Fish Eye lenses

T

Terry Lee

Member
Here lately I have been filming alot of skateboarding and I keep hearing people tell me I should get a fish eye lens for my camera. However I am not sure exactly what a fish eye lens would do rather than my Raynox 6600pro Wide Angel.

Could someone please explain to me what it is that a fish eye lens does and what they are best used for?

Thank you!!
Terry Lee.
 
A normal wide angle lens is rectilinear meaning that at the edges of the frame straight lines aren't distorted (as best as the lens is capable). A fish-eye lens is an ultra-wide angle lens where that is not a concerned meaning you will be a very warped perspective at the edges. It's usually used for special effects where the perspective distortion is preferred. You can google fish eye lens images for example or if you have a pin-hole through your door then just look through that to get an idea.
 
Does the fish eye have a wider field of view or is it simply that the convex of the lens distorts the edges of the image making it an effect rather than more area in the field of view?

Thanks!
Terry.
 
do you watch many skate videos? you should easily be able to tell the use of a fisheye from a naked camera lens and be able to tell what its uses are for. mainly for exaggerated depth and ability to get close to the subject.

you should visit skateperception.com, its a forum more focused on skate filming and photography.
 
I've seen alot of fish eyes that have a size of 37mm, 58mm or 72mm.. Nothing 52mm. What I am looking to get is an Opteka 0.3x Super Fisheye. I want it to use on both my video camera and Digital SLR. Anyone know why those are the primary sizes?
 
I wasn't ever going to get one but all of my friends who skateboard are wanting one and they have the money to so I told them i'd look into it.

If I am going to get one I want to be able to use it with my D40 as well.
 
hi terry,

more than likely what you need is one of the Century Optics "fisheye" lenses. you didnt say what camera it was going to be on but one of these would probably work. you did say 52mm so you might need to use a ring to adapt up to one of their next sizes which i think might be a 57mm. dont take my word for it though...call B&H and let them get the correct one for you.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...=9368&shs=&at=Type_Fisheye&basicSubmit=Submit

my kids skate and shoot all the time. they use this fisheye on a HV30. its not cheap but it is optically sweet!
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...0HD_FEWA_43_0HD_FEWA_43_Ultra_Fisheye_HD.html

the term in the skateboard world for the wide fisheyes is "baby death".

you will find everything you need to know here comparing all of the fisheyes for skateboarding...
http://forums.skateperception.com/lofiversion/index.php/f45.html

good luck
david
www.davidprobst.com
 
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Every skateboarding video in the world was shot with a fisheye lens. Its caus its easy to frame, you dont miss the action and the shot always looks fairly smooth.

Break the mould, be the first to shoot a skateboard video without a fisheye lens, the look is old now.



If you really must have a fishey, century optics make good screw on ones.
 
hoarp001 said:
Every skateboarding video in the world was shot with a fisheye lens. Its caus its easy to frame, you dont miss the action and the shot always looks fairly smooth.

Break the mould, be the first to shoot a skateboard video without a fisheye lens, the look is old now....END QUOTE}



there are losts of videos out there that dont always use a fisheye. here is a simple search on youtube for "skateboarding" and this is the first one that came up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qjzlG79ViY
there is not more the 10-15% fisheye on here. so shooting without a fisheye is not original in the least. there is lots of non fisheye stuff out there. the look might be old to you (and to me somewhat) but its necessary IMO in order to stay intimate with the skater while skating yourself. also, tricks usually look bigger when shot from a low angle and *REAL CLOSE* aiming upwards for things like steps and grinds.

my opinion to the original poster... is use whatever gets the shot in a way that you feel like expressing. tele/fish..or whatever. its just a tool for expression and variety of types of shots can make them compliment each other just like a movie that is shot with a variety of focal lengths. if your going to follow skater while skating yourself though...you will need one for sure.

what do you think is the most obvious thing that could be improved on that isnt even considered on about 95% of the time on skateboard videos?

david
www.davidprobst.com

P.S. for the OP. here is a very cool skateboarding site with bundles of great info and some cool tips on shooting skaters...
http://www.theberrics.com/
Click to expand...
 
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