Product Description

The new Opteka High Definition² .35x Ultra Wide Angle Fisheye Converter Lens increases the versatility of your existing lens to provide breathtaking ultra wide angle views. And it's so easy to use! Additionally the built-in detachable macro lens allows you to take extreme high resolution close-up shots! Nothing changes the way you see the world like High Definition² and no company does High Definition² like Opteka. Opteka's glass optics define High Definition. Change the way you view the world. Enjoy outstanding detail, enjoy enhanced clarity, enjoy Opteka!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15339 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Opteka
• Model: OPT-38XHD2-30D

Features

• Opteka .35x HD² Super Wide Angle Macro Fisheye Lens
• Lens front Thread 67mm, 8 Element Lens, 180° Degree Capability
• Professional High Speed Auto Focus, Full Panoramic Capability, High Quality Crystal Optics, & AF Infrared Compatible
• High Resolution Precision Optics, Day or Night & Great for Every Type of Photographic Situation!
• Made in Japan & Includes 10 Year Worldwide Warranty

Customer Reviews

Finally, a black one.
I bought the gold colored fisheye lens a while back, and it works great...attaches right on to the stock 58mm thread of the kit lens on an xti and several other popular canon cameras. The quality is surprisingly good, and I think if I was using a better lens than the underwhelming 18-55 kit lens, I would get better results.

The fisheye is extreme. At 18mm, it is almost a complete circle in the viewfinder. However, at 50mm or higher, there is almost no fisheye distortion and the lens is effectively turns any lens into a wide angle lens, dividing the focal point by a factor of .38 (i believe); it looks like about half if you are eyeballing it.

The difference between this .38x lens and the older .42x is very minimal. I did several tests and I honestly cannot tell the difference with the naked eye. Maybe you can. The best part of this lens is that it is black. The gold color looked very cheap to me, especially on a black camera with a black kit lens. If you want to be flamboyant, i guess you could get a silver rebel with a black lens and the gold fisheye, but that is really none of my business.

In conclusion, if you are a beginning DSLR photographer, get this lens. It's so fun! The price is ridiculously cheap and you will get some very cool pictures (just don't overuse it or it gets a little annoying). There is a macro feature, if you unscrew the lens, which is very hard to use, but it works fine. You can get some very close up shots and it's a great way to learn about macro photography.

Once you upgrade to bigger lenses, it will be hard to use this fisheye attachment, even with step up rings, because the edges will vignette so bad. However, it will breathe new life into the boring 18-55 kit lens.

Note: For owners of other cameras/camcorders - this lens also works great with the right attachment (I've seen it in use), so many sure you order the one specific for your model.

Things to be careful about - 67 mm front ring!
The description of this item is not clear. I had to return mine.

I had to do separate research to figure out that this is something that screws onto the front of the lens--into the filter threads. However, my Googling didn't uncover the fact (which is ambiguously stated in the description) that this lens will *only* fit onto lenses with a 67mm front filter thread size. 47th Street includes an adapter (step down ring) that converts the 67mm to 58mm. They will include a different step down ring if you ask them; best to call them and discuss it with one of their knowledgeable folks. However, there are some lenses that are physically impossible to use this .35x with: According to 47th Street guy, anything 70mm filter size and above is out. According to my own experimentation, 10mm focal length (Sigma 10-20mm on a 50D/APS-C) is physically impossible; all the Opteka lens does is introduce extreme vignetting, distortion, and actually narrows the field of view.

I think this could be super cool for most aspiring photographers--converting a 17-55 kit lens to 6 mm for $30 is pretty sweet. However, make sure and research (talk to 47th Street preferably--800-304-2510) whether it will work for you before you buy.

Dont waste your money!!!
Don't waste your money. All this does is distort your image and keep it out of focus. If thats is the look you are going for, then great, but if you want a sharp image, dont bother with this junk!

Its not a fish eye. A true fish eye gives around 150-180 degree of visability and like all good very wide angle lenses give an optical skewing of the image, but it is still sharp and in focus if taken correctly.

Basic rule of thumb, when it comes to optics/glass, you get what you pay for to a degree. Its the price is cheap, the lens or filter will be cheap as well, and so will the results you get when using it.

If you want a very good wide angle Lens, I would say the best bang for your buck is the Canon 17-40mm F4 L series. (and dont spend extra $$ on IS for your range under 50mm, its not needed unless you have a bad shake when holding the camera, and still it wont cure it.)