The Canon 15mm Fisheye is an old lens that was released way back in the 1980s and belong to the first generation Canon EF lenses.
It is still available on sale today at Amazon
Originally made for film SLR, this lens is compatible with both full frame and cropped sensor DSLR camera.
Fisheye lens is not a lens that you would use everyday, but still is a fun lens to have around, especially when you’re running low on creativity.
I personally use fisheye lens for landscape, underwater and sometimes indoor photography with great results.
The good thing about this lens is that it is light and sharp.
If you want to experiment with something new with photography, then this is an excellent lens to get.
However, if you’re still new to photography, I’d advise AGAINST getting this lens.
You’ll be much better off spending your money on an excellent budget lens such as the Canon 50mm f/1.8 EF II lens instead.
Let’s see the full Canon 15mm Fisheye review below.
Specs • Performance • Sample Image • Conclusion • Where to Buy
Canon 15mm Fisheye Specs
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Official Name:
Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
Focal Length Markings:
15mm
Features:
Fisheye – The lens has uncorrected, heavy barrel distortion for creative photography purpose.
EF – Compatible with either a Full Frame or Cropped Sensor DSLR camera. Also compatible with film SLR camera.
Full Technical Specs (from Canon’s website):
| Technical Specifications | |
| Groups / Elements | 7 / 8 |
| Angle of View | 180° (Full Frame) |
| Number of Blade Diaphragm | 5 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Minimum Focusing Distance | 0.2m |
| Filter Thread | N/A |
| Weight | 330g |
| Dimension (Diameter x Length) | ø73 x 62.2mm |
| Macro Magnification Ratio | 0.14X |
| Available at | Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama |
Optical Performance
Back to: Menu • Introduction
*NOTE* Test was performed using a cropped sensor DSLR camera, Canon EOS Rebel T2i
Canon 15mm Fisheye Sharpness
The center sharpness is very good overall, with the optimal aperture being at f/4.
Border sharpness is slightly less sharp than the center, but can still be considered good.
Sharpness Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Excellent
(4) Great
(3) Good
(2) Fair
(1) Poor
Center Sharpness
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 |
| 15mm | Great | Excellent | Great | Great |
Border Sharpness
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 |
| 15mm | Good | Good | Great | Great |
Distortion
Being a fisheye lens, barrel distortion is extremely large.
This is not a lens defect, but a deliberate move by Canon to enable photographers play around with their creativity.
See the distortion image test below.
Canon 15mm f/2.8 EF Lens Distortion
Vignetting
Vignetting is only apparent at f/2.8 (widest aperture) but can still be considered very low. At other aperture, it is negligible.
See my vignetting test chart below.
Canon 15mm f/2.8 EF Fisheye Lens Vignetting
Chromatic Aberration
Chromatic aberration control is very well controlled on this lens. At every aperture, it shows very low chromatic aberration.
Chromatic Aberration Scale (from Best to Worst):
(5) Negligible
(4) Very Low
(3) Low
(2) High
(1) Very High
Chromatic Aberration
| Focal Length / Aperture | f/2.8 | f/4 | f/5.6 | f/8 |
| 15mm | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low | Very Low |
Build Quality
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Materials
Build quality is pretty decent on this lens, nothing special. It is made from plastic. Made in Japan.
Focusing
Autofocus use an old micro motor that dates back from the earliest Canon EF lenses. It is pretty fast and accurate for this type of lens although a bit on the noisy side.
Being a fisheye lens, it has no filter thread. Therefore, you can’t use a polarizing filter on this lens.
Compatibility
Being an EF lens, it can be used with both Full Frame and Cropped Sensor DSLR camera.
Sample Image
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Get the best price online from these stores: Amazon
Conclusion
Back to: Menu • Introduction
Below are the conclusions for this Canon 15mm Fisheye lens review.
Although it’s an old lens, the Canon 15mm f/2.8 EF lens still remain a light and fun fisheye lens to use.
Sharpness is decent. Chromatic aberration and vignetting control are well controlled tested on a cropped sensor DSLR.
However, this is not a lens for everyone.
If you’re using a Canon DSLR and want to play around with your creativity, then this lens is the perfect addition to your DSLR arsenal.
See my conclusion below for the summary:
Drawbacks
- No filter thread
- Autofocus is a bit noisy
- Average build quality
Positives
- Good sharpness
- Good chromatic aberration control
- Good vignetting control
- Lightweight
Good For
- Underwater photography
- Aerial photography
- An occasional lens to use to train your creativity
Not So Good For
- Everyday photography use
What Others Are Saying…
by “Craig Dickson”
This is a fun lens that makes high-quality pictures. Despite its rather outdated design, it does a good job and I recommend it…
Click here to read the full review
by “Trevis Rothwell”
Fun Lens, but Limited Practicality. The fisheye lens is a lot of fun, and I enjoy using mine. However, I find that the practicality of the lens is minimal…
Click here to read the full review
Where to Buy
Support this site, buy the Canon 15mm f/2.8 EF Fisheye Lens from any of theses sites (best price online):
Be sure to also check out the following lens review that are related with this Canon 15mm Fisheye lens.
Thanks for reading this Canon 15mm Fisheye review!
| Lens Score | |
|---|---|
| Optical Quality | |
| Build Quality | |
| Value for Money | |
| Overall | |
Tags: canon 15mm fisheye
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