Shooting for dome projection....

[Lee Dashiell]

Does anyone have any specific lens suggestions for footage that will be projected onto a dome???

[Noah Kadner]

Kinda depends on the system. Fisheye and wide lenses would be obvious choices. But you would also take into consideration the projector lens and the aspect ratio- all that sorta stuff. Like is this IMAX or something custom?

Noah

[Lee Dashiell]

The multi-channel playback system we're going to use is from www.globalimmersion.com it's called Fidelity Play

[Paul Leeming]

Peleng 8mm fisheye mounted vertically upright so as to capture a complete 360 degree sky view that dips below the horizon all around?

[thomas-english]

I think we should start talking as I am working on the same project

Currently I am messing about with a Century Optics s16 3.5mm lens that gives a good amount of full circle fisheye in the somewhat tiny RED chip. Its a dirty lens but I am making rave visuals for our mobile planetarium/rave tent. (Global Immersion are installing the projector system). I am taking content down to Intech Planetarium in Winchester.

Whatever lens you use I thouroughly recomend not shooting upwards and using the good central part of your lens to get the subject matter and using the Portugese fulldome plugin to move your sweet spot image area into the sweet spot for viewing.

Even the Nikon 6mm has pretty much useless edges.

The Pelenge completely fills the RED chip so you won't get a dome master out of it. However using the plugin you can use it as a "tight" lens.

There is a nice wide Sigma lens with no iris control and a few full fisheyes that are locked to T 5.6. I will list them later.

There are options. Lots of them lens wise all with their own faults. But I've just got back from a really long day and have a early call tomorrow so I can't do it now.

[Mitch Gross]

The Nikon 8mm fisheye and 6mm fisheye (both very nice) fit neatly just inside the full square sensor of the Phantom HD (26.5mm X 26.5mm). Great for dome work. The Peleng will also fit, but the image quality is obviously not there, even at the center much less the edges.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I own the Peleng 8mm and it's a great lens for the low price. But it just doesn't have the resolving power you would want. Not a sharp lens at all. It has better coverage than the PL mounted Nikkor 8mm lenses I have seen. The Century 6mm fisheye is pretty awesome -- that might be constructed with Nikon glass, not sure. Evin Grant should know a lot more about it -- he's shot with it quite a bit I think.

I have another idea for dome shooting that I want to try, but I'm not going to divulge any details yet. I think it's too much of a good idea. :)

[Matt Mascheri]

Have a look at some of our footage. Red plus Nikon mount and Sunex lens.

http://www.vimeo.com/mmascheri/videos

This will net you a 2309 x2309 dome master with minimal image loss. You can also shoot with the camera in a horizonal position netting you a much higher resolution image if you don't mind loosing a bit of the image to the left and right.

Matt

[Lee Dashiell]

Very cool stuff Matt. Tell me more about this Sunex lens.

[Lee Dashiell]

......

I have another idea for dome shooting that I want to try, but I'm not going to divulge any details yet. I think it's too much of a good idea. :)

lol....I love it!! I would like to experiment with a few different lenses to see what really works the best. This is new territory for me but it makes sense. Just getting my feet wet.....