Advice on purchasing Century Optics Fisheye lens at DVinfo.net

Cliff Etzel · December 29th, 2008, 11:13 AM

Although I don't shoot skateboarding or other Xtreme sports, I have been intrigued by the Century Precision Optics Mark II 0.3x Ultra Fish-eye Adapter Lens for my pair of SONY HC7's.

I shoot the gamut of web video ads, wedding documentary videos, etc. I'm not sure I would have a use for this lens - yet. But I wanted to see if anyone has this lens and what they use it for - do you get much use out of it?

Thanks and Happy New Year - let's hope 2009 is a better year for all of us :)

Dave Blackhurst · December 29th, 2008, 07:02 PM

Hi Cliff -

Had one, thinking it might be useful... decided after a while to sell it...

Keep in mind the distorted view that you get with a fisheye is a sort of "special effect" - you get close to a 180 degree view in a regular 16x9 frame... it was just a bit too much for my taste, and I've got some good (HG) .7x and adequate .6x WA's.

I think my overall take on it is that it adds too much CA and distortion and blurry-ness to the outside edges... it's great if you have to shoot close in on a subject and want the "extreme" look, otherwise, it's an expensive toy.

I'm of the age that skateboarding and jumping out of perfectly good aircraft and such just doesn't have the charm it once may have... were I doing that sort of thing, I think I'd have loved the lens <wink>!

Cliff Etzel · December 29th, 2008, 07:04 PM

Thanks for the advice - makes sense... ;)

Roger Oconnell · May 18th, 2013, 12:12 AM

Hello, I know this is 5 years late, but I thought I'd just offer my two cents on this subject.

Being a skateboarding filmer myself, I use my fisheye on around 70% of my shots. But I usually try to do double angles - one telephoto and one fisheye, but only when I have another filmer to coordinate with.

While at first when I got my fisheye I thought I wouldnt use it much for anything else, but I've found it to be very useful when doing a party shoot, for close ups of DJ's and dancing girls, then take off the adaptor to use the normal lens.

December 29th, 2008, 11:13 AM	#1
Cliff Etzel Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 325	Advice on purchasing Century Optics Fisheye lens Although I don't shoot skateboarding or other Xtreme sports, I have been intrigued by the Century Precision Optics Mark II 0.3x Ultra Fish-eye Adapter Lens for my pair of SONY HC7's. I shoot the gamut of web video ads, wedding documentary videos, etc. I'm not sure I would have a use for this lens - yet. But I wanted to see if anyone has this lens and what they use it for - do you get much use out of it? Thanks and Happy New Year - let's hope 2009 is a better year for all of us :) __________________ Cliff Etzel - Photographer Website \| Blog

December 29th, 2008, 07:04 PM	#3
Cliff Etzel Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Posts: 325	Thanks for the advice - makes sense... ;) __________________ Cliff Etzel - Photographer Website \| Blog

May 18th, 2013, 12:12 AM	#4
Roger Oconnell New Boot Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7	Re: Advice on purchasing Century Optics Fisheye lens Hello, I know this is 5 years late, but I thought I'd just offer my two cents on this subject. Being a skateboarding filmer myself, I use my fisheye on around 70% of my shots. But I usually try to do double angles - one telephoto and one fisheye, but only when I have another filmer to coordinate with. While at first when I got my fisheye I thought I wouldnt use it much for anything else, but I've found it to be very useful when doing a party shoot, for close ups of DJ's and dancing girls, then take off the adaptor to use the normal lens.

December 29th, 2008, 07:02 PM	#2
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Hi Cliff - Had one, thinking it might be useful... decided after a while to sell it... Keep in mind the distorted view that you get with a fisheye is a sort of "special effect" - you get close to a 180 degree view in a regular 16x9 frame... it was just a bit too much for my taste, and I've got some good (HG) .7x and adequate .6x WA's. I think my overall take on it is that it adds too much CA and distortion and blurry-ness to the outside edges... it's great if you have to shoot close in on a subject and want the "extreme" look, otherwise, it's an expensive toy. I'm of the age that skateboarding and jumping out of perfectly good aircraft and such just doesn't have the charm it once may have... were I doing that sort of thing, I think I'd have loved the lens <wink>!