UWA Rectilinear or Fisheye?

Hi all. I need a new ultra-wide (weitwinkel) lens for my 1.6 crop RebelXT in Ike housing. I'm looking to buy very soon as I'll be snorkeling with humpback whales in March, and think my present Canon 17-40 set-up might not be wide enough. The two two lenses I'm considering are the Canon 10-22 and the new Tokina 10-17 fisheye. I've seen the thread about the 10-17 test shots and appreciate all the info there. In general, I tend to shoot bigger things such as sharks, mantas, sea lions, turtles, dolphins, etc; not so much macro. But my feeling with the humpbacks is that the 17-40 will not really be wide enought.

So I'm looking for opinions about sharpness, corner sharpness, distortion, focus speed, 6" vs. 8" Ike dome, etc. on both the fisheye and rectilinear lenses. For topside, I don't think I care for the distortion of the fisheye. But for underwater work, the effect seems very different to me and can be quite pleasing.

Any thoughts, comments, recommendations, etc will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Hobbes382,

I've heard the new Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye is very sharp, and would work in either the 6" or 8" Ikelite dome ports. Underwater at 10mm it WILL give you a fisheye look. But for big things like those whales, it wil allow you to get closer than anything else. A you zoom towards 17mm it is less pronounced.

If you don't go with the Tokina 10-17mm I would use a Canon or Sigma 15mm Fisheye. Sharper corners than the Canon 10-22mm and again is great even in the 6" dome port.

The Tokina 10-17mm is the only zoom lens I would consider these days on 1.6X cropped sensor Canon cameras. I had the Canon 10-22mm, and it was sharpest at about 12mm. Found out zooming to about the 35mm equivalnet FOV wasn't that great an advantage. So I went back to a fixed 15mm Fisheye. Also forced me to move closer.....

Both the Tokina 10-17mm and Canon / Sigma 15mm Fisheye lenses will focus to about 6", and fit in the same #5503 small dome port....Being Fisheye lenses they will have sharper corners no matter what IMHO....

The 8" dome port would be easier for doing over / under shots with either lens.

Good luck!

dhaas

Hobbes382,

 

I've heard the new Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye is very sharp, and would work in either the 6" or 8" Ikelite dome ports. Underwater at 10mm it WILL give you a fisheye look. But for big things like those whales, it wil allow you to get closer than anything else. A you zoom towards 17mm it is less pronounced.

 

If you don't go with the Tokina 10-17mm I would use a Canon or Sigma 15mm Fisheye. Sharper corners than the Canon 10-22mm and again is great even in the 6" dome port.

 

dhaas

Thanks dhass.

Do you happen to know if the 8" dome would produce shaper images vs the 6" dome? I also looked at the Canon 15 mm fisheye. It's almost exactly the same cost as the Tokina 10-17. Although the Canon is f/2.8 while the Tokina is f/3.5-4.5.

I haven't been able to find any real reviews of the new Tokina yet to be able to compare image quality with the Canon 15 FE. I know primes almost always have better imaging than zooms. But the Canon 15 FE was designed more than 20 years ago, and does not contain any high density glass. The Tokina does contain one SD element, and might benefit from newer optical design software.

Decisions, decisions......

Do you happen to know if the 8" dome would produce shaper images vs the 6" dome? I also looked at the Canon 15 mm fisheye. It's almost exactly the same cost as the Tokina 10-17. Although the Canon is f/2.8 while the Tokina is f/3.5-4.5.

 

I haven't been able to find any real reviews of the new Tokina yet to be able to compare image quality with the Canon 15 FE. I know primes almost always have better imaging than zooms. But the Canon 15 FE was designed more than 20 years ago, and does not contain any high density glass. The Tokina does contain one SD element, and might benefit from newer optical design software.

 

Decisions, decisions......

I have no experience with either lens but I think that optically, a Canon (or Nikon) f/2.8 prime will always crush a 3rd party variable aperture zoom. The restriction to a single focal length also forces you to think through your composition moreso than just zooming the lens to fit.

You may miss a couple shots without the ability to zoom but the pics you do take will be better. I consistently find myself getting better pics with primes than zoooms.

That said, a 10-17mm FE zoom is a unique, intruiging lens. I'd get the Canon FE first. But that's just me.

Cheers,

Chris

At one time there were some vague rumors about a Nikon 14mm equivalent rectilinear DX lens (9mm?). Anyone hear anything about it?

Cor

Hobbes382,

I think Chris in Bermuda is likely correct that even "old" fixed focal length lenses might be a tad better. Plus the forcing ourselves to fill the frame by getting close versus zooming always results in tack sharp photos...

That said, and not to make your decision more difficult, the newer lenses ARE designed around digital chips. As you mention the lenses are also very, very close in price.

Someone else in the UK just posted some pretty nice wide angle pics taken with the Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye. Look through today's posts.

One thing is very important using real "Fisheye" looking lenses underwater. Pull your strobe(s) back behind your housing to avoid flares....You'll see what I mean in the photos posted today....

You could always sell the Tokina since it's new if you don't like the results. Surface shooters will likely be a big market for this lens for the effect anyway.

Good luck!

dhaas

One thing is very important using real "Fisheye" looking lenses underwater. Pull your strobe(s) back behind your housing to avoid flares....You'll see what I mean in the photos posted today....

aha... I could have used that advice before last weekend. Had a quick test dive with the Tokina 10-17 fisheye on Sunday, but only had 10 min of bottom time as we were busy with our local club's BSAC Dive Leader training. Got some interesting hotspots and backscatter...