I just happened to see on B&H Photo that the 15mm F2.8 Fisheye is no longer in stock and is marked as “Discontinued”.

I’m guessing that this is due to the New 8mm – 15mm F4.0 Zoom.

Sure glad I got mine a few years ago. I find it to be extremely sharp and gives a truly unique look. No need to go any wider in my opinion.

Yes, Canon stated the 8-15 would replace the 15 prime. FWIW, I've spoken to a few pros using the 8-15 for underwater photography and they are raving about it.

Heck of a replacement. The 15mm is what, $600? $650? The zoom is $1500. Seems like a pretty huge gap to me. Glad I have mine...I imagine the value will only increase in a situation like this.

I knew I should have kept it when I went to small sensor digital!

The sleeper lens in this category is the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye. There is a new version that does not include a lenshood that works on full frame. For $689 it's a superb alternative to the 8-15mm fisheye at less than half the price.

I'm happy I got my 15 mm fisheye on time. I have it permanently attached to my Canon K2 35mm film camera, which allows me to get Fisheye in a "Full frame" film camera.

Sample photos here:

http://www.jaimephotos.com/MDC35/index.htm

And these taken in Naples Pier in Florida, with the same 15mm Fisheye mounted on my K2 35 mm film:

http://www.jaimephotos.com/film/index.htm

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM is actually 4 lenses in one.

- Full-frame fisheye lens for (1) Full-frame (5D), (2) APS-H (1D) and (3) APS-C (7D) bodies
- Circular fisheye lens for (4) Full-frame (5D) bodies

It is priced to compete with a circular and full frame fisheye.

dolina wrote:
Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM is actually 4 lenses in one.

- Full-frame fisheye lens for (1) Full-frame (5D), (2) APS-H (1D) and (3) APS-C (7D) bodies
- Circular fisheye lens for (4) Full-frame (5D) bodies

It is priced to compete with a circular and full frame fisheye.




How practical is circular? Anyone could sell these shots?

That is no surpise at all. I think that there will be plenty of second hand 15 fisheyes for those who want them. That is a lens many people buy and resell after a while.

EBH

Breitling65 wrote:
How practical is circular? Anyone could sell these shots?

Sigma sells two circular fisheye primes and Peleng sells one circular fisheye prime for all manner of slr mounts. So there appears to be a market for a circular fisheye lens.

Nikon for a time used to sell a circular fisheye f/2.8 prime as well. Though I find the design a tad too delicate to use.

Finally remember the new Canon Fisheye is also targeted for HDSLR applications as well. I saw a video made with it attached to a C300 and it looks great.

My sole legitimate complaint is that the front lens cap easily detaches and that you need to have the hood on the lens for the lens cap to attach.

dolina wrote:
Breitling65 wrote:
How practical is circular? Anyone could sell these shots?

Sigma sells two circular fisheye primes and Peleng sells one circular fisheye prime for all manner of slr mounts. So there appears to be a market for a circular fisheye lens.

Nikon for a time used to sell a circular fisheye f/2.8 prime as well. Though I find the design a tad too delicate to use.

Finally remember the new Canon Fisheye is also targeted for HDSLR applications as well. I saw a video made with it attached to a C300 and it looks great.

My sole legitimate complaint is that the front lens cap easily detaches and that you need to have the hood on the lens for the lens cap to attach.


Everybody selling brown colored liquid in dunking-donuts, doesn't mean it should be called coffee... How would you use this circular shots?

How the 15mm Canon compare with the 15mm Sigma??

I had a Sigma back in Nikon mount, it was an awesome lens! Super sharp.

alvit wrote:
How the 15mm Canon compare with the 15mm Sigma??

Very very similar except the Sigma has much closer MFD...which is pretty nice in fact.

I had both for a few weeks then sold the Sigma because the Canon is a bit smaller in size which fit my bag better...but I could have been happy with either.

dolina - I actually put some 1/4" wide red electrical tape (At Staples Office Supply) on the end of my lens which helps hold that cap on just perfectly. Plus it gives the lens a rightly deserved Canon "L" red stripe. I think it actually made it sharper too.

I agree that I would not need or want anything wider. Circular fisheye can be done in PhotoShop if you ever really think you want to go that way.

Cphoto1954 wrote:
Circular fisheye can be done in PhotoShop if you ever really think you want to go that way.

…but it won't be 180 degrees.

Omar

Mr Joe wrote:
The sleeper lens in this category is the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye. There is a new version that does not include a lenshood that works on full frame. For $689 it's a superb alternative to the 8-15mm fisheye at less than half the price.

Agreed! The Tokina is a very versatile lens for less than half the price of the 8-15. I use it as much as I use my 15mm Canon fisheye. The Tokina has a little bit more CA maybe, but still produces some great images.

I too have had the Tokina for a few years and for such a niche lens see no reason to upgrade to the new Canon, particulalrly as I mainly shoot crop.

Breitling65 wrote:
How practical is circular? Anyone could sell these shots?
I think the 180º circular fisheye was developed for full-sky shots, cloud studies, etc., but was quickly adopted for other "artistic" uses. I have no idea how many circular photos are actually sold, but I remember occasionally seeing them in magazines like National Geographic beginning almost fifty years ago. I've seen one or two prints in galleries...it's certainly not a look with wide appeal (uh, pardon the pun), and not easy to keep interesting, but that's how it is with specialty optics. Oh, and not easy to mount and frame a print effectively.

One thing is sure-the new FE is a full stop slower than my 15mm F2.8 FE (super sharp wide open too). That's enough for me I will never sell my 15 FE and will keep a Canon FF body to mount it. That said it's a toss up whether the used price of a Canon 15 FE F2.8 will rise substantially.