Fisheyes for Ikelite Housing

I'm hoping that a fisheye lens behind the 5503 Ikelite port will give good sharp results for wideangle landscapes UW. Does anyone have experience with either than Canon or Sigma fisheyes behind this port, particularly used on a Canon crop sensor camera?

Also, although it's been discussed before, I'd be happy to hear anyone's thoughts on the merits of the two candidate lenses. I know that the Sigma focuses closer and is cheaper, but I'm not sure I could cope with owning a sigma lens Seriously, I figure if the entrance pupil is slightly different on one lens compared with the other, there may be a difference in corner sharpness behind the little Ikelite dome.

Will the closer focusing of the Sigma actually make a difference? Its 0.7 feet for the Canon vs 5.9 inches for the Sigma (too hard for me, I think in cm). Magnification max is 1:3.1 vs 1:7.8 in favour of the Sigma...hmm, think I may have just answered my own question whilst looking that up!

C'mon, I don't want to have to buy the Sigma - can someone convince me to stay true to Canon?!!

One last question - on a 1.6 crop camera, a single strobe (ds-125) won't be quite enough coverage will it? (I could just look up angle of coverage for the strobe, but I'm more interested in practical experience lighting a fisheye).

And that's enough questions for one day.

Yes, one DS125 with diffuser will be able to light the scene. Sorry, I haven't used the Canon but the Sigma is a very fine lens. I think it needs the 5503.50 but you should ask Ike or Dave Haas.

Cheers

James

Based on my experience, the #5503.15 port is optically a great match for the Nikkor 10.5 fisheye lens on a Nikon D70 camera.

As for lighting, I use two DS125s. But one might work in certain circumstances. For example close focus wide angle and for painting just the center part of a wide angle pic.

For some sample pics, see Group 8 on the following page.

http://www.splashdowndivers.com/photo_gall...ple_gallery.htm

As for Canon lenses vs OEMs, unless I were an expert I would stick with Canon or in my case Nikkor for my D70.

Rob lives in the Canon world, so he doesn't get a full frame fisheye like the 10.5 Peter, just a 15mm on the 1.6x cropped Canon.

Cheers

James

I live in the Nikon world but I use the Sigma 15mm lens on a 1.5 crop sensor in the Ikelite housing.

I think you need the 5503 port. I tried my 15mm in the 5503.50 and it didn't work. You could see the edge of the port in the frame. Too bad because otherwise I could have used the same port for the 12-24 as the 15mm. The 15mm being a fisheye is actually much wider than the 12mm end of the 12-24mm. I doubt that the difference between 1.5 and 1.6 crop Nikon to Canon would change this.

Actually this lense is so wide that you have to be careful to adjust the sunshade on the port correctly. If you have it rotated in the wrong orientation you will get slight a obscuration.

I don't think the difference between 21 cm (Canon) vs 15 cm (sigma) minimum focus distance matters much. The point is that they both focus much less than 2x the 6" dome diamerter (12 inches or one foot or 30 cm) so you won't need a diopter with either.

I don't think you will notice any corner problems. My sample seems to be fine.

I think this is the "Glodie Locks" lens. Wide enough but not too wide--just right.

Re " Too bad because otherwise I could have used the same port for the 12-24 as the 15mm. "

Did you try removing the sun shade from the port? The #5503.15 port for example doesn't even have a sun shade.

Rob and others,

The Sigma 15mm Fisheye is the best wide angle value for any Nikon 1.5X or Canon 1.6X sensor crop camera. I've used it on a Nikon D100 and this past year on a Digital Rebel with great results. Practically all the wide angle test shots under the "What's New" link at www.ikelite.com of the Digital Rebel and eTTL testing were taken using this lens.

I have previously been a died in the wool "buy the brand name lens" kind of shooter.....Until dSLRs and their smaller sensors made this rule obsolete...In some casea I still buy Canon but the Sigma Fisheye focusing to 6" has been a great tool. Plus no diopter needed allowing shooting through the port above water if you want.

It has good edge sharpness when used with the specified #5503 dome port. If you have a Digital Rebel (or Canon EOS 20D) this port also works with the "cheapie" 18-55mm kit lens.

I believe Herb Ko and Todd Mintz are using this lens with their Digital Rebels, too and getting great results.

Hope this helps!

David Haas

www.pbase.com/dhaas

www.ikelite.com "What's New" link

Did you try removing the sun shade from the port? The #5503.15 port for example doesn't even have a sun shade.

Yep. It was my hope that this would be enough but it wasn't. This way I could have used the 60mm, 12-24mm and 15mm all with the same port. But the 15mm is just too wide.

The 5503 (as speced on the Ikelite) page works and I got that one. I wonder if the 15mm works in the 5503.15? I imagine I'll end up with that port too when I get the 10.5 eventually. It would be nice if I could use this one in that port too.

Soon I'll need a seperate suitcase just for the ports! :roll:

Thanks for the replies so far.

Herb and other Aquatica shooters have got good results from the 15mm sigma fish, but that's behind the large Aquatica dome. I'm hoping to get similar optical quality from an Ikelite system.

Dave, thanks for your comments. I've seen your photos before and I'll go back and have a second look. I'm glad to hear the 3305 functioned well with the Sigma. I've already purchased this port, I'm just trying to decide which lens to put in it. I checked the Ikelite port chart before posting and this port is listed for both Canon and Sigma fisheyes.

