I should confess, as a photographer in my 40 years, I have never used fish lens once. I have not seen the matter. When I was younger, I thought the idea of a distorted image was foolish. But recently, I am bored with my photography. I am trying new things and detecting more creative methods of shooting topics like Landscape, Street and Travel. As I thought I could get it, Lava called.
He asked if I want to review his new full frame 8-15 mm f/2.8 zoom fish lensMy first idea was, “Why would I like to do this?” A week passed, with more discussions how I can shoot more creatively, and then came to a lightbull. I to do Want to try this new lava fish lens – this can be the answer to my creativity dilemma! Was it too late to get the lens? Not good.
Beautifully made
I bought Lava’s 100 mm macro a few years ago and was influenced by quality, so I had high expectations for 8–15 mm fish zoom. When it arrived, I was even more impressed as I thought I would be. It launched the quality. I recently reviewed the new 20-35 mm zoom of Hasselbad, and nice to catch this fish. Metal prepared, focus ring, aperture ring, and zoom ring all changed in the form of butter. The aperture ring has a beautiful click, a touch quality that is very confident. Only other lenses that I have experienced with an aperture quality, in this way my leakage is 28 mm of peak. Honestly, this lens is the best of them for feeling a confident quality. But will it distribute the image on quality?
image quality
When it comes to testing the lens, I go out and shoot with them and look at the results, but I am much less interested in pixel-testing, “bench-testing”, and other lenses. I am either happy with real results, or I am not. That is the real world. I am a photographer I am a gear enthusiast.
With this 8–15 mm fish zoom, I was definitely eager to test the full focal range and shoot very close to the landscape vista. Most images I shot require approximately f/8 to F/11 aperture. If I am shooting a building or landscape and getting a lot in the frame, I need a good depth of the area. However, I tested the lens wide open at F/2.8. There were some conditions where a shallow depth of the area was understood with this lens, although when shooting very close to your subject, the background spot is impressive around F/8, and it seemed that I was getting a sharp image there too.
Why do you want 8-15 mm lens?
First, it is not a everyday lens. It is a lens that contains regions of the area of 180-degree, when you require an ultra-wide deformed perspective, you will reach it. It should be used with intention, when you need real or immersive results. It is a magnificent focal range to search and use with creative images.
This area shines this lens when you use it instead of a macro lens to close objects. Like a macro lens, you can keep the lens within a few inches of the subject, and the deformed results I was getting is more interesting than a standard macro.
You can shoot a traditional detailed landscape scene, so until the horizon is in the center of the frame to avoid deformation. Slightly up or down the crop, and you will finish with a composition that follows the rule of the third, which becomes aesthetically pleasing. A fishi is great for widespread panoramic images, again, with a little crop.
My opinion
I spent a lot of time with this lens, shooting landscapes, road scenes, architecture and even tabletop/flat-lay.
I found myself using 15 mm focal length the most because the barrel/vignating frame was not visible. The barrel appears around 14 mm, but it can be thrown out. Mostly, from 15 mm I jumped directly to 8 mm, which gives you a full cycle of barrels in the frame. Certainly there were situations where this effect is fun and very useful, especially for 1: 1 ratio images. But of course, it was not used as an end of 15 mm. 9 mm to 12 mm was not used at all.
Whatever focal length I used, I was harvesting. I always say that a 24 MP camera requires you most types of photography, but it is a lens where it is connected to the camera with 48 MP, so you can harvest as desired and still finish with a decent sized file.
Loved everyone
- Solid, assured quality. In this regard, a leaka is as good as a lens.
- It looks good to use the lens. The older I get, the more I appreciate the things that are made from metal to higher standards and mechanically with lenses. So many are made of light plastic and electronics and can break so easily.
- That aperture click – just sublime!
- It is not very large or too heavy, given that it is an all-metal zoom.
- The quality of the image in the focal range is good.
At least loved
- The convex front element is exposed, spread beyond the protective lens cover, and can be easily scratched. This is clearly not only the case with this particular lens, but by all fish lenses, designs.
- There is no lens hood or thread to attach the filter, so someone has to take care when using the lens and keep the metal slide-on lens cap while not shooting.
Lava 8-15 mm F/2.8 Zoom Fishi specification
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Format: Full frame, manual focus
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Mounts: E, Z, L, RF
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Focal Length: 8-15 mm
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Aperture: F/2.8 to F/22
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Angle angle: 180 degrees
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Lens Structure: 13 elements in 9 groups
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Aperture Blade: 9
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Minimum focus distance: 16 cm
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Weight: 650 grams without front and rear cap
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Price: $ 699 (US)
Ground level
If you are like me and are struggling with the creation of pictures that are more creative than the common images you shot, perhaps this lens is the answer. After using it for six weeks now, I can have a lot of fun in various scenarios – from macro, architecture and street to landscape.
A 15 mm Fishia Prime will be sufficient, but not many are made. When i find out Sigma’s 15 mm fish Sells for $ 2,200, I thought this lava was a better deal. If I needed to shoot wide for any reason, I had the option that was at one third of the cost.
Lava 8-15 mm f/2.8 fish zoom is now available, priced at $ 699,
For more fishye sample photos, you can watch my video above.
