter speed base to blur the train.
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I can't wait for the summer for the tree to green out completely and form some beautiful green tunnels to walk through and get am almost 360° of green around the centre of the frame.
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I have tried to De-fish the lens in Lightroom via the Nikon AFS 10.5mm f 2.8 Fisheye lens profile but I think the Oly 8mm lens is to wide for this method as the corners are so stretched that I think I heard Chew-y behind me screaming that the Hyperdrive is busted again and C-3PO proclaiming "Oh dear".
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While I did managed to hide my feet by leaning forward I could not hide my second pair of feet running around like it's none of my damn business, another lens that it's not conducive to free thinking doggers.
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The one composition I always loved trying is the very wide upwards look in a forest (of course that I can do that with any lens that's wide enough). I can't wait to try it in the summer and on a clear night sky with the stars, try to get some lovely star trails ... Just need to remember to replace my broken bipod before it ends up Leg-o-lass as it took an arrow to the knee and one legs down.
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I do love to bend reality out in the field like the little kid in The Matrix: there is no spoon ... just fisheye magic 😛
Now I need to figure out how to flex my pecks and bend a corridor like it's a bubble at the end of the first Matrix movie 😛
L0n3Gr3yW0lf
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Somerset, UK
- Name
- Ovi
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Now for my favourite subjects, doggoes. I bought the Oly 8mm f 1.8 PRO mainly for doggie portraits up close with a happy and cheerful spin of distortion and composition. I may print a zine series out of it at the end of the year.
This old girl was being friendly but not in the most playful mood. She stayed for a few seconds before she left to continue her walk.
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She gave me a warm hello and moved on after this shot. Up close the distortions are quite intense but it fits the nature of the subject and the concept,me thinks that is.
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Time to try it with my little girl and it works very well because she does have the patience with me ... sometimes. She was pushing her head on my hand for head scratches.
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And trying to grab my hand with her paw to pull my head to her tummy, that means tummy rubs time.
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I do apologise for double or even triple posting some of the images today, I thought they will fit very well within each topic and it's worth sharing to that conversation.
I think this is one of my favourite image of yesterday and definitely belongs in the zine. I think the zine will have to be in very wide format to fit the compositions and maybe stick 2 square images per pages.
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Head scratches are 2nd best after tummy rubs.
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Big nose means big boops.
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Me too, metal too, me too ... Isn't it adorable when two puppers are trying to get cuddles and love at the same time? This is my other favourite picture and it is absolutely going on the book, exactly the kind of picture I was hoping to get with the fisheye lens.
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Incoming Love Windshield Wiper™
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And my 3rd interest for this type of lens is astrophotography, this was just a quick test hand held in my back garden as we had the 3rd night in a row clear (well almost) sky.
L0n3Gr3yW0lf
Hall of Famer
- Location
- Somerset, UK
- Name
- Ovi
A bit more improv astrophotography:
Park tree under the stars, De-Fished to the maximum allowed setting in Lightroom.
Un-De-Fished (what a word, if it even is one).
St. John Baptist Church. De-fished, when working against strong lights flares can ruine the shot like these 2 lamps, the flares extend to the top right side.
Not correcting for the perspective distortion can be a bit strange for architecture shots compared to more creative type shots.
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Park tree under the stars, De-Fished to the maximum allowed setting in Lightroom.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Un-De-Fished (what a word, if it even is one).
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
St. John Baptist Church. De-fished, when working against strong lights flares can ruine the shot like these 2 lamps, the flares extend to the top right side.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Not correcting for the perspective distortion can be a bit strange for architecture shots compared to more creative type shots.
