Zenit Zenitar 16mm F2.8 MC Fisheye A-mount lens review by H20boy
 H20boy#2681 date: Sep-1-2007 | |
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| sharpness: 4.5 color: 5 build: 4 distortion: 5 flare control: 5 overall: 4.7 | tested on:
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| ownership: | I own this lens |
| compared to: | Tamron 11-18 Minolta 17-35/3.5 |
| price paid: | $150 USD new |
| positive: | - cheeeeeap! - Decent wide angle on APS-c censors - Makes a great 'point and shoot' with much better quality than a true P&S - small, pocketsize - I am supporting russia's export and economy |
| negative: | - wide open it just blows, really, and not like to cool you off either |
| comment: | I use my zenitar with a Jolos m42 adapter, and the adapter didn't require any work at all to make it go to infinity. Ok, next - it's sharp, but only at f8 and down. I would've given it a better sharpness rating if not for that. Otherwise, i was very suprised to see the IQ when using smaller apertures. After all, at this size, I think that is what it was meant for. It is a dedicated landscape lens, and that's it! See my sample images for a 100% crop at f9. you'll be impressed. The colors on this are much better than the Tamron 11-18 I once owned. For some reason, the zenitar has more saturated colors, and i like that in a wide angle lens. your opinion may be different. You can't take away points for a fisheye on distortion. Anybody who does, picked up the lens for the wrong reason. go find a rectilinear lens and deduct for distortion...am I right?? I docked off of the build rating for one reason...to use it on my 7D (and other minolta/sony cameras) you have to remove the aperture pin and spring from the lens. This requires disassembly of the rear mount, which actually isn't that hard once you get into it. I'd give someone a 5% chance of screwing it up. :) It's plastic, but very light. I like the idea of tossing it on my pocket or in a small pouch when I take out say... the 70-200, and if needed, its there. I don't even realize the extra weight. Stopped down to F11 or so, and you don't even have to focus. Using it as a typical point and shoot, everyting from 4.5 feet and beyond is in focus. _________________________________________________________________ Flare rating a 5, until it proves to me in the field to be an issue. sorry, haven't tested it yet. __________________________________________________________________ Highly recommended for budget landscape, or P&S opportunities. If you would like to see it's size compared to the 28/2 and the 17-35G, open these up -> http://matt.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p1061461545-5.jpg amd this one http://matt.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p757492568-5.jpg |
; 10MPrating summary
- total reviews: 21
- sharpness: 4.12
- color: 4.29
- build: 4.14
- distortion: 4.29
- flare control: 3.76
- overall: 4.12