Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Hi, I just wanted to give this lens a fair review. As the other reviewer mentioned, if you use it with an APS-C sensor digital slr, you won't see a whole lot of distortion. It's no different from the Canon brand fisheye on a camera like that. But, if you use it with film, or with a larger sensor size camera, full-frame if possible, it's really quite a beautiful, sharp, and very fish-eyed lens. On a Canon 5D it performed really well for me. I just wanted to say that on the right camera, it's really quite a lens.

I bought this lens on a lark, and have enjoyed every second of my time owning it. I use it on my Canon 5D and on my Canon 40D, if I set my shots correctly, I have some of the most unusual, attractive and impressive shots in my Shot Library.

The key to success with this lens is to set the shot correctly. I have found it takes more planning, a steadier hand (or Tripod/Monopod), than even my 100-400MM F/4-5.6L. With a telephoto lens, your area of focus is less a challenge than the 180 Degree worth of study when dealing with this lens.

Don't get me wrong, this lens is FUN!! I've never enjoyed landscapes, portraits, artistic shots more than I have when I am using my 15MM Fish. For the Casual user, high end amateur, or for the seasoned professional, this lens is an inexpensive TOOL each of us should have to round out our lens bag. BUY IT!!

Have been using the Sigma 15mm Fisheye for some weeks on a 5Dii and have taken about 1.000 shots with it. The short story: its a great lens that has lots to offer for anyone who like wide angle shots. Colors and flare resistence is tops. Centre sharpness is very good even wide open, while corners tend to be soft and suffer CA unless it is stopped down.

Fisheye lenses have a mixed reputation, which is a shame as they are some of the most versitile lenses around. Some of the bad reputation comes from the fact that some people think all fisheyes are "round". However, the Sigma 15mm is diagonal fisheye, and fills the picture across the entire sensor.

But why a fisheye at all? Three main reasons;
1) its wider than a standard lens (so 15mm fisheye is much wider than a 14mm standard lens)
2) by not correcting the light (as much as a traditional lens), the fisheye should have less flare and
2) better - even spectacular - colors.

And when it comes to flare resistance the Sigma 15mm shines. Colors are also great, but fisheye lenses can be very tricky for the camera's light meter. So with my 5Dii I often shoot @ f/-2/3 to f/-1 to compensate for overexposure at bright daylight.

Some people complain that the Sigma may hunt at low light, but I do not find it more difficult to use than most other lenses - actually I find it quite good. It has worked fine from early morning, over heavy rain to dark night.

Versatile? You bet! The important aspect of shooting a fisheye is to use the focal plane very actively in your shots. There is a dramatic shift in the look and feel of a shot depending on the tilt to the horizon and where in the picture plane your objects are.

Also, as long as you shoot "rounded" objects such as people, a fisheye often works better than a traditional wide lens like the Canon 14L. On the other hand its not very good at buildings unless you use software to correct.

Finally, the ability to use software to straighten out the curved lines makes fisheye lenses more versitile than ever.

For me the Sigma has been a hit. My impression from reading reviews etc. on the net is that there is no significant difference between the Sigma and the Canon, so get whichever is the cheapest where you live (that's what I did).

[Please disregard the previous review about vignetting. This lens has almost none even on a full frame. The user just forgot to take of the entire lens cap before shooting...]

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