Nikon AF-S FISHEYE NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Review

Nikon AF-S FISHEYE NIKKOR 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E Performance

Despite the fact that fisheye lenses are not really designed for making images of test charts, the Nikkor 8-15mm puts in a splendid performance. Sharpness centrally at 8mm is excellent from f/3.5 to f/16 and only drops off slightly at f/22 and returning a very good level. We can say exactly the same for the edges, and in fact f/5.6 and f/8 see the figures edging into the outstanding category.

At 10mm, sharpness is excellent centrally from f/3.8 to f/16 and very good at f/22. The edges are very good from f/3.8 to f/8, excellent at f/11 and very goof from f/16 to f/22.

At 12mm sharpness is excellent centrally from f/4.2 to/16 and very good at f/22. Edge results are good at f/4.2, very good at f/5.6 and f/8, excellent at f/11 and very good at f/16 and f/22.

The sharpness of the 15mm full frame image is excellent from f/4.5 to f/16 and very good at f/22. The edges are good at f/4,5, very good at f/5.6 and f/8, excellent at f/11, very good at f/16 and it is only at f/22 that images finally surrender to diffraction and become slightly soft.

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is well controlled throughout the range, approaching zero centrally and keeping mainly below one-half of a pixel at the edges. There is little need for further correction, but this can be done in software if desired.

Even the fisheye distortion can be addressed in software, either Nikon's Nikon Capture NX-D or Photoshop and similar programs.

Flare resistance is excellent. It can be induced in the most severe circumstances, but as a rule, the lens can happily be used without its hood at the wider settings and there is no real loss in contrast against the light.

The diaphragm does have rounded blades to improve bokeh, but this design may not often be used in such a way as to offer out of focus backgrounds. When required, the bokeh looks smooth but as background details are so small the effect is a subtle one.

Value For Money

There are plenty of prime fisheye lenses available, but very few fisheye zooms. The Nikon AF-S Fisheye Nikkor 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED is priced at £1299. It works in exactly the same way as the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L USM, which costs £1119. So Nikon and Canon users both have a fisheye zoom that offers the choice of circular or full frame effects.

The only other currently available fisheye zooms are the SMC Pentax-DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 (£369) and the remarkably similar Tokina AF 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X DX (£558). For those using Pentax full frame, it might be possible to find a second hand SMC Pentax 17-28mm f/3.5-4.5. These Pentax/Tokina designs are slightly different in approach to the Nikon and Canon lenses in that they are full frame fisheyes (albeit it for the APS-C format in the first two cases) at the widest setting, but become progressively less distorted as they are zoomed in.

For more options have a look at the Top 14 Best Nikon Lenses or the Top 15 Wide-angle Landscape Lenses.

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