Shooting a DOME project with EPIC. Which lens to use?

[Per von Koch]

Hi,

I'm gonna do some tests for a Dome movie and I need a fisheye lens that captures a 180 degree field of view. I know that Zeiss and Sigma has some but I like to know if someone has had any experience using 180 degree lenses with Epic.

Please tell :)

[david cheung]

Sigma 4.8 mm FE, Epic with EF mount @ 4K you should get full circle image in black background

Cheers

David

[Danai Chutinaton]

This canon 8-15mm f/4 fisheye zoom lens looks very promising for shooting with Epic. I haven't tested it myself, but the sample images I've seen from it look promising. I don't know if the Epic Canon mount will control it or not. The ability to zoom will allow you to select the right focal length for the sensor size (4k, 5k etc) you will be using on your epic. I've been shooting stills with the Nikon 10.5 f/2.8 DX fisheye lens and it has a little too much CA and purple fringing (for stills its fairly easy to remove so its not that big a deal for me).

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consum...4l_fisheye_usm

[david cheung]

Canon 8-15mm is great if you don't mind the top and bottom cut off. Even at 5K there is slight crop and will not display full circle. Easy to get full circle in a 35mm digital still sensor but not Super 35mm in the Epic.

Dome projection will need full circle unless it is slightly tilted from the horizontal plane and target point for the projection. Just hire both lens to try out and see which best fit your type of dome shoot.

I have used both for this type of shoot before. You may find that the resolution after cropping is better at 4K.

Cheers

David

[Per von Koch]

Thanks David and Danai.

David, is it this one you mean:
http://www.sigmaphoto.com/shop/45mm-...-fisheye-sigma

[Per von Koch]

I just checked and the Sigma seems to be a bit blurry on the edges. Isn't there anyone with a PL mount that costs a fortune? Cheap is good of course but I recall something that Zeiss had made that I saw at IBC that was supposed to be a 180 degree lens.

[david cheung]

You could try the Canon Fisheye FD 7.5mm f5.6 (as it is a FD you need to get one coverted to EF and check if the rear lens element is not too far into the Epic Brain). Not hard to find FD lens as no one really use them at this focal length.

A better but more expensive alternative is the Nikon Fisheye Nikkor 8mm f2.8.

There is one for sale in ebay with a Century Optic PL to Nikon 1.4x adapter: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Excellent-Ni...#ht_500wt_1413

These lenses are for 35mm film so not sure if full circle could fit inside the S35 sensor at 5K. I would love to know.

Can you show a frame grab as to how blurry the sigma lens is?

cheers
David

[Danai Chutinaton]

By the way, you might find this calculator useful when trying to determine what focal length lens will give you what field of view on the Epic sensor.

http://www.frankvanderpol.nl/fov_pan_calc.htm

[Peter Karlsson]

Peter, kolla med Björn på syndicate.se... Har för mig de har en Sunex glugg som skulle passa dig. De har säkert en del material och tips också.

[Per von Koch]

Thanks Danai and David.

David, I haven't really seen the Sigma lens in action, it's jut what I heard that it's not optimal when shooting for dome. I'm gonna try it though.

Peter: Tack för tipset!