The 15mm Canon Fisheye Lens is a 180 degree full frame diagonal fisheye lens designed for Canon's full frame sensor cameras like the 1Ds Mark Iii and the 5d Mark Ii and all earlier full frame models. The 15mm Canon is a prime Af Lens with a maximum gap ,break of f/2.8. Sadly, this lens has been discontinued and supplanted with a newer model.
[b]Lens[/b]Should You Still Buy The 15mm Canon?
Until very recently, the 15mm Canon was the only Canon fisheye lens you could get, leaving Canon owners using the 1.6x and 1.3x crop cameras out in the cold. Canon has now supplanted the 15mm with the 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye Zoom Lens. As I write this it is not yet ready for sale but the 15mm Canon is still ready brand new and I surmise once the 8-15mm zoom is released to the group you'll see more and more of the 15mm fisheye's come to be ready in the used lens market.
As a Canon 5d Mark Ii shooter myself I was more than a tiny disappointed that Canon didn't upgrade the existing 15mm fisheye. I understand the need for the new 8-15mm fisheye zoom and I can appreciate why mid-range Canon users are excited by the new fisheye zoom. But for full frame shooters the new lens doesn't offer much unless your into creating circular fisheye images. According to Canon, the new 8-15mm fisheye zoom is supposed to allow full frame users to be able to go from diagonal (15mm) down to circular (8mm) with a uncomplicated twist of the zoom ring. Awesome, if you like circular images! If you don't - and I happen to fall into that class - then the new zoom verily has nothing to offer since the maximum gap ,break on the new fisheye zoom is a mere f/4.
I currently own the 15mm Canon and I don't think I'll be getting rid of it anytime soon even when the new fisheye zoom from Canon finally comes out. Of policy I'm going to take it for a test run when the time comes and I wish that such a lens existed back when I was still shooting with a Canon Rebel. Undoubtedly, the new 8-15mm fisheye will be a good lens; but will it satisfy the full frame Canon shooter? Lets take a look at the Canon 15mm fisheye lens.
Image capability of the 15mm Canon Fisheye Lens
The 15mm Canon Fisheye is the sharpest lens that I've ever seen on any fisheye. If there's a sharper fisheye lens out there then I'd like to see it. Most of my photography buddies shoot with Nikon's and not one of them will dispute the fact that my 15mm Canon is razor sharp compared to either of the fisheye's made by Nikon. Even wide open at f/2.8 this lens is sharp as a tack. With a close focus distance of 8 inches you can move in verily close with this Canon fisheye lens for those very dramatic eye popping shots.
Auto Focus is very fast on this lens even though it has the old style Af motor on it. No ultra sonic motor on this lens as it was originally designed back in 1987. Canon has made virtually no changes on this lens since that time.
Chromatic Aberration could be better; and here the Nikon's are clearly the winner, but nothing that can't be dealt with verily if you shoot in Raw so you can digitally remove it. I often have the sun in my fisheye shots and rarely do I have to deal with any serious ghosting and flaring problems. Color saturation and distinction are as good as it gets with this lens. The 15mm Canon Fisheye translates into great images and you verily get to appreciate this lens when you make large prints with it like I do.
Like other high capability fisheye lenses the 15mm Canon has a rear gelatin filter holder. At 11.6 ounces it doesn't weigh very much and you can verily carry it nearby in a vest or jacket pocket without it being very noticeable.
So although the Canon 15mm is not an "L" series lens, it is a prime lens and can hold its own against a zoom even if it is an "L" series lens.
Is The 15mm Canon Fisheye For You?
If your a full frame Canon shooter and you like a fast prime lens that creates gorgeous images then I very recommend the Canon 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens even if you have to buy it used. If you like the idea of being able to shoot both diagonal and circular fisheye images with one lens and don't mind a slow f/4 maximum aperture, then you might want to go with the 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye Zoom. Whenever it comes out that is!
As for me, I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive Canon for discontinuing the Canon 15mm Fisheye. But I'll sure give it a try.
The Canon 15mm Fisheye Lens recite
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