John Mitchell Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I believe this topic has been covered before (sorry), but I can't find the thread. I'm thinking of getting a fisheye lens (just for the heck of it) for my Sony NEX cameras, and I'm wondering if there is much demand for fisheye shots on Alamy -- i.e. has anyone ever sold one, or two, or three...? You seldom see fisheye images in magazines any longer. Were they just a fad that has had its day in the sun? There is certainly no shortage of them on Alamy. http://www.alamy.com/search/Imageresults.aspx?CreativeOn=1&adv=1&ag=0&all=1&creative=&et=0x000000000000000000000&vp=0&loc=0&qt=fisheye&qn=&lic=6&lic=1&archive=1&dtfr=&dtto=&hc=&selectdate=&size=0xFF&aqt=&epqt=&oqt=&nqt=>ype=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Park Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I’ve sold a underwhelming 7 fisheye images on Alamy, and several elsewhere, some recently. 2 of the Alamy images can be discounted as they are astronomical subjects which the fisheye is useful for. I carry the fisheye occasionally on press shoots on the off-chance there may be a use for it. More useful, and providing good sales, is the Nikon 14-24mm wideangle. Its almost fisheye at its widest but without the obvious extreme distortion, however it is a lot heavier and bulkier than the Nikon fisheye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I've only sold 1 I had here and another one from a different agency. I do better with a semi-fish than circular. I guess it depends how it's used.Easy to do overkill on them;they are fun to play with. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I think a fisheye is a useful addition to the arsenal provided it's used sparingly and wisely. I use it where it can produce an interesting view of a subject but never just for an effect. I haven't sold any yet, but then I haven't sold much of anything lately. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 I owned the old Nikon 16mm full-frame fisheye. Save your money. You'll need it for other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 12, 2014 Author Share Posted May 12, 2014 I owned the old Nikon 16mm full-frame fisheye. Save your money. You'll need it for other things. You mean, like grub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Grub is good. In fact I was just writing about food in my blog. But just about any other lens would prove more useful. So, sure, put it on your gear list but waaaaay down at the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Endicott Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Licensed 3 times since I took it (at different agencies)....the last time it was licensed was in 2008 :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Licensed 3 times since I took it (at different agencies)....the last time it was licensed was in 2008 :/ Interesting perspective. I can see why it leased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Estall Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 that's a good example of a full frame fish-eye working. You can be sure that curved white retaining wall in the foreground was, in fact, straight. If there were any upright flag poles on the sides they would be very curved which is usually less comfortable. Ed's shot would have been with the camera held dead horizontal, move it just a little up or down and you will start to see lots of things taking on a curve including the horizon. Can work. Yes I have sold some. but unless you really work at it, it is going to be a fairly rarely used lens. But good fun if you like that kind of thing (to pinch a phrase from an odd Vauxhall car sales pitch). The full round fish-eye rarely yields sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dov makabaw Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I use the Nikon 14 - 24mm which has been fine for my purposes. Have sometimes looked at second hand fish-eyes for church interiors and gimmicky landscapes but personally couldn't justify the cost. dov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert M Estall Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 for extreme wide-angle the Sigma 8-16mm is outstanding but that's NOT a fisheye. A church interior is going to be absolutely full of pillars and windows which are going to be curved all over the place. Not likely to look nice! Might be amusing to take a few shots, but very unlikely to be chosen for reproduction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reciprocity Images Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Here's one from a few years back that has sold numerous times (though not via alamy)... I had a fisheye (Canon) for about a month before it got old. This is about the only shot that aged well. -Jason edit: just searched and found this which has sold once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Robinson Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 A sale just popped up today. I think that brings the total to four. They are all of subjects where the lens was essential due to the lack of space rather than arty fish-eye effect shots - two of them with the verticals sorted with help of Image Trends fisheye filter. Still a long way to go to pay for the £600 lens though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 A sale just popped up today. I think that brings the total to four. They are all of subjects where the lens was essential due to the lack of space rather than arty fish-eye effect shots - two of them with the verticals sorted with help of Image Trends fisheye filter. Still a long way to go to pay for the £600 lens though.... Congratulations on the sale. I have to wonder how well "arty" fisheye shots sell nowadays. These lenses have been around for a long time, and everyone is familiar with the fisheye effect -- i.e. the novelty has worn off. Buying any new equipment these days is definitely a gamble. With image price being so low, I find that it can take ages (if ever) to recuperate costs. Fortunately, the fisheye I have in mind for my NEX cameras is inexpensive. I wouldn't put a lot of money into something like this that I will probably only use once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Robinson Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I know what you mean about investing in equipment. However, I bought the lens a couple of years ago for c£600. I have made just short of £100 from images taken with it. That's more than I would have made in interest if I'd put the £600 in the bank. (Though, of course, I would still have the £600 in the bank). Edit: (In fact I've sold 5) CYKW56 sold last month C8Y1H5 sold today CYP0G3 last October On reflection, it seems it's fisheye images of Prague that are wanted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I know what you mean about investing in equipment. However, I bought the lens a couple of years ago for c£600. I have made just short of £100 from images taken with it. That's more than I would have made in interest if I'd put the £600 in the bank. (Though, of course, I would still have the £600 in the bank). True, with interests rates being so low (not a bad thing) here in Canada, keeping money in the bank is basically philanthropy. My problem is that I never have much money in the bank to begin with. Consequently, my photography earnings tend to get swallowed by a black hole every month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Baker Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm going to find myself up some tall buildings in New York next weekend and am hiring the Canon 8-15mm zoom as a back-up to my usual 24mm. Some guidance on its use (Dos and Don'ts) would be appreciated! Many thanks, Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 This morning I found a new use for fisheye shots: selfless selfies! Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 This morning I found a new use for fisheye shots: selfless selfies! Alan "Fishies" -- the next new fad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Robinson Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 This morning I found a new use for fisheye shots: selfless selfies! Alan "Fishies" -- the next new fad? Or selfouettes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 This morning I found a new use for fisheye shots: selfless selfies! "Fishies" -- the next new fad? Or selfouettes? These days I'm just a shadow of my former selfie. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Crean Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 This morning I found a new use for fisheye shots: selfless selfies! "Fishies" -- the next new fad? Or selfouettes? These days I'm just a shadow of my former selfie. Alan Maybe even a shadette In fact we could start a band, "Selfishie and the Shadettes", Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 In fact we could start a band, "Selfishie and the Shadettes", I'll be the piano tuna. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D700 Doug Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I'll be the piano tuna. Alan You can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish ! I love superwide lenses and probably overuse them Over my years as a photographer I have used fisheye lenses twice for specific shoots One was a portrait shoot of some goths the other was from the cockpit of a P51 Mustang in flight. I do not see them as being a cost effective tool for the average pro photographer, yes I have seen some great shots taken with them but I find that usually they are used for a week and then left in a cupboard for the rest of their life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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