Does anyone know the difference between the Optex Fish Eye and the Century Optics Fish Eye?

either better etc?

A couple of threads on this subject:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10407
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15579
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15330
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7282
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12490

when i film skateboarding, i use my century optics fisheye (or "death lens") for the amount of distortion it yields, the glass quality, and stable bayonet mount, there isnt a better fisheye lens.
what will you be using it for?

Thanks for the replies. The searches I tried were mainly about Wide Angle adapters and not the Fish Eye. I'll check out those links too, thanks Rob.

I have been researching the Century Optics Fish Eye & it looks great. Apparently there is a new totally redesigned Mark II .3X Ultra Fisheye for the GL2 according to their web site. BH sell it but out of stock at the moment but also their site does not state whether it is the new Mark II version or not. I was also wondering about the bayonet attaching of it and wondered why it has this method instead of a screw on fitting. Centruy do make a 58mm screw on Fish Eye but they say the Bayonet fish eye S/N DS-FEWA-GL is for the GL/XM cameras.

I want it to do some surreal looking short films. I already have the Canon wide angle adapter so the fish eye will be very cool and distorted.

andrew,
i havent heard of a mark2 for the gl2 bu that sounds sick!
if your not getting the answers you want, go to [url]www.shumways.net[/rlu] and ask on their message board (you dont need to sign up) ... guys loooove talking about century fisheyes there, and im serious.

Jerry,

Thanks for that link. I got the info I needed! They say the Mk I is better than the Mk II as it has more barrel distortion and is wider. But its no longer available, now the Mk II is its replacement.

cheers!

Jerry, I have ordered the Century Optics Fish Eye from BH, I can't wait till it arrives.

Does your fish eye have the little lens hood?

hi,
century recommends the bayonet mount because the way it attaches to your camera better distributes the considerable weight of the lens on the front of the camera. the screw on version apparently puts a lot of stress on the filter thread and i've read it can cause damage to the front of the camera under some conditions (though i imagine it is a rare occurance). i know a guy with the screw on century lens for his gl1 and he said it has never given him a problem. i called century and they recommended the bayonet mount for the gl2.

the bayonet mount lens is easy to attach and remove from the gl2, however you cannot use a uv filter between the camera and the lens. some people like to have a uv filter on at all times for protection, but you will find yourself removing it quite often if you use the fisheye a lot. in any event, it is a minor inconvenience.

a word of warning here perhaps: i didn't find the instructions for mounting the bayonet terribly clear, and i was doing it wrong the first time i tried to attach the lens, although i figured out the mechanism a moment later. if you've never used a bayonet mount before, it is possible to incorrectly and insecurely attach the lens. however once you see how it is supposed to work, it extremely easy to securely attach every time.

the mark ii is extremely wide, and although i've read that the old century fisheye for the vx1000 in particular was a bit wider, i don't believe the difference was drastic (my speculation here though). i shoot skateboarding with my gl2, and i find the mark ii fisheye gives me the same wide angle shots i see in my fav skate videos.

your lens will arrive with a hood and a little tool (basically a flathead screwdriver for eyeglasses) for adjusting the hood. if i am not mistaken, the hood is a new addition with the mk ii to help protect the glass. if the hood is not adjusted properly, it will be visible in your shots. the hood is removable, however there is no reason to do so.

also, a search for 'fisheye' will likely reveal some other results than a search for 'fish eye'.

i'm sure your lens has arrived by now, but i just thought i'd clear up some of the questions for future readers.

cheers!
harry

Thanks for replies. Yes I have receive it. via UPS. even with Shipping costs and the Customs/Australian import duty/GST tax I still saved about $900 Australian compared to buying it locally here in Oz. The Lens looks great, tried it on the Camera but haven't had time to shoot with it yet. The only thing I think is not ideal is the little Lens hood. To rotate it to a different position requires the loosening of 6 tiny tiny little screws. There should've been a better design I think. I think the Bayonet mount is a good idea too, it seems nice and strong.