Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye review

The Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED is a two-in-one fisheye lens that caters to both needs

Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye
(Image: © Matthew Richards)

Digital Camera World Verdict

If you’re in the market for a fisheye lens, it can be hard to decide whether to go for a circular or diagonal variant of the breed. This Nikon zoom effectively works as both, acting as a circular fisheye on FX (full-frame) cameras at the short end of its zoom range, and as a diagonal fisheye at the long end. The added versatility is nice to have but it comes as a cost, as the lens is about the same price as two decent fisheye primes. And it’s not the sharpest tool in Nikon’s box either.

Pros

  • +

    Circular/diagonal versatility

  • +

    Fairly compact and lightweight

  • +

    Good build quality

Cons

  • -

    Sharpness could be better

  • -

    Expensive to buy

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Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye is something of a ‘me too’ lens, following directly in the footsteps of the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM, which was launched seven years earlier. As such it’s a rare zoom example of the breed, effectively combining both ‘circular’ and ‘diagonal’ fisheye effects in a single lens. The former gives you a circular image using only the central region of the image sensor with full 180-degree coverage in both vertical and horizontal planes. The latter gives a smaller 180-degree viewing angle on the diagonal, but uses the whole image sensor to produce full-sized rectangular images.

Specifications

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Matthew Richards

Matthew Richards is a photographer and journalist who has spent years using and reviewing all manner of photo gear. He is Digital Camera World's principal lens reviewer – and has tested more primes and zooms than most people have had hot dinners! 

His expertise with equipment doesn’t end there, though. He is also an encyclopedia  when it comes to all manner of cameras, camera holsters and bags, flashguns, tripods and heads, printers, papers and inks, and just about anything imaging-related. 

In an earlier life he was a broadcast engineer at the BBC, as well as a former editor of PC Guide.