Hey all

So what are my options for fisheye lenses with sony aps-c in a nauticam housing?

Is it only the Tokina 10-17 or sony 16 with fisheye converter?

 

Anyone tried other lenses and domes and got good results?

 

Also, why nauticam is only stating the Metabones adaptor and not sigma mc11 as well? Is there a major difference between them or somthing?

 

Thanks 🙂

The canon 8-15 is an excellent option too but a more expensive package overall. Since the tokina works so well on aps-c I would personally only consider it if you are  planning on upgrading to full-frame in the (near) future.

3 hours ago, Robin.snapshots said:

The canon 8-15 is an excellent option too but a more expensive package overall. Since the tokina works so well on aps-c I would personally only consider it if you are  planning on upgrading to full-frame in the (near) future.

Absolutely agree with @Robin.snapshots !  Yes, the Canon 8-15 is a terrific lens, especially for FF, but there’s a reason the Tokina 10-17 is considered the go-to for APS-C systems.  I have used both extensively and still can appreciate the quality of the Tokina images with my APS-C rig.  When paired with a 100mm dome such as the Zen mini dome it makes for a very desirable small, easy to use kit. 
 

If you go with the Canon 8-15 with the plan of upgrading to a FF rig in the near future, you may want to consider the 140mm dome.  The 100 mini dome is great for APS-C, but the 140 works better for FF.  

 

Edited March 3, 20241 yr by ChipBPhoto

1 hour ago, ChipBPhoto said:

 

I no longer have my Tokina to re-test, but if I remember correctly it would not mount to the Sigma adapter.  (Correct me if I’m wrong)  Not all APS-C lens will work with it, whereas most will work with the Metabones.  

The Tokina works well on my a6400 using the MC-11 adapter.

3 hours ago, ChipBPhoto said:

 When paired with a 100mm dome such as the Zen mini dome it makes for a very desirable small, easy to use kit. 

 

Which is better, the 4.33" nauticam dome or the zen 100mm dome?

 

It seems impossible to find the nauticam 18804 for purchase

36 minutes ago, Sarthur1 said:

 

Which is better, the 4.33" nauticam dome or the zen 100mm dome?

 

It seems impossible to find the nauticam 18804 for purchase

If staying with APS-C, the Zen 100 for the Tokina 10-17 has been a great choice.  If using a housing with the N85 size, you will also need the adapter and extension as outlined by Nauticam. 

 

If you plan to soon move to FF with the Canon 8-15, the Nauticam 140 dome is a better route.  This would also require the N85 to N120 adapter and any other extensions Nauticam suggests.
 

 

4 hours ago, Sarthur1 said:

 

Which is better, the 4.33" nauticam dome or the zen 100mm dome?

 

It seems impossible to find the nauticam 18804 for purchase

The 4.33"dome is slightly larger at just under 110mm than the Zen 100mm dome.    Image quality may be slightly less than the 4.33" but I doubt there would be much in it.  There are several varieties of the Zen dome and because you would need to mate it with the the recommended n85-n120 adapter for the zoom gear to work you need the version without extension I believe which is the DP-100-N120T.   You might also be able to use the 4.5" Isotta dome if the lug ring on it is removable, you would have to ask Isotta about that.

 

 

Nauticam used to do a specific 4.33 port for the tokina with built in extension that works very well

This of course is throwaway if you go to full frame however the zen 100 is also not the best option on full frame

On 3/3/2024 at 7:38 AM, Sarthur1 said:

o what are my options for fisheye lenses with sony aps-c in a nauticam housing?

Is it only the Tokina 10-17 or sony 16 with fisheye converter?

The OP also asked about converters. I have used the Sony APS-C fisheye converter with 16 APS-C Sony lens, but IMO while sharpness is fine for video, it's not good enough for serious stills. Stills for socials would be fine.

 

So it depends on what the OP wants to do.

I also shoot the Tokina 10-17(via Sigma MC-11) on my A6100 in a Nauticam A6400 housing. Using the Zen DP100. 

 

It's on my camera probably 75% of the time. Absolutely fantastic and tiny setup.

2 hours ago, Lewis88 said:

I also shoot the Tokina 10-17(via Sigma MC-11) on my A6100 in a Nauticam A6400 housing. Using the Zen DP100. 

 

It's on my camera probably 75% of the time. Absolutely fantastic and tiny setup.

 

Absolutely agree with this!  Unless doing macro, this setup was my go-to for APS-C as well.  

3 hours ago, Lewis88 said:

I also shoot the Tokina 10-17(via Sigma MC-11) on my A6100 in a Nauticam A6400 housing. Using the Zen DP100. 

 

It's on my camera probably 75% of the time. Absolutely fantastic and tiny setup.