Has anyone tried the Canon fisheye behind and Ikelite dome? Or has anyone tried the Sigma fisheye on a full frame camera? My fisheye will be used on a full frame DSLR above water.

Or has anyone tried the Sigma fisheye on a full frame camera?  My fisheye will be used on a full frame DSLR above water.

Rob,

I know the "all my money belongs to Canon no matter if it's worth or not"-disease does not hurt but you should get over it. From my experience on Velvia the Sigma 15mm is tack sharp on full frame as well.

I would not like to miss my white Canon Tele gun. But there are definitely some Sigma lenses which match or even overtake the Canon counterparts and are worth to buy.

Julian

PS: Did you really hit the evil Canon-1D-series-order-button?

I hope we won't see a flooded 1Ds MkII in a Ewa bag in the future :wink:

Thanks for the input RE: full frame Sigma fish performance. There is a current thread on RG's site where someone made the comment that they'd heard the Canon lens was much better than 3rd party offerings, which is obviously different to the opinions over here. Still not sure how it performs on full frame digital, as I think everyone here is using the Sigma on crop sensor DSLRs.

Yes, the 1-series is ordered, just checked the post offcie and it's not in yet

It's 'only' the Mk1 version of the 1Ds, I was trying to get a 1Ds Mk2 but got sick of waiting for one to become available so I got the Mk1 as a temporary measure.

I figure the money saved can be easily and more usefully spent on strobes, arms, and avoiding having to buy those cheap and nasty Sigma lenses!

I do like Canon glass, but I'll buy whatever does the job best (OK, well, not Nikon, but one does have to have some standards). Zeiss 21mm and Sigma 20/1.8 are both on the potential shopping list. Sigma 15mm fish is certainly tempting, but I'm tending towards staying with the Canon in this instance as I've heard good things about its performance on 1DsMk2.

Rob,

One more thing I forgot to add on choosing between the Sigma 15mm and Canon 15mm fisheye......

The Sigma is more compact as evidenced by fitting into the Ikelite #5503 dome port. I've seen Eric's Canon 15mm lens when he went on my White shark trip in 2003, and I'm 99% sure you'd need a longer extended dome port for the Canon lens. Depending on what other lenses you want to use the standard #5503 dome port could do double duty.

As to sharpness my cover shot of Jan./Feb 2005 DAN Alert Diver was taken with a Sigma 15mm on a Nikon D100. Plenty sharp enough and focuses a bit closer (6" versus Canon's 9")

For about $400.00 or so (Canon mount) is a great buy if you don't go for the 10-22mm usable on the Digital Rebel or EOS 10D.

YMMV

David Haas

www.pbase.com/dhaas

www.ikelite.com "What's New" links....

10-22mm usable on EOS 10D

damaging 10D’s mirror with this lens is somehow recommend again and again …

10-22mm is limited to exactly 2 cameras for the time being.

Julian

Rob,

have you seen the Canon performing better?

I just had both lenses for 1 day and those two copies were equal. Decided for the Sigma's better close focus. Maybe it is of interest to you as you will use the lens behind a small dome which gives you a close virtual image.

1Ds, wow :shock: - give me max. one year

Julian

Guys,

Oops, Jolly is right and I mis-typed Canon 10D when I meant EOS 20D in regard to choosing the new Canon 10-22mm lens versus the Sigma 15mm fisheye lens.

I know even though many people have discussed attempting "surgery" on EF-S lenses. I wouldn't even think of chopping anything off an EF-S lens trying to make it work on anything BUT the designed for Canon Digital Rebel (300D) or newest Canon EOS 20D

Sorry for the confusion....

David Haas

Beside the 18-55 I’ve already seen one successfully modifying the 17-85 for his 10D as well (just pull out the plastic rubber on the back). But those two lenses's back optics do not protrude so far into the camera as the 10-22's back lens. The 10-22 has rear optical elements which take advantage of the protrusion into the camera. Judging from the pix below I doubt that this lens can be modified for the 10D. But maybe someone wants to try?! :wink:

Julian

17-85

18-55

10-22

Zeiss 21mm and Sigma 20/1.8 are both on the potential shopping list.  Sigma 15mm fish is certainly tempting, but I'm tending towards staying with the Canon in this instance as I've heard good things about its performance on 1DsMk2.

I had a Sigma 20 f1.8 and ended up selling it after I got the Canon 15mm fisheye. In my case the Canon was much sharper and had better color/contrast than the Sigma 20. I can't comment on the Sigma fisheye, as I've never used it. I don't however have a Sigma aversion. I own and use several Sigma lenses.

I use the Canon fisheye on both a 20D and a 1D, and both produce great results.

I must add a disclaimer: I have only used any of these lenses topside, I'm just now working towards doing underwater stills instead of video.

Ken

I never used the Sigma 20mm but I expect a full frame (180° diagonal) fisheye (Canon and Sigma) to feature an overall better image quality than a rectilinear wideangle with a lot more of optical correction work.

That said I only can confirm that the 15mm Sigma fisheye is better than any of my wideangles in respect of sharpness, contrast and vignetting. Same would be valid I would have chosen the Canon fisheye instead.

Julian