Description:

Fisheye-Nikkor 8mm f/2.8


Suitable For:

Extreme wide-angle photography, creative photography.


Camera Formats:

FX


Specs:

Focal length: 8mm
Maximum aperture: f/2.8
Minimum aperture: f/22
Angle of View (FX-format): 180°
Maximum reproduction ratio: 1:19.7
Lens Elements: 10
Lens Groups: 8
Diaphragm Blades: 7
ED Glass Elements: 0
Autofocus: n/a
Minimum Focus Distance: 0.3m
Filter Size: no front screw-in filter
Filter Type: built-in
Dimensions: Approx. 123mm x 140mm
Weight: 1000g / 1100g (depending on version)
Supplied Accessories: unknown


Bjørn's Rørslett's Overview:

Circular fisheyes may not be everybody's first choice of standard lens, but with this retro-focus construction it's at least possible to see what you're doing. So, for instance, you might avoid including your own feet in the picture! This is a big and heavy lens with an impressively sized front element, and has remained basically unchanged in the Nikon product line since 1970. Due to the enormous depth of field, focusing it visually can be quite difficult. In common with other fisheye lenses, it is prone to ghosting from intense point light sources (e.g., the sun), but flare is by and large absent since virtually all light entering this lens' 180 degrees of view are image-forming rays. This is a funny lens to use, but only the perverse of mind buys it for doing actual photography (hey, reconsider this statement, I own it myself ...). Images can be surprisingly sharp, but colour fringing may impact the peripheral areas of the image. A lens for the truly brave of heart (I like this statement better ...). Use f/8 for consistently sharp pictures.

On the D2X, I got images that were very sharp in the centre, less so towards the outer rim of the imaged circle. CA was, depending on subject and light conditions, sometimes pronounced other times nearly undetectable. You don't get a circular image on the DSLRs, the circle is chopped off top and bottom, but you do still get 180 degrees coverage on the horizontal axis.

With the D3, the entire circular image is to be seen, and pictures are rendered crisp and practically free of CA. There is, however, the ubiquitous blue fringe around the perimeter, which according to Dr. Brian Caldwell is caused by wave-length dependent vignetting and is inevitable for any fisheye lens.


Bjørn's Rating:

3 (F4)
3-4 (D2X)
4.5 (FX: D3)

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