Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras Review

Pros:

Ultra Wide View
Really light and small
Get those really tight shots!
Nice quality slide on metal lens cap

Cons:

No filter mount
Auto focus makes loud buzzing sound
Can not manual focus in auto focus mode

Unpacking:

I got my new Canon 15mm Fisheye today and my first thoughts were wow it's smaller then I thought it would be and lighter. Reminds me of my Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens. Not as light but very close to it. Sure wish I could mount a filter, but the front of the lens is round and won't permit it.

Mounting:

When mounting it on my Canon 5D Mark II it turns harder as you approach the locking point almost to the point where you think something is wrong and then it locks in place but there is no audible click. But it does mount solidly even more so then my L lenses.

I always purchase a lens filter with my new lenses but in this case there is no mount for one because of the curvature of the front element you can't mount one anyway.

I found myself keeping the lens cap on as much as possible setting up the shot first and then removing the cap at the last possible minute then putting it back on after the shot.

What's it like?

Well in a word AWESOME! Especially on a full frame sensor camera like the 5D. The auto focus (AF) makes a loud buzzing sound when it focuses but at 15mm there isn't much focusing to do. And you can get away with really low shutter speeds and still be pretty sharp. You could even leave the auto focus off and just run the manual focus ring to the middle and step down to say F9 and bang everything is in focus anyway! Just take note that you can't override the auto focus by grabbing the focus ring and turning it when the AF switch is in the AF position. It's not a USM system so there is no simultaneous manual / auto focusing allowed. I have found I don't really need it though because if it doesn't auto focus I just reconmpose until I one of the focus points is on a high contrast object press the shutter part way get a focus lock recompose and shoot. When doing this you might just find a better composition anyway as little changes will really effect the look.

I find that items near the edges that are normally straight really get the bends when you uses this lens on a full frame sensor camera like my Canon 5D Mark II but very subdued when mounted on my cropped sensor cameras 40D and Rebel XTi.

The first hour I had the lens I ran around like a maniac photographing every small space I could think of closets, my daughters Honda Fit interior etc then over to the local park where I sat under some trees and pointed it up while laying on the ground.

The other neat effect is holding the camera with both hands and pointing it towards yourself you get this huge distortion of anything really close to the lens and your arms will look huge close to the camera.

Conclusion:

It's not a lens for everyone and after just a few photos of the same object there are only so many views to get so you don't want to over use it. But especially on a full frame camera like the Canon 5D Mark II you can photograph spaces much smaller then you could ever imagine and it will give your photos a unique look that can only be achieved with a fisheye. I heartily recommend.

Other lenses reviewed:

Canon 15mm Fisheye F/2.8, crazy ultra wide wall bending fun!
Canon EF-S 17-55 F/2.8 IS Ultra sharp, great colors, great low light, poor zoom action
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Rebel XTi Kit lens Muddy, slow, pile of junk
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L Fantastic colors, sharp zoomed 17 to 24mm, ultra smooth zoom action, light weight
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L Fantastic colors and contrast, sharp zoomed 40 to 70mm, zoom a little stiff at first, heavy, repair prone!
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Good budget portrait lens, light weight, disposable, sharp from F/2.5
Canon EF 85mm F/1.2 L II The best portrait lens for female and children clients, buttery smooth Bokeh, heavy and expensive it shares sharpness with 135mm
Canon EF 135mm F/2.0 L The best portrait lens for males and tied with Canon 85mm F 1/.2 for sharpest lens I own, buttery smooth Bokeh
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L fantastic colors, sharp for a zoom, very versatile ego boosting and attention getting and heavy! My favorite zoom lens!!!
Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L great IS, super colors, sharp for a zoom, extremely versatile, variable Bokeh, even more ego boosting and attention getting when extended and 400mm reach!!
Canon EF 200mm F/2 IS L Otherworldly, insane, impossible, rare, perfect, out of sight, crazy and very expensive!

Buy it here now!