Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens
INTRODUCTION
We’ve been wanting to write this post for a long time but just never seemed to get around to it. We have been big fans of fisheye lenses for over 20 years. Firstly on our APS-C cameras (8mm) and now on our Full Frame (12mm) mirrorless cameras.
It’s true that the fisheye look doesn’t appeal to everyone’s taste, and there are many fisheye detractors who consider the lens to be a gimmick. And if you think this 180-degree view will help you gain more followers or likes on Instagram, think again! However, when used creatively, this often-misunderstood lens can produce unique images that conventional wide-angle lenses cannot capture. We would never travel without our “fishy” lens.
The only downside to owning a fisheye lens is that it cannot accommodate filters. While we typically prefer to attach a UV filter for added protection, this isn’t possible with a fisheye lens due to its bulbous shape. Therefore, it’s important to take extra care of the lens during use, especially in inclement weather.
In the past, when we used Nikon APS-C sensor cameras, we often shot with the Samyang 8mm f3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS (equivalent to 12mm on a Full Frame sensor) and it produced some amazing images. Below is one of our most popular images to be stolen online 
Above: Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy
Nikon D7000 + Samyang 8mm f3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS lens
In 2014 we moved from the APS-C crop sensor Nikon D7000 to the Full Frame sensor Sony A7r and Sony A7ii mirrorless cameras (we now both shoot the Sony A7Riii). Naturally, we promptly purchased the Samyang 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens.
Samyang 8mm f3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS -V- Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens
There were a couple of physical differences between the 8mm APS-C version and the 12mm Full Frame version. However, the lens is still a manual focus lens which requires you to change the aperture on the lens as well.
- The lens hood on the 12mm is removable however it was fixed on our original version of the 8mm. Version 2 of the 8mm lens now has a detachable hood.
- The 12mm lens for mirrorless cameras is a lot larger than the 8mm as well as the 12mm DSLR versions due to the mounting flange on mirrorless camera bodies.
- A maximum aperture of f/2.8 rather than f/3.5 on the 8mm lens.
THE TECHNICAL STUFF
The lens is available in many mounts: DSLR – Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A Mirrorless – Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, MFT ( see our update at the bottom of this post). As mentioned above, the DSLR mount lenses are all much shorter (70.2 – 72.7mm) in length in comparison to the mirrorless versions, which are all at least 20mm longer due to the smaller mounting flange on the mirrorless camera bodies. As a result, the lenses are also slightly heavier than the DSLR versions, but not by much.
Users of Full Frame sensor cameras will get the widest field of view with a full 180-degree view, but those using the APS-C sensor cameras will only get between 118 degrees to 124.6 degrees, depending on the camera mount. MFT (Micro Four Thirds) users will only get 97.3 degrees.
BUILD QUALITY
The build quality is exceptional. The frame of the lens is constructed of high-strength aluminium alloy. The lens has 7 aperture blades designed to be almost as a full circle when the aperture is closed. The detachable petal-shaped lens hood minimizes flare and ghosting. As you cannot use a protective filter/ UV filter on the front of this lens, we suggest you keep the hood on at all times when shooting to protect the bulbous front of the lens from the elements and knocks. And if really need to know, internally the lens features 12 lenses in 8 groups.
Above: Samyang 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISHEYE lens – this is a DSLR version.
A Sony Mirrorless version of this lens will be at least 20mm longer! The extra length extends between the aperture ring and the camera body.
Australian Residents only
HOW TO USE
Now, we know it sounds pretty silly telling you how to use this lens however we thought we would share how we use this lens as it is really simple.
Firstly – composition is king when shooting with a fisheye lens. Not every scene is suitable for a fisheye and it is certainly not ideal for most landscapes. It works really well with architecture, especially when pointed upwards, and for subjects that are round. Shots are usually better composed when both sides of the image are balanced. As the lens has a 180-degree field of view on Full Frame sensor cameras you have to be careful when shooting outdoors where the sky is included. The resulting shot can have one side of the shot blown out due to the direction of light from the sun and the opposing direction will be nicely exposed. Also, when angling the lens down watch out you don’t include your feet! 
To give you a better idea, check out some images below.
As for settings, we thoroughly tested our copy when we bought it. We shoot in Aperture Priority and found that optimum quality is at f/8 with the focus ring at infinity (actually, we use it at the maximum setting which is just before the infinity symbol on the lens). This lens will give you incredible DOF (Depth Of Field) at f/8. Absolutely everything will be in focus from the foreground to the background. If the light is a little low we may open the aperture to f5.6. That’s it! Point and shoot. Simple huh! You’ll be amazed by the results.
Above: UTS Sydney, Australia – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens – Perfect for architecture shots.