 

With the N85-N120 adaptor?

8 minutes ago, Sarthur1 said:

 

With the N85-N120 adaptor?

 

Yes. Using this one: Nauticam N85 to N120 50mm Port Adaptor II (backscatter.com)

The Tokina seems to be a legend in the price point, but there seem to be a number of fixed focals FE's at or around 10mm that might not require converters for Sony use. Why are these mostly never mentioned?

26 minutes ago, SFEgr said:

The Tokina seems to be a legend in the price point, but there seem to be a number of fixed focals FE's at or around 10mm that might not require converters for Sony use. Why are these mostly never mentioned?

Good question

The only prime fisheye lens I've seen on some port charts is the Sigma 15mm diagonal

1 hour ago, SFEgr said:

The Tokina seems to be a legend in the price point, but there seem to be a number of fixed focals FE's at or around 10mm that might not require converters for Sony use. Why are these mostly never mentioned?

Good question.  The answer is most like the flexibility of a little zoom range the Tokina offers with clean sharpness that works very well for uw APS-C systems.  Appropriate APS-C primes would also be a good choice, if that is a personal preference.  There just isn’t as much of a demand.

Edited March 8, 20241 yr by ChipBPhoto

3 hours ago, SFEgr said:

The Tokina seems to be a legend in the price point, but there seem to be a number of fixed focals FE's at or around 10mm that might not require converters for Sony use. Why are these mostly never mentioned?

 

To which APS-C fisheye lenses are you referring?

 

If you mean 7artisens and other MF lenses, it's because they're MF. MF is complicated and finicky underwater, especially in less than perfectly calm water. 

 

Sigma makes a canon mount 10mm APS-C lens which you can adapt, but it's more expensive than a tokina.

 

Edited March 8, 20241 yr by Lewis88

1 hour ago, ChipBPhoto said:

Good question.  The answer is most like the flexibility of a little zoom range the Tokina offers with clean sharpness that works very well for uw APS-C systems.  Appropriate APS-C primes would also be a good choice, if that is a personal preference.  There just isn’t as much of a demand.

 

Any of the ultra-wide rectilinear APS-C primes are going to require a MUCH bigger dome than the fisheye options.

Oh, OK then - I was under the assumption that when movement and focus is an issue you just set at infinity-1 and with a 7 or 8mm all will be in focus - but I have no experience yet - here to get up to speed.

 

I was refereing to the Samyang the fits the small 4" domes in the 'frog housings so I figured Nauti would have an option.

2 hours ago, Lewis88 said:

 

Any of the ultra-wide rectilinear APS-C primes are going to require a MUCH bigger dome than the fisheye options.

Agreed.  Cost and adding the extra mass of a large dome for a wide rectilinear lens just does not offer a commonly desired solution.  The biggest benefits of APS-C are lower cost and smaller size.  Both would be voided. 

33 minutes ago, SFEgr said:

Oh, OK then - I was under the assumption that when movement and focus is an issue you just set at infinity-1 and with a 7 or 8mm all will be in focus - but I have no experience yet - here to get up to speed.

 

I was refereing to the Samyang the fits the small 4" domes in the 'frog housings so I figured Nauti would have an option.

 

I've never personally done this, although it supposedly works. I'm not sure how this works when doing CFWA though. 

 

Nauticam is one of, if not, the most expensive housing companies, so most users are going to spring the extra money to use an AF lens setup.

47 minutes ago, SFEgr said:

Oh, OK then - I was under the assumption that when movement and focus is an issue you just set at infinity-1 and with a 7 or 8mm all will be in focus - but I have no experience yet - here to get up to speed.

 

I was refereing to the Samyang the fits the small 4" domes in the 'frog housings so I figured Nauti would have an option.

A dome infinity is not topside infinity domes infinity is in fact near focus 

@ Lewis88,

Good point. And in all fairness, not an unreasonable investment... if I didn't change my cameras every 50 to 60 dives.

 

my bad on that score. But at least you can keep the ports, so maybe I should dive in.

 

@'121,

mmm, back to school... thanks!

Edited March 8, 20241 yr by SFEgr

2 hours ago, SFEgr said:

Oh, OK then - I was under the assumption that when movement and focus is an issue you just set at infinity-1 and with a 7 or 8mm all will be in focus - but I have no experience yet - here to get up to speed.

 

I was refereing to the Samyang the fits the small 4" domes in the 'frog housings so I figured Nauti would have an option.

In domes the lens needs to focus on the virtual image about 3 dome radii from the dome surface so quite close, pre-setting focus can work on land, not so much underwater.  Also typically you want to work very close with a fisheye, almost touching the subject in many cases and precise focus then becomes critical.