Fun with the Samyang fisheye

Climbing up to one of the four castles that make up Quattro Castella is among my favourite places to take a walk during the very long break I get at lunchtime. It is also a great place to try out new photographic equipment and techniques.

I recently treated myself to a Samyang 7.5mm fisheye  for my 4/3 cameras.  There is no autofocus  or electrical contact to the camera, but for this type of lens, this does not matter much and the price is right for a lens that will get used only for certain subjects. The optical quality is also very good.

Monte Zagno, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Zagno, Quattro Castella, RE

MonteLucio, Quattro Castella, RE

MonteLucio, Quattro Castella, RE

I decided to return to a project that I had done previously,  photographing the insides of ruined medieval castle keeps from the inside using stitching software.   I have several castles connected to Matilda of Canossa near at hand  as subjects.( http://nigelvoak.blogspot.it/2011/01/matilda-of-canossas-castles.html )

This time I tried the fisheye to see if could do the same job.  I was quite pleased with the results.  Stitching several frames together is very hit and miss, particularly when there are tree branches in the picture.

The fisheye gives more or less the same  perspective  effects, but without the double image tree branches.

Monte Zagno, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Zagno, Quattro Castella, RE

I was surprised that by careful composition and framing one can eliminate or mask a lot of the curved lines usually associated with lens. 

Monte Vetro, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Vetro, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

Monte Lucio, Quattro Castella, RE

I have a also found that as long as the horizon is dead centre and the camera is level, this lens makes interesting landscape photographs.  My Lumix GX1 is great for use with this lens because it has a very good level horizon display.

Rosssenella, Rossena, RE

This fisheye has enabled me to take the surreal but at the same time credible photographs of these castle keeps. I just have to be careful to keep my fingers out of the frame whilst holding the camera.

Late September has given us some strange skies as the season changes. I have even been able to take a n interesting photograph off of the balcony at home, a difficult feat. 

Sedignano,RE

Sedignano,RE

Reggio Emilia