Imagealign-15mm

Something's Fishy

Photo Courtesy Sigma Corp.
When I was a teenager in the 1960's the hottest new lens was the "fisheye". These produced a circular 180 degree image. Though they had been available for at least two decades prior (used primarily for scientific / meteorological applications), it was Nikon's 8mm f/8 fisheye lens of 1962 for the Nikon F that really started the excitement. Though very expensive it provided photographers with a unique new "look", and was the subject of much discussion in the photographic community.
Other manufacturers quickly followed, prices dropped, and it wasn't long before Spiratone had a screw-in accessory adoptor that produced a fisheye look for under $100.
But the appeal (or at least the uniqueness) of circular fisheye photographs soon waned, and though they're still around today they aren't seen very often. (Thank goodness).
Squaring The Circle
Up until 2001 when Voigtländer brought out its 12mm f/5.6 Heliar lens in Leica screw mount the widest 35mm ...