All zoom fisheye lenses, mentioned in the previous chapter, are presented and compared in the following chart. Still we should be comparing just the Canon and the Nikon because they are two lenses with the same apparent field of view on full frame. You can notice at once that even their dimensions and weight are very similar.
In the following photo the Nikkor AF-S Fisheye 8-15 mm f/3.5-4.5E ED is positioned between the fisheye Samyang 3.5/8 designed for APS-C/DX sensors and the Nikkor AF-S 85 mm f/1.8G.
The tested lens starts with a metal mount that goes round contacts and a 25x19.5 mm frame. Inside that frame you find a rear element, 19 mm in diameter. The element is movable; it is situated on the same level as the mount at the 8 mm focal length and, after passing to 15 mm, it hides over 2 cm deep inside. That movement reveals the inner tube of the lens which is darkened and matted very well but also features some slits through which you can spot a green electronics plate. It means the lens is far from fully sealed.
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On the barrel, right behind the mount, you see a white dot making an alignment with a camera easier, a plate with the name and parameters of the instrument and a capital “N” meaning nano-crystal coating. Inside the plate there is a window with a distance scale expressed in meters and feet. On the left side you find a focusing mechanism mode switch (M/A-M) and opposite to that you see its serial number, information about basic parameters, filter diameter and an inscription “Made in Thailand”.
Further on there is a ribbed manual focus ring, as wide as 12 mm. It moves smoothly and is well-damped, turning without any slacks and allowing you very precise settings. Running through the whole distance scale needs a turn through an angle of about 90 degrees.
Then you see a zoom ring, 23 mm wide, most of its surface covered by rubber ribs. Apart from that ring you find focal lengths markings at 8, 10, 12, 14, and 15 mm. The ring moves evenly and smoothly, without any slacks. It’s worth adding that the 11 mm marking in a form of a small vertical dash marks a setting when the lens becomes a diagonal fisheye so images start to fill the frame on reflex cameras with an APS-C/DX sensor.
The ending of the lens is an immobile ring with a golden stripe and a mount for a petal-type lens hood. That hood is also a part to which you attach the front cap of the lens.
The front element itself is very convex, 64 mm in diameter, and it moves. The lens reaches its maximum dimensions at the 15 mm focal length and is the shortest at 10 mm.
When it comes to optical construction you deal here with 15 elements positioned in 13 groups. The producer didn’t skimp on special elements – you get three low dispersion ED glass and two aspherical ones. Inside you can also find a round aperture with seven diaphragm blades which can be closed down to values ranging from f/22 to f/29.
Buyers get both caps and a hood in the box with the lens.
