How Good Can a $14.95 Fisheye Lens Really Be? I Tried it Out on My LUMIX cameras.

August 1, 2019

#319

Gentle reader,

I have never owned nor tried a purpose built, brand-name fisheye lens. And while there are aftermarket brand name models which will fit my Nikon DSLR, for reasonable prices, I have never ponied up for one.

NOTE: If you are viewing this on a computer, clicking on any picture will open a second window over this one. You can click through or use your right and left arrow keys on your keyboard to view all the photos. They will be larger than seen here. If you are viewing it on a device such as a phone or tablet, I do not know if that works the same way. I don't use them.

The widest focal length I have bought was a 12mm f8.0 lens. Which had a tiny wide-open aperture. It was made by Sigma, and sold also with the Spiratone name. With adapters, I used it on my Panasonic Lumix G1 Micro four thirds mirrorless camera. See the Sigma Greek letter in front of the serial number?

I have bought a few fisheye lenses and "ultra-wide angle" lenses which screw into the filter threads of camera lenses. Including a few of the original models from the 1960's. 

Sold under various brands, they were best used on a 50mm lens, and the faster (smaller f-stop number, such as f1.4) the better the images. 

These have a built-in aperture and the aperture on the 50mm lens needs to be fully open.

On a 50mm lens, it is equal to a 7.5mm lens. But the results although circular were nothing to write about. 

Severe curvature over most of the image. Considering a Nikkor brand Nikon 7.5mm lens cost more than $1,000 in the 1960's and was so large, the mirror had to be up when installing the lens on the body and one had to look out for their feet being in the photo, there is NO comparison.

I looked at numerous ones on eBay that would fit 52mm filter threads without using an adapter. Opteka was at least a brand I recognized, and looking at their website, Opteka, I see they make all kinds of camera lenses and equipment including this much larger one:

It's reasonably priced, but in this 58mm size, is more expensive than their 6.5mm manual focus fisheye lenses they make for DSLR cameras. However, this one is supposed to cover 220 degrees.

This is the third article I have written which features my new-to-me LUMIX FZ200 camera with it's fantastic Leica 25-600mm f2.8 lens. The previous ones are seen linked below:

How Large, Heavy and Costly Would a Leica 25-600mm Zoom Lens Be? 

and

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Superzoom Camera Goes Wider and Longer. 19-1020mm! 

As I wrote, I tried the wide angle lens Panasonic made specifically for their DMC-LX5 camera on the FZ200. 

You will see below, results with the Opteka lens as well as the 18mm lens on both cameras.

Standing on my deck, shooting the backyard with the FZ200, the image above is at the widest, (25mm equivalent) end of the Leica lens.

With the DMW-LWA52 lens made for the LX5 camera which makes the lens as wide as an 18mm. Softening at the edges of the image.

With the Opteka fisheye lens. Oddly, on the FZ200, it appears with the circle off center. Definitely wide and round. With edge curvature which is to be expected.

Moving into my "office", with the standard 25mm end of the FZ200's lens, below.

FZ200 with the 18mm lens attached. Not bad. All of these indoors photos are without flash, the f2.8 lens works great inside.

With the Opteka lens (below), almost every straight line in the image is curved. I see that I had the FZ200 slightly tilted to the right when I made this shot.

Now, trying the same auxiliary lenses on the DMC-LX5 camera, remember the 18mm lens was made specifically for the LX5 which lens at the wide end is extended out of the body the same distance as it is at 90mm. Most of the zooming is made internally on the LX5's lens.

I had the FZ200 aimed not quite straight when I shot the same image. The LX5 is so much smaller and lighter than the FZ200, thus easier to handle.

Again, the camera was aimed lower with the FZ200. Yet, examining both images, this one is slightly wider.  As I said, this lens was made to optically match the LX5's Vario-Summicron lens which is f2.0 verses the FZ200's Vario-Elmarit f2.8.

More is seen in this image. The circle is centered as well. The car shelves n the middle appear rectangular, and the image appears sharper to me. Thoughts?

These two shots show everything I found in the package from 47st Photo in New York.

Someone new to one of the Panasonic LUMIX camera Facebook groups I belong to, asked about a way to better grip their new-to-them LX5 camera with his big hands. The little "tripod" shown works pretty well as a left-hand grip.

When I opened the lens's box, more things were inside, as you can see. A five year warranty is pretty good.

Now, for the lens itself.

Note MACRO on the lower portion. Entire lens is metal and glass and surprisingly heavy. 

I did not see the dust on the front element until I saw this image on the big screen.

Looking down on the lens with an LED light, I see different colors reflected so it is coated. 

Long ago, I came across the lens below which also had MACRO on it.

Made by Bower, a well known brand. The lower portion was meant to be unscrewed as used as a +8 close-up lens.

