Before we go any further, let’s briefly understand what a fisheye lens is. It is an ultra-wide-angle lens used to create a wide panoramic view in hemispheric images with a great deal of visual distortion. You need to understand the advantages of this type of lens, as well as take full advantage of its limitations. This article will tell you what you need to know about using fisheye lenses.

The lens has the feature of convex appearance which makes the image have non-straight features. The idea behind the invention by Robert W. Wood was extracted from the famous Snell phenomenon. Snell’s event depicts what fish see underwater when they view a wide field of vision. These lenses were initially used only in meteorology to study cloud formation, but by the 1960s their use had expanded and they were introduced into photography.

1. Type of fisheye lens

There are two main types of fish mirrors: Round and full-frame.

Round: This fisheye lens gives around the image. Have you ever seen a wide-angle picture with black corners? If so, it was shot with a round fisheye lens. How great the effect looks when used properly. Real artists know how to combine their skills with these lenses to capture all kinds of unusual landscapes.

Full frame: These types of fisheye lenses don’t even cover 180 degrees. They cover only 100 degrees vertically and 150 degrees horizontally. As a result, they are usually not wide angles, but the image created has no black corners, and the image is rectangular.

2. Fisheye lens features:

(1) As a special lens, its market sales are not large, resulting in its price being not cheap.

(2) If you have any doubts about the effectiveness of a fisheye lens, try this extreme focus to see the world in front of you for yourself. It has the power to fascinate. And that unique sense of perspective can make any subject look strange. When shooting with a fisheye lens, all you need to do is use your creative eye for a different angle.

Look at the world. The wide-angle of view of 180 degrees cover a large field of view and contains a large number of environmental relations, so it is also a good tool for environmental portrait photography.

(3) The barrel distortion will be greater if the lens is very close to the subject. At a small aperture, the fisheye lens has a wide range of depth of field, requiring only a few centimeters from the subject to maintain good resolution. This enables all kinds of creative photography, where photographers can use fisheye lenses to shoot interesting effects or to distance the lens

The subject highlights it very recently. For example, buildings can bend inward, or the heads of people and animals can look completely out of proportion to their bodies. The benefits may not be obvious at first, but the effect is actually very attractive.

(4) Shooting with a fisheye lens can be challenging. In this extreme view, especially in the early morning or evening, your own shadow can be included in the picture, which can sometimes look eerie. Also, be careful not to have your shoes or tripod legs in the frame. This may not sound worth mentioning, but it actually happens all the time. Think carefully before you shoot. Don’t shoot too quickly with a fisheye lens, you should carefully arrange the elements that appear in the frame.

(5) Fisheye lens photography without filters. If you are addicted to photographic filters, using fisheye lenses is not a good idea. As far as I know, no fisheye lens can be fitted with a standard filter. This is caused by the protrusion of the front element of the lens. But you might find some custom or DIY solutions.

3. Why do I need to buy and use fisheye lenses?

Use distortion to your advantage. Fisheye lenses are known to cause distortion. But by opening your eyes to scenarios and choosing them wisely, you can take advantage of this distortion. Some of the best photos taken with fisheye lenses have been correctly distorted. Imagine a scene of bustling cities and towering skyscrapers, now imagine clicking on it with your fisheye lens. The distortion this lens brings to your image will draw the viewer’s attention to the busy life of the city you want to photograph.

So, in this case, with a little twist, it’s actually quite spectacular. It’s all about artistic thinking and creating beautiful pictures.

Use horizons and lines wisely. Imagine standing in a majestic place and the first thought that pops into your mind will create a memory in the same way that you see it. In these cases, a fisheye lens can act as an ultra-wide-angle lens, and you can take advantage of the horizon and other lines in the environment for a powerful shot.

Round off. It’s all about understanding the nature of the shot. The lens bends straight lines. So what better way to shoot than from the intersection or in the bent tube view that the frame has bent and is generated by that lens. The results will be magical, and interesting pictures will appear on your sensors.

Look at the sky. Just lying down and looking at the stars through a fisheye lens is a brilliant idea. What do you see? Not just the stars? Yes, that’s what we’re talking about. In this case, you’ll be amazed to see the ultra-wide-angle lens capturing both the surrounding buildings and the sky at the same time, a 360-degree panoramic view of the building, which sounds great, doesn’t it?

Try some portraits. Taking these pictures with a fisheye lens is the riskiest, but if you do it right, you can get amazing results. How will we guide you? You need to move your subject slightly away from the edge. Also, you need to back up a bit to get a good shot with less distortion. By using these simple techniques, you can take wide-angle selfies and portraits.

Get experimental. The fish-eye lens in the artist’s hand can create mysterious effects. Be imaginative and experimental, using this lens is all about creativity and bringing your creative games to the table.

4. Conclusion

Before making a purchase decision, you need to make sure that you will be using fisheye lenses regularly. Although the fisheye lens has good creative potential and is very interesting to use, the effect of the fisheye lens is not suitable for everyone. The use of fisheye lenses has its pros and cons. It all depends on the photographer and the time it takes to understand the basic technology of the lens and its many uses. So don’t be pessimistic after the first few shots, try it a few more times and you’ll be amazed at the creative effects of this spectacular wide-angle fisheye lens.

FAQ:

When would I use a fisheye lens?

A fisheye lens is a camera component used for shooting extremely wide angles, typically 180 degrees. Also referred to as a “super-wide” or “ultra-wide” lens, it produces an image that appears distorted, giving it a more abstract yet dynamic aesthetic.

What can I do with a fisheye lens?

A fisheye lens is an ultra-wide-angle lens that produces strong visual distortion intended to create a wide panoramic or hemispherical image. Fisheye lenses achieve extremely wide angles of view.

How do I use a fisheye lens effectively?

Use fisheye distortion to your advantage. Find scenes in which the fisheye effect actually adds something to the scene. When used right, fisheye distortion can be pleasing to the eye and can be preferred to a normal wide-angle lens. Try to use the distorted lines and curves as a way to lead the viewer into an image.

What does a fisheye lens look like?

A fisheye lens is a type of lens that produces an extremely wide-angle image with distortions that make straight lines appear curved. As its name indicates, it is based on how a fish would see things beneath the surface of the water, with an ultra-wide hemispherical view of everything in front of it.

How do I choose a fisheye lens?

To achieve the “fisheye effect”, you would need a lens with a focal length of between 8 or 10mm.