Feb
13

Opteka .35x HD² Fisheye Lens : Review

I was always attracted to wide angle photography, but never owned a lens to try out. I decided to buy a fisheye lens and as always first place I checked was Amazon. I looked around a lot and finally found - Opteka .35x HD² Super Wide Angle Panoramic Macro Fisheye Lens. First thing that one notices about this lens is the price, it is a very cheap lens ($29.95) and then their are some reviews which say – the lens did not come up with a manual or how to use it, so we couldn’t use it. I took the bet, thinking, it is a cheap lens and the best way (and investment) to start with. I ordered (for Nikon D40, you can get same setup for same rate for Cannon fitting too) it and received in 7 days and was surprised to see that there were no complexities using it.

The lens has 2 parts, a macro lens which fits over your normal camera lens (in my case AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm). You can use this lens to shoot photos in macro mode. On the right, this is photo taken in macro mode of my Windows Key of laptop at settings 1/125 sec, f/5.6 and focal length as 55mm.

We have to mount the fisheye lens on macro lens, without macro the fish eye does not work for normal setup. There are people who have different settings or a step-up/down to mount fisheye lens directly on the camera lens. I am using the standard settings.

Standard (without fisheye) – f/5.0, 38 mm

Semi Fisheye – f/4.5, 31 mm

Full Fisheye – f/35, 18 mm

Rest of the settings were not changed and I did not move away/close, left/right. I find this lens pretty easy to use and good for beginners. Only problem as I can see from photographs are the colors, my Nikon stock lens picks up very good colors, but use of this lens cause a bit of color loss. This is not evident in routine but a very close observation will tell you the difference. I am sure, at this price I could not have got a better deal. I would recommend this lens to anyone who wants to play with fisheye and is trying for the first time.

There are more details about this lens (how to use it, problems, experiences) and great macro shots here.

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  • Thanks for sharing your experience with this lens I just bought a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF for my D5000 . Go Hokies!
  • crox
    have you tried adding a circular polarizer?
  • I have. You add it behind the fisheye. Having all the extra weight of the fisheye makes twisting the filter slightly more difficult, but nothing to worry about.

    I took this video on my point-and-shoot digital camera with the .35x Fisheye:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3OIt_FPI_g

    FWIW this was done with the Opteka .20x Fisheye with a C-PL filter:
    http://jpgmag.com/photos/2195015

    You can see quite a difference between the two.
    I'd guess that the .35x (at full frame) is about the same as an 18mm lens, while the .20x is about a 10mm lens equivalent.
  • PJ
    Hi, am getting all hazy and blurry pics with this 0.35 x AF filter lens on my 18-55mm Canon lens. Can someone guide on how to get sharp pics?
  • With mine there was a "macro adapter" that came with the lens. If you don't have that on, the lens could be trying to focus on the inside of the glass, not focusing through it.
    If that doesn't work, try putting your lens in MF then focusing by eye.
    I took this (http://jpgmag.com/photos/2195015) with the Canon 18-55mm that came with my XSi -- I'm sure it's the same lens. (The fisheye I used in that picture was the .20x adapter, not the .35x but I have them both, both work the same).
  • pia
    Hi, can you please help me :) I also wish to buy the exact fisheye lens, but not sure if it will fit my lens. i have a Nikon D60, AF-S Tamron 18-200mm. I've read some owners of D60 were fine with it but using an 18-55. Please help! :) Also, does the .35x HD (not cubed) fit can fit mine too? thank you in advance!
  • The thing about these "fisheyes" is that they mount on the front of your regular lens just like a filter would.
    When you buy one (at least on Amazon) normally they come in a package for a specific camera -- don't worry about it. Just find out what size of filter your lens takes then get either a step-up or step-down ring for it.
    These "lenses" are the same screw-mount as a 55mm filter.
  • Clara
    Thank you thank you! I am new to DLSR and still learning, got this fisheye lens, and I was using my 35mm prime lens and nothing really show, silly me. After reading your post and I changed my lens back to kit lens, it is really fun~! Thanks for the tips!
  • jenny0
    I have a nikon d 300. Just got this lens today. It came with several adapters but I can't seem to get any of them to fit on my lenses. Any help would be appreciated.
  • Connor Ferguson
    excellent review, would this lens fit on my kit lens for my Nikon D3000?
  • I'm considering buying the exact same lens adapter, but I have some questions.
    What type of angle of view do you get usually @ 18mm with the fisheye vs 18mm w/o.
    I have a Canon XSi (crop sensor DSLR like your D40), so 18mm ends up being about 100º field of view, about 160º on a full frame camera.
    How wide does the fisheye let you see?
    Does it just screw onto your existing lens like a filter?
    Can you use any regular filters in front or behind it?

    Thanks for sharing.
  • I don't have exact answer to first question where you ask the exact degrees. That is why I have posted pictures, so you can judge.

    Yes, it mounts on your lens exactly like a filter.
    You can use a regular filter behind it, I use a UV filter most of the time. I have not tried using filters in front of it. All my filters are of size that mount on 18-55mm (60 mm diameter) so could not mount on larger diameter wideangle lens.
  • Sue G
    Can I ask a silly question - is the loose piece of metal on the front part of the lens for filters? Or has it another purpose ?
  • I think it is supposed to be a lens hood.
    I haven't successfully attached any filters onto the front of the lens/adapter.
    All filters go behind the fisheye.
    (I ended up buying one too).
  • Hi. A very nice introductory review to the lens. Thanks for taking the time to write.
    I was also browsing the Amazon site, and decided to investigate further and came to your site via Google search (Term: Opteka .35x HD²).
    It appears that the lens has the effect of a fish-eye without really providing that much more width, but that's ok :)
    Thanks again.
  • gina
    hi. i just bought this and am pretty confused on how to attach it to my camera.
    i had a d 40x
    i have an adaptor ring, and the fisheye... what next?!
  • Good review, thanks for the information. You cant beat the lens for the price. I am looking forward to taking some cool macro shots.
  • @eve As per my understanding difference between Semifish and Fisheye is just about the framing of picture. Till we have full frame it is semifish eye (it is just a wide angle lens) but when we have circular edges we go to True fisheye. So, by adjusting your lens you will achieve fisheye/semifisheye.
  • b.walker*
    this is how i fisheye... hope you like!

    http://www.youtube.com/user/ALICEandBRENDA#p/u/...

    im b.walker* btw, i dig your work!
  • eve
    I just bought this lens and was wondering how do you go from semifish eye to full fisheye?

    thanks
  • Sudheera
    Thank you for sharing your experience on this lens !
  • sarvagya
    truly gud pics.......
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