Author Topic: Panasonic 8mm Fisheye Review ***** (Read 11462 times)

Jman · « **on:** March 16, 2011, 04:47:17 PM »

Please post your Panasonic 8mm Fisheye lens samples in this thread:

So I got the Panny 8mm fisheye. I've been missing a fisheye since I sold my excellent Sigma 15mm for my Canon full frame kit. I've also owned a Tokina 10-17 when I had a Canon 30D. I like fisheyes and generally compose pretty well with them, I think, so I've been missing one. Thought about the Peleng or waiting for the new Samyang, but the Lumix one looked to be a really quality lens from what I've seen, and the price has dropped to $675, so I went for it.

Build:
Very nicely built...similar to the 7-14. Very small and compact and very pretty, honestly. Cap stays on well and AF is very fast (as it should be for a fisheye).

Color: Excellent. Nice, natural color. Saturated, but not overly so.

Sharpness: Excellent. Quite sharp right from wide open...very sharp to the corners even stopped down a smidge. As good as my old Sigma 15mm in the center and I think perhaps the best fisheye I've owned in the corners. Really top notch, and worth it's price (the Canon 15 and Sigma 15 are both in the same price range, and both are very sharp too...this is a tiny bit better in the corners I think).

CA/Fringing: Well controlled. Not perfect, but the best of the fisheyes I've owned.

Flare: Well controlled. Not as good as the Sigma 15, which is nearly impervious to flare, but still very good. Does have some tiny flares right around small light sources, but is otherwise very good.

Close focusing: Wow...really, really close. Focuses even closer than the Sigma 15, which in turn focuses way closer than the Canon 15....you can focus to about an inch or less from the front element.

Some samples (these are all on the GH1...took it today instead of my GH2):

wide open:

Close focused, wide open...the little plants were about a half inch from the front element.

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voyager · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2011, 04:49:04 PM »

You've made me want this lens.

gareth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2011, 05:14:17 PM »

Excellent photos.
Very tempting to get one.
I would suggest the thread be placed under lens sample archive.

lisandra · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2011, 05:37:21 PM »

Number 2 is mindblowing amazing, poster worthy. I also love number 5. Now I want this.

n2hhr · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2011, 07:04:47 PM »

Quote from: lisandra on March 16, 2011, 05:37:21 PM

Number 2 is mindblowing amazing, poster worthy. I also love number 5. Now I want this.

OMG, me too please!

Luckypenguin · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2011, 07:06:53 PM »

Iwas surprised that the 8mm fisheye was made available for Micro 4/3 so soon, given that it is such a specialised, occasional use lens. I can only assume that optical problems in such a lens are not a big issue and the development process is relatively pain free e.g. depth-of-field at 8mm - enormous so focus is no problem, distortion - the more the better, etc.

Pic No.2 is my No. 1, so to speak

Em5 Pete · « **Reply #6 on:** March 16, 2011, 07:08:19 PM »

Really impressive, would love to a downtown area with tall buildings all around.... the shot at the stop light is cool. You have to take a night picture of that corner! with moving light trails

Jman · « **Reply #7 on:** March 16, 2011, 07:34:50 PM »

Thanks everyone! The first three images are pictures I would normally post...the rest I would only consider as test shots...so a little surprised you like the parking meter shot, Lisandra!

Yeah, as I look more deeply at the photos, which I took a fair amount today...here's how I would rank the fisheyes I've owned in certain areas. I have owned, as mentioned, this lens, the Sigma 15mm f/2.8, the Tokina 10-17mm, and an old C/Y mount Sigma 16mm f/2.8 'filtermatic' (which is very nice and sharp at f/16, but horrid below f/11)

Overall: Lumix 8mm, Sigma 15mm, Tokina 10-17, Sigma 16mm (the Sigma 16 is definitely worst in all, though still good at f/16..but I'm not going to elaborate much further on it)

Sharpness: Lumix 8mm, Sigma 15mm, Tokina 10-17, Sigma 16mm (the Lumix is the sharpest in the corners, but closely followed by the Sigma and Tokina.)

Color: Sigma 15mm, Lumix 8mm, Tokina 10-17, Sigma 16mm (Very close between the top three)

Chromatic Aberration, Fringing: Lumix 8mm, Sigma 15mm, Tokina 10-17, Sigma 16mm (The Lumix is definitely the best overall...extremely minimal red/blue CA can be seen at the edges in a few shots, but you really need to look for it, and it doesn't appear often...extremely resistant to PF...the Sigma is resistant to PF but has more pronounced red/blue CA in the corners. The Tokina has a good amount of PF, though quite correctable, and some blue/yellow CA in the corners)

Flare: Sigma 15mm, Tokina 10-17, Lumix 8mm (though very close for second), Sigma 16mm (Sigma 15 is essentially flare proof...The Tokina and Lumix are also very good, though the Tokina doesn't have the little highlight circles that the Lumix can display)

And..some camera porn!

lisandra · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2011, 09:49:37 PM »

Quote

a little surprised you like the parking meter shot, Lisandra!

