The fisheye lens is a widely used but unknown type of effect at the same time
It is true that the fisheye lens is widely used both in photography and in video, which does not mean that it is used correctly or its function is adequately known.
What is the fisheye lens
Originating in 1906, Fisheye or fish eye is a type of lens that provides a very wide field of vision, so much so that it can exceed 170º and, even, for pictures circular can go beyond 200º. Fisheye lenses are classified into the angular type, these being an ultra angular with an approximate focal length of 7mm and 17mm.
The effect of this lens can be compared to viewing through a door peephole as it has a hemispherical shape, making it impossible to attach accessories to the lens without an adapter.
Types of fisheye lenses
There are two types of fisheye lenses: rectangular and circular, which are classified by the type of image they capture. The circular one is the most common, the one that captures at 180º or even exceeds 200º and generates a frame around it with black borders.
The rectangular (or diagonal) captures a 180º view diagonally, with the proportion of the sides (horizontal and vertical) being more regular than the previous one, normally capturing 150 horizontal degrees and 100 vertical degrees. The result is a more normal but distorted photograph.
Know here the best fisheye lenses
Advantages and disadvantages of the fisheye
Advantages
The main advantage of the fisheye is that it reduces the distance, that is, it is not necessary to go far away to capture a wide view, but by distorting the image it allows to reduce movement. Advantage that is very useful for landscapes or photos of the stars.
Another of its main uses and for which it is quite useful is the photography of houses and/or rooms. Normally there is not enough space to capture an entire room with a normal lens, that is why the fisheye is a very good option.
A fairly frequent use of this lens is also with the famous GoPro camera, created for recording dynamic and risky activities. This photographic lens creates a very immersive effect and can make the viewer feel part of the action.
In addition, the fisheye lens allows creativity to fly, in artistic photography and videos it creates a very striking effect, especially if combined with good photographic lighting, staging and even costumes and makeup.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantage of the fisheye is that it distorts reality, which means that this lens, when capturing an image, will not show what it really is. For example, when it comes to capturing people, the lens will deform them, especially how much closer it is to the edge of the photograph. That is why the use of this lens is restricted to a specific type of photography such as architecture, interiors, landscapes, or artistic photography.
