Are you a photography enthusiast looking for a new approach to your work? Wonder what the best Nikon fisheye lens is? Our top five best fisheye lens for Nikon will provide you with all the info needed before deciding on what the most convenient option is for your photographic needs.
Before getting into details and technical specs, I would recommend reading our in-depth fisheye lens guide for more insights into the fisheye photographic culture and use. Also, what we call ‘best Nikon fisheye lens’ shouldn’t be confused with ‘Nikon best wide angle lens’. Although fisheye lenses are labelled as ultra wide angle lenses, there are numerous differences between these two types of lenses both in theory and practice. To remove the confusion, please check our wide angle vs fisheye lens comparison.
Enough said! Let’s have a look our top best Nikon fisheye lens.
5. Nikon Nikkor 6mm f/2.8: Gorgeous Super Rare Fisheye Lens.
Product Highlights
Name: Nikkor 6 mm f/2.8.
Type: circular lens.
Price: $54,000 – $160,000 (auction).
General Specs for Nikon 6 mm Fisheye
- Focal Length: 6 mm (super short).
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8.
- Angle of View: 220°.
- Diaphragm: automatic.
- Lens construction: 12 elements.
- Weight: 11.464 pounds (5,200 g).
- No lens hood.
Strengths:
- Extremely wide picture view.
- Ultra rare fisheye lens fitting special lens collections.
Weaknesses:
- This Nikon fisheye lens was created for special order only.
- It is too heavy for a lens which makes it difficult to use.
- Nowadays, it is not easy to find this precious lens which makes it extremely unaffordable.
4. Nikon Fisheye-Nikkor RS 13mm f/2.8: The First Underwater AF Fisheye in the World!
Product Highlights
Name: R-UW AF Fisheye-Nikkor 13 mm f2.8. for Nikonos RS.
Model/ Year: 1994.
Format: AF.
Camera Compatibility: 35 mm format cameras only.
Price: 1,700 – $2,700 (used).
General Specs for Nikon 13 mm Fisheye
- Focal Length: 13 mm.
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8.
- Angle of View: 180 degrees.
- Weight:2 lbs 2 oz. (964g).
Strengths:
- Specially designed for underwater photography.
- Decent autofocus.
Weaknesses:
- Out-dated fisheye lens – not compatible with modern digital cameras.
- This is one of those pricey fisheye lenses not everyone can afford and not everyone needs using. This fisheye lens was especially designed for the early underwater Nikonos cameras.
- Heavy gear reaching almost 1 kg.
- Mounting the lens and adapter on the camera is complicated and time consuming.
3. Nikon Fisheye-Nikkor 8mm f/2.8: Heavy & Expensive, Yet Delicate & Exotic
Name: Fisheye-Nikkor Auto f/2.8 8mm (for non-Al and Al versions), Fisheye-Nikkor 8mm f/2.8 (Al-s version).
Model/ Year: there are three versions of Nikkor 6 mm fisheye lens created between 1970 and 1997: non-Al version (1970-1977), Al version (1977-1982) and Al-s version (1982-1997).
Type: circular fisheye: you can create a full circular images on FX or film format cameras and semi-circular images on DX format cameras.
Price: $1,500 – $2, 500 (used).
General Specs for Nikon 8 mm Fisheye
- Focal Length: 8.0 mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8.
- Angle of View: 180°.
- Close focus distance: 1 ft. (0.3 m).
- Diaphragm: 7 blades.
- Weight: 35.3 oz. (1,000g) for Non-Al version, 38.8 oz. (1,100g) for Al version, 38.8 oz. (1,100g) for Al-s version.
Strengths:
- Impressive optics due to the short focal length and max. aperture.
- Makes very sharp, expressive round images. According to users, best results are achieved by shooting at an aperture between f/5.6 and f/11.
- The Al and Al-s models are compatible with all professional film cameras.
- It comes with a nice leather-like case designed to endure decades of use.
Weaknesses:
- Very fragile and expensive lens. It is normally used for special purposes (not say ‘exotic’) and by very passionate photographers.
- Heavy lens: the weight of this Nikon 8mm fisheye can reach 545 oz. (1,177.75g) with both caps.
- In DX format the top and bottom of the circular image is lost.
2. Nikon 16mm f/2.8 AF Fisheye: Lightweight, Compact and Great for Dramatic Effects.
Product Highlights
Name: AF Fisheye-Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D.
Format: FX/ 35 mm.
Type: full-frame fisheye/ diagonal lens.
Price: $930 – $1000.
General Specs for Nikon 16 mm Fisheye
- Focal Length: 16 mm.
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8.
- Minimum Aperture: f/22.
- Angle of View: 180°/107° on Nikon DX format cameras.
- Diaphragm: 7 blades.
- Weight: 2 oz. (290 g).
Strengths:
- Lightweight, compact, and easy to use.
- Makes sharp, dramatic pics.
- Works well in low-light shooting conditions.
- Close focus down to 85ft/ 0.25m providing high optical performance at short distances.
- CSR – Close Range Correction feature.
- Best for: landscapes, urban photography, and even close-ups.
- Compatible with DX cameras.
- It comes with super coating.
Weaknesses:
- Front lens cap too easy to dislodged.
- A ‘special effects’ lens only.
1. Nikon AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5 mm f/2.8: FUN and AFFORDABLE – Our no.1 Nikon Fisheye Lens Choice
Product Highlights
Name: AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED.
Model/ Year: July 2003.
Format: DX.
Type: full-frame fisheye/ diagonal.
Price: $700.
General Specs for Nikon 10.5 mm Fisheye
- Focal Length: 10.5 mm (equivalent to 16 mm in small picture format/ on 35 mm size cameras).
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8.
- Minimum Aperture: f/22.
- Angle of View: 180° (non-circular).
- Diaphragm: 7 blades (rounded).
- Weight: 8 oz. (305g).
Strengths:
- Great for crisp photos at minimum distances – it works pretty well as a macro fisheye lens.
- Lightweight, fast focusing and compact.
- Work well with on-camera flash.
- High optical performance allowed by the ED glass element in lens construction which significantly reduces color fringing.
- Optimized fisheye for digital SLRs (designed especially for Nikon DX format).
- The close focus – down to 46 ft. – makes for extreme yet sharp close up photos possible.
- It works well with small-format digital cameras (digital SLRs).
- Super lens coating.
Weaknesses:
- This fisheye lens is not compatible with miniature cameras and 35 mm sized cameras.
- Autofocus does not function with all Nikon cameras.
- Lightweight but not as solid and durable as compared to other Nikon fisheye lens.
This is it: our list of best Nikon fisheye lens options for all photographic tastes & purposes. Hope this post is most useful for those new to fisheye photography. Enjoy experimenting and let us know how it went! Feel free to comment and share your opinion and suggestions with us in the comment box below. Feedback is great!
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