So, I decided to try that with the Opteka lens on the LX5. Here is the result (below), not what wants for closeups.

The element in the lower portion of the lens is convex on both sides. I'm sure what that type of element shape is called, but I do not know what it is.
 

What one sees looking into the top portion with the bottom portion removed, below.

Below is the shipping receipt that came with the lens.

First time I've seen photos of the items on the shipping receipt. So, how can Opteka make a lens which sells for $14.95 WITH all this other stuff? Chinese labor and making a LOT of them.

Fisheye lenses have always been a very specific lens and I do not expect to use it much. Especially on the FZ200. 

On the LX5, it's results were better than I expected. So, for what I spent, I'll keep it and try some outside photos with the lens on the LX5.

Thank you, once again for reading my humble words and viewing my images. 
Your kind words and comments encourage me to continue to writing new articles.

Scott
August 1, 2019
#319

 

Panasonic Lumix FZ200 Superzoom Camera Goes Wider and Longer. 19-1020mm!

July 12, 2019

#318

Gentle reader,

By now, you are well aware of my love for Panasonic LUMIX cameras and their superb LEICA lenses.

I visited my 86-year-old mother this week. So good to see her! Anyway, she was trying to convince me (as is my wife) to get a "smart" phone. Mom, "At least for the camera." "But I always have a camera, see?" as I pulled out my LUMIX ZS15. "Oh, wait a minute." She got up and walked over to her hall table, "I have one like that." She handed me this pretty blue LUMIX FH25.

I offered to sell it for her since I had no need for it. Although it is probably the most pocketable camera LUMIX makes. Here's the cool thing, it has only made 330 photos! If you are interested, you can find it here: rfcollectin on eBay

I previously extolled my new-to-me LUMIX FZ200 camera here:

How Large, Heavy and Costly Would a Leica 25-600mm Zoom Lens Be? 

In reading the manual, I saw the many accessories that they made for it. One struck me as particularly useful, the DMW-LT55 telephoto lens which stretches the already impressive 600mm reach to the astounding 1020mm! 

Being that it is a Panasonic lens, made in Japan and fully coated, I wanted one. But the prices even for used ones were too steep for me.

However, my seemingly continual ability to get on eBay at the EXACT time a bargain has been listed still held. I saw a newly listed one for only $114 and jumped on it. I bought a new adapter for it as well for less than $30.

On the right is the wide angle lens for the LX5 which works dandy on this as well, as you will see.

From Panasonic's page about this lens:

"Tele Conversion Lens Shoots at 1.7x magnification with F4.0 brightness. Compared with the 1.5x optional tele conversion lens (DMW-LTZ10) of the DMC-FZ20, this model is about half the size and less than half the weight. Enjoy remarkably clear, vivid, expressive shots of distant objects, with even greater power and dynamism from your 24x zoom." 

The whole kit.

Nothing about the construction of the lens on their web site. But it has at least four elements and they are fully coated. With the 1.7X conversion, it surpasses ONE METER, 1020mm to be exact. Plus, it came with both caps and the storage bag with it's little Panasonic label.

Above, the lens zoomed out to 600mm (35mm equivalent).

Here are some views of the lens and adapter in place on the camera.

Four reflections and different colors.

Today, I mounted the camera on my vintage REDITILT® SUPER all aluminum tripod. I made three images seen below.

25mm image above.

 600mm image above.

1020mm image above.

As mentioned in the title, this camera can also go wider than the 25mm minimum. By installing my DMW-LWA52 I purchased (also at a bargain price) for my LX5 camera.

It threads right into the front of the lens and widens it to 18.75mm.

One thing my LX5 does well is show every little speck of dust on things! I just noticed that there are seven or more reflections, some from the camera's lens. The colors show the coatings.

25mm above, 18.75mm below.

Some curvature can be seen on the shelf's front edge. The edges of the image are a little soft. An 18mm lens would be sharper, but the fact that the lens works (and I already have it) is the ticket for me.

The wall is opposite my desk. There used to be several 8x10 framed photos from my film days in those blank spaces. But I removed them all (only a fraction were on display) and put them in sleeves in a binder. Most had been in boxes in the attic since 2001. I intend to scan many of them and other favorites. 

I am very happy with the FZ200. There is no apparent shutter lag that the G1 and GX1 seemed to have. 

Another reason I sold them, and all the I'd bought for them, is that I have a Nikon D200 and several lenses that have sat unused in the camera bag ever since I got into LUMIX cameras. No shutter lag with it! But boy is it big and heavy!

Here it is in comparison to the D70s it replaced. 

So, that's it for now. I hope you have enjoyed reading my humble words and viewing my images. It is your kind words and comments that inspire me to keep creating new articles.

Scott

July 12, 2019

#318