Above: Princes Pier, Melbourne – Australia – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens
This is the view you will get when the lens is level. You can still achieve a level horizon with the lens. There is some noticeable distortion on the left & right edges of the frame and some of the pier in the foreground. Still a pleasing shot in our opinion.
Above: Princes Pier, Melbourne – Australia – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens
This is the view you will get when the lens is tilted slightly downwards.
Above: Princes Pier, Melbourne – Australia – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens
This is another view with the lens tilted downwards. In order to get some even lighting in our sky, we shot this with the sun relatively behind us. With a lens that shoots a 180-degree image, you will sometimes battle with objects in your composition that you don’t want to include but unfortunately, that is ‘the nature of the beast’ when using a lens like this. This composition includes the shadow of the camera on the tripod and unwanted areas in the bottom corner of the image which we knew would be easy enough to remove in Lightroom/Photoshop so it was not really a concern.
Above: Casino Interior, Macao – China – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens. A fantastic lens for interiors although we’re not sure a paying client would want this extreme angle. Although, with a bit of editing in Photoshop you should be able to straighten the distortion near the edges. Alternatively, you could process the file using an app such as Fisheye-Hemi (discontinued), which does the same thing as Photoshop only a little quicker.
Above: All Saints Anglican Church, Bodalla – Australia – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens. Great for interiors when you have limited space.
Above: Caretta Shiodome, Tokyo – Japan – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens. Great to use with leading lines and shapes in your composition
Above: Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island – Hong Kong – Samyang 12mm f2.8 ED AS NCS Fisheye lens. Always try to centre yourself to your subject so both the right and left sides of the composition are relatively equal.
Above: Cimitero Monumentale di Milano – Italy.
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There is a myriad of examples we could show here but with the samples above we think you get the idea of how this lens works best. If you’ve never used a fisheye lens we suggest you try renting one for a few days and let your creativity run wild. Try shooting with it in a forest with tall trees, a densely populated city with skyscrapers, an external shot of a barn, an ornate interior of a church or building – the possibilities are endless.
We will be shooting with this lens till the day we drop, not because we want to win any awards or fans, but purely because we enjoy the creativity that the lens affords us. So get out there with a ‘fishy’ in the bag and have some fun.
PRICE
If you’re lucky you may be able to find one second-hand copy of the 12mm at a cheaper price than retail. We bought our second-hand copy for AUD$300. Brand new in Australia you can expect to pay anywhere between AUD$800-900.
Samyang offers 4 versions of the fisheye lens. One for MFT cameras, two for APS-C cameras, and one for Full-Frame cameras. Purchasing the Full Frame 12mm version of the lens in Australia is becoming increasingly difficult (see our update below), however, you can still purchase the APS-C 8mm versions here (Nikon Mount Only) – don’t forget to use the discount code mentioned below. Outside of Australia, you may have to hunt around to find one as even Adorama are discontinuing these lenses. Your best bet at the moment is to purchase from Amazon.
- Samyang 8mm F2.8 UMC Fish-Eye II (for APS-C sensor cameras) – Canon M, Sony NEX (E Mount), Fujifilm X
- Samyang 8mm F3.5 UMC Fish-Eye CS II (for APS-C sensor cameras) – Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, MFT
- Samyang 7.5mm F3.5 UMC Fish-Eye MFT (for MFT sensor cameras) – Panasonic Lumix G, Olympus E-P, Olympus E-PL
- Samyang 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS Fish-Eye (for Full-Frame sensor cameras) – Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A, Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX, Sony E, MFT
Alternatively, if purchasing in Australia click on the banner below to visit Maxxum (Australian Distributor) and use the coupon code WSP10 to get a 10% discount off all products. *The discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers by the distributor.
THE FINAL WORD
Fisheye photography is not everyone’s cup of tea. This is a lens that will certainly NOT live on your camera. It really is a specialized lens that would probably only be used on the odd occasion so you will need to determine whether it justifies valuable territory in your camera bag.
If you’ve never used a fisheye lens we suggest you try renting one for a few days and let your creativity run wild. Try shooting with it in a forest with tall trees, a densely populated city with skyscrapers, an external shot of a barn, or an ornate interior of a church or building – the possibilities are endless.
We will be shooting with this lens till the day we drop, not because we want to win any awards or fans, but purely because we enjoy the creativity that the lens affords us. With its unique angle of view and its ability to add a different dimension to images, we rarely leave home without it in our camera bag. It has allowed us to capture some amazing images over the years and will forever remain one of our most loved lenses.
So get out there with a ‘fishy’ in the bag and have some fun.
UPDATE: In August 2023, the Australian distributors of Samyang lenses advised us that this lens would be phased out of the lineup. At the time of writing the Australian distributor had already ceased selling the Sony mounts of this lens, however, other mounts are still available. Outside of Australia, you may have to check the availability of this lens or try to purchase second-hand.
RATED: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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