Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG for Canon SLR

I've been using this lens now for about 3 months, and I have litterally taken about 10,000 shots with it. My passion is to create equirectangular images which are 360° X 180°. Each equirectangular image requires 7 shots which are exposed in a 360° circle using a special tripod head, known as a PANO head. However, most of my images are converted into high dynamic range HDR so I am bracketing each shot, so I am actually taking 21 shots for each scene and that is why I have taken so many shots in so little time. I mention all this just to prove that the lens is holding up well under hevy use with no problems.

The build quality of this lens is excellent. I always shoot my images between F8 an F13 and at this aperture the detail, color contrast, and sharpness is amazing. My only gripe is that the auto-focus on this lens is not so good. Usually, I just switch to manual focus, set the focusing ring to infinity and fire away. The results are fabulous.

There is a Russian-made fisheye, made by Peleng, that is completely manual focus. I believe it runs about $300. It is also 8mm and F3.5 I was debating between the Sigma and the Peleng. I went with the Sigma because I wanted auto-focus. Knowing now about the focus issue on the Sigma, I sometimes have regrets about buying this lens. However, the Peleng does give off a rather strange color cast on the outer edge of the circle. Nonetheless, I have heard a lots of positive things about the Russian lens, and I have seen lots of fine pictures taken with it, but if image quality is your top priority, then go with the Sigma.

If you want to see example shots that this lens has recorded please contact me via ebay's messaging system, and I will send you a link to my online galleries.

At first place I was a bit scared of buying used lens that will cost me several hundred bucks. The smooth transaction and arrived item prove that my concern is totally unnecessary. Active communication, fast shipping, and packaging with great care, there is nothing I can complain about. Thank you. I can go out and shoot panorama with the fisheye lens.

The fisheye distortion is the perfect amount for a crop sensor camera. I use it on a Canon 40D and viewed different samples from other lenses before settling on 8mm. Look at sample photos to find what focal range on the type of camera you will use it on and select how much distortion you desire. 4.5mm was a full circle and 10mm was not enough fishy action for me. Auto focus is a must for me as I shoot aerial shots and events as things happen quickly. Focus is quick. It comes with a small hood to increase the circular vignette if you want more. I generally don't use the hood and crop the distortion or clone it out for a more eye pleasing photo. My eyes were straining when viewing the vignetting on the corners when continuously looking at the photos. It is a fun and fascinating lens! The cons are the chromatic aberrations, but all wide angles will have them and can be adjusted with post processing.

Sigma makes a great fisheye for Canon... Then again what choice does one have? Canon doesn't make a true circular fisheye.

I've owned this lens twice, once a few years ago while shooting Nikon's D1x, and more recently on a Canon 1D mark III.

It is a good lens with a couple of annoying problems: It has significant CA (Chromatic Abbberation) towards the edges, and it is rather prone to lens flare when there is an overhead light source. With that said, it is a sharp lens with good color rendering and good build quality.

The main use for a lens like this (in my opinion) is for shooting 360 virtual tours. With a Canon 5D and this lens, 2-shot tours are possible. With a cropped sensor camera, 3 or 4 shots are needed, but that is still fewer than with any other lens.

For those who own a Canon DSLR 1.6X sensor (Rebel, 30D, 40D, etc) this may not be the best choice now that Sigma has a 5mm fisheye specifically for cropped sensors... However if you shoot the 5D, or anything in the 1D series, this Sigma represents the best (and perhaps only) choice for an 8mm fisheye.