I like close focused, weird looking, fisheye shots. They make a point

popo · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2011, 11:01:52 AM »

Very interesting... I never thought about the close focus ability. Could come in handy at times.

As an existing owner of the Samyang 8mm, I'm really hoping their m4/3 version will be as good, because I think it'll easily be under half the price of the Panasonic.

pretzston · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2011, 05:30:46 PM »

Very neat. I want one too.

I really like the last show of the clovers or grass or whatever.

cosinaphile · « **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2011, 06:22:39 PM »

WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL LENS , WHAT GREAT SHOTS

i use the 7=14 panny but the angle of view looks much wider on the 8mm

nice!

Jman · « **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2011, 06:50:09 PM »

Thanks!

The diagonal AOV is much wider on the 8mm fisheye...as is the horizontal AOV. The vertical AOV is wider, but not much, compared to the others. Diagonal AOV is 114 degrees at 7mm on the 7-14, and is a full 180 degrees on the 8mm fisheye. Horizontal AOV is 104 degrees on the 7mm (3:2 aspect) and 137 degrees on the fisheye. The 7mm is pretty much what you'd get if you defished the fisheye and cropped to exclude the black at that point. The big thing is that some things work really well for the fisheye projection and some don't. Both can be the best lens for a particular job.

Here's another (also posted in the B&W forum)..this on my GH2 from today:

lisandra · « **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2011, 07:04:47 PM »

Thats amazing, I hate u

Jman · « **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2011, 07:09:12 PM »

Now, now....

Just be glad I'm not posting 100% crops...your 12-75 money would be gone. (This is a VERY sharp lens).

Luckypenguin · « **Reply #15 on:** March 17, 2011, 08:26:45 PM »

Quote from: Jman on March 17, 2011, 07:09:12 PM

Now, now.... Just be glad I'm not posting 100% crops...your 12-75 money would be gone. (This is a VERY sharp lens).

The rumoured panny fast zoom seems to grow a couple of more millimetres every time it gets mentioned

voyager · « **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2011, 09:54:19 PM »

That last photo is so amazing I can't put words describe it.

Jman · « **Reply #17 on:** March 18, 2011, 01:17:18 AM »

Well thanks, voyager! I'm not sure it's that good, but I appreciate the compliment!

n2hhr · « **Reply #18 on:** March 18, 2011, 07:49:12 AM »

Quote from: Jman on March 18, 2011, 01:17:18 AM

Well thanks, voyager! I'm not sure it's that good, but I appreciate the compliment!

No, you are wrong. It is perfect! I am with Lisandra, I hate you! Now I have to put off getting a 14-140 and get the 8. I do have the oly 14-150 to tide me over.....

cosinaphile · « **Reply #19 on:** March 18, 2011, 07:57:22 PM »

no its that good , look again

Luckypenguin · « **Reply #20 on:** March 18, 2011, 09:24:52 PM »

The shots look brilliant but I can guarantee that a fisheye would be the least used lens in my kit.

Panther · « **Reply #21 on:** March 18, 2011, 09:34:08 PM »

This & the Panasonic 7-14 are VERY nice lenses....

Jman · « **Reply #22 on:** March 19, 2011, 03:55:06 AM »

Quote from: n2hhr on March 18, 2011, 07:49:12 AM

No, you are wrong. It is perfect! I am with Lisandra, I hate you! Now I have to put off getting a 7-14 and get the 8. I do have the oly 14-150 to tide me over.....

Well, thanks. I love the 8mm, and a fisheye has always been a somewhat valuable addition to my kit throughout the years, but I wouldn't own it over the 7-14. The 7-14 is also very sharp, also very wide, and is much more versatile and usable in many different situations. If I could only have one, I'd have the 7-14. Luckily, I didn't have to choose...since I got a Hexanon 57/1.2 for free, I've been using that as my portrait lens, which is allowing me to sell my Nokton 40/1.4 to defray the cost of the fisheye significantly.

cosinaphile · « **Reply #23 on:** March 19, 2011, 06:54:49 PM »

well im stuck with the 7-14 for now and must make due

Panther · « **Reply #24 on:** March 19, 2011, 07:32:08 PM »

Quote from: cosinaphile on March 19, 2011, 06:54:49 PM

well im stuck with the 7-14 for now and must make due

LoL "stuck"? - That's an incredible lens - I tried one out the other day!

Author Topic: Panasonic 8mm Fisheye Review ***** (Read 11462 times)

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