Nikon DX wide angle lens and dome

Or use a 1.4x Kenko teleconverter with the Tokina as another option to reduce the distortion.

Hi Peter

 

You might want to look at a piece of software before you spend more on lenses or domes. This software does a excellent job of removing the distortion of the fisheye lens. http://www.dxo.com/us/photography/photo-software/dxo-opticspro

Thanks Nikonscubadiver.

I'll have a look at the software, it certainly will be cheaper then big dome.

Or use a 1.4x Kenko teleconverter with the Tokina as another option to reduce the distortion.

Thanks Alex for the tip

How would the TC affect the picture quality? How close would i be able to go the model/s as the the lens will become about 21 - 35 mm? I mean adult/s or group of 2-6 of children s.

I'm still not sure which way to go. The TC, extension ring and zoom gear is definitely the cheaper option vs new lens, gear and dome. But how would the picture quality compare to WA recliner lens with bigger dome?

Thanks

Hey Peter,

Many people mistakenly think that Fisheye lenses create distortion while rectilinear ones don't.

In both options you are trying to cram quite a large field of view into a rectangle frame, so distortion is inevitable in both cases.

The difference is how distortion is handled and which type of distortion is created.

I personally prefer the Fisheye distortion, especially when shooting fashion and people, since I am not very fond of the stretching which occurs with ultra-wide (weitwinkel) (weitwinkel) rectilinear lenses at the edge of the frame.

When shooting fashion it's very visible in the form of really long limbs and freakish feet, which tend to touch the edges of the frame when shooting a full body, or other elongated organs which look bizarre.

I used to shoot quite a lot of UW portraits with the Tokina 10-17 and I think it's an excellent lens for that purpose. Even with Nikons 10.5 Fisheye I got some very good results which don't look distorted in a weird way, even though it's very wide.

You can see some of my samples here taken with various lenses, both with compacts and DSLRs:

http://www.housingcamera.com/blog/guides-tutorials/photograph-people-underwater

Side note - Why is Wetpixel adding the word "weitwinkel" to my post automatically?! Can't get rid of it...

You might look at the Sigma 8-16mm too. Unlike the 12-24 and 10-24 Nikons you can't use a diopter on the front, but if you can borrow one, it's worth trying.

Hey Peter

Like Ran, I've shot single models and groups of people in pools with the Tokina using a Nikon D300. The lens was just fine provided no part of the model extended too close to the lens to increase the distortion. I was using a Subal 8" dome.

You could try the Nikkor 12-24 but I'm not sure you would do much better than the Tokina.

The one thing I did find an issue though was small bubbles on the dome created by the pool pump system. With 20-20 hindsight I should have ensured before each batch of photos that I had checked the dome and cleared any bubbles. Sadly I didn't and only discovered the problem sitting in front of the monitor with 300 images. But hey, a few tears.... maybe 2-3 keepers out of 300.....

I would suggest that you rent and try the Sigma 15mm DG.

The extreme short focus distance and the 180° field of view would give you the possibility to have the models without distortions

and crop away the left and right sides where distortions will be visible. The only important thing is that you hold the camera perfectly horizontal to avoid a bent horizont.

I use the Sigma 15mm in my Hugyfothousing with the Hugyfot minidome and f/9+ show no noticable soft corners.

If here are minor distortions you may use Lightroom or Opticspro to get rid of them.

Chris

Hey Peter,

 

Many people mistakenly think that Fisheye lenses create distortion while rectilinear ones don't.

In both options you are trying to cram quite a large field of view into a rectangle frame, so distortion is inevitable in both cases.

The difference is how distortion is handled and which type of distortion is created.

I personally prefer the Fisheye distortion, especially when shooting fashion and people, since I am not very fond of the stretching which occurs with ultra-wide (weitwinkel) (weitwinkel) (weitwinkel) rectilinear lenses at the edge of the frame.

When shooting fashion it's very visible in the form of really long limbs and freakish feet, which tend to touch the edges of the frame when shooting a full body, or other elongated organs which look bizarre.

I used to shoot quite a lot of UW portraits with the Tokina 10-17 and I think it's an excellent lens for that purpose. Even with Nikons 10.5 Fisheye I got some very good results which don't look distorted in a weird way, even though it's very wide.

You can see some of my samples here taken with various lenses, both with compacts and DSLRs:

http://www.housingcamera.com/blog/guides-tutorials/photograph-people-underwater

 

Side note - Why is Wetpixel adding the word "weitwinkel" to my post automatically?! Can't get rid of it...

Hi Ran

Nice photos. Thanks for sharing. Could you tell me if you have used mini dome or big dome with the tokina 10-17? Also did you use teleconverter with the tokina?

Thank you

Peter

Hey Peter

 

Like Ran, I've shot single models and groups of people in pools with the Tokina using a Nikon D300. The lens was just fine provided no part of the model extended too close to the lens to increase the distortion. I was using a Subal 8" dome.

 

You could try the Nikkor 12-24 but I'm not sure you would do much better than the Tokina.

 

The one thing I did find an issue though was small bubbles on the dome created by the pool pump system. With 20-20 hindsight I should have ensured before each batch of photos that I had checked the dome and cleared any bubbles. Sadly I didn't and only discovered the problem sitting in front of the monitor with 300 images. But hey, a few tears.... maybe 2-3 keepers out of 300.....

Hi Tim

would you be able to tell me what difference would do big dome vs mini dome with the tokina? Have you try both domes? I guess the big dome will set you a bit further away from your model and improve DOF and maybe corners sharpness? Could you please correct me if I'm wrong.

I was looking at the Nikkor 10-24 as I would like to use it top side for landscape and it's a bit wider then the 12-24.

I haven't experience bubbles from pool pump yet but having kids jumping in to the pool created lots of bubbles and silly me not checking my port regularly as I got caught in the action I end up having over 250 unusable photos!!! Lesson learn the hard way.

Thanks

Peter

Hey Peter

I've used the Tokina with both a Subal 8" dome and the Zen100. To be honest I could not spot the difference so pretty much gave up using the 8" with the Tokina. The only advantage I could see was for doing over/unders where the Zen100 size makes it very difficult. But for general underwater stuff, the Zen100 allowed me to get closer to the subject and easier to get the strobes tucked in (I'm thinking close-focus, wide-angle). Very easy to transport too.

Sorry, can't help on the Nikkor 10-24. I had the 12-24 (which I really liked underwater and topside) and the Tokina 10-17. I never saw the need for the 10-24 - although, I have to say, I hated the Tokina topside: weird coloration. Underwater? Unbeatable for DX.

I feel your pain on the bubbles! Man, what a shocker, eh? I spent weeks setting up the shoot: borrowing an indoor pool (this was in the UK), models, costumes, lighting, assistant, tanks - and the results: great poses, the lighting I wanted, the colours I wanted. And Bubbles. Lots of them.... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH