Looking for an Extreme Fisheye
 

Hey,
So i looked around, and did some searches, and couldn't find a post that answered my question so here it is.

I want a fisheye for my XHA1, capable of doing this - http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys240...ky_fisheye.gif or this - http://farm1.static.flickr.com/91/23...299e77.jpg?v=0

First, I need to know what magnification I would need... 0.5x? 0.3X? etc
Second, I dont want to spend over $150.
Third, I want it to just screw only my camera, without a 35mm adapter.
and Fourth, I would prefer it to be a macro lens also.

On ebay, if you search "xha1 fisheye" or "xha1 wide" in the photo category, you will find a bunch of 72mm thread lenses for under $100. Would they work?

I don't really care about quality, I just want the super wide look.

Is it worth getting an ebay "HD wide lens" for an extra $20?

Thanks,
Kevin

Maybe this is what you are looking for:
DEMON FISHEYE LENS

Use the "Contact" link on the left to find a phone number and ask questions.

They sell an adapter ring for 72mm lenses. This fisheye shoots macro distances, I believe. I think the picture is circular. It's about $100.

Another option is the .3x by Century, but the good one costs about $3500 and the picture is not round--the picture fits the full 16:9 frame.

The link you give shows a true fisheye Kevin, where a circular image fills the screen from top to bottom and where lines on the perimeter that pass through the centre of the circle show a 180 degree field of view.

Generally full frame fisheyes are more popular because the image fills the 16:9 screen, but the 180 degree field of view only occurs corner to corner of the image. Both lenses make great play of the huge barrel distortion.

It's worth looking at the Raynox site because they have a vast array of lenses and explain with images exactly what you'll get.

DCR-CF187PRO High Definition Circular Fisheye conversion lens for Digital & High Definition Cameras

You can have 0.5x wide-angles that give no barrel distortion and those that distort hugely, so you can't really put a figure on what will give yo the true fisheye perspective.

If quality isn't uppermost in your mind then you can buy a cheap 0.5x lens from ebay, take it apart and use the front element only. This will give you a wild and wide look.

Here's two pictures of the back of my house. One is the Sony VX2k on full wideangle, the other - shot from the same position - is shot through a single-element taken out of an old wide-angle lens I had lying about.

tom.