If you want to take a 360 photo with your DSLR or mirrorless camera, but are not sure which lens to get, then this chart will help you. This chart shows some popular lenses and what kind of coverage they will provide on a full frame, APS-C or Micro Four Thirds sensor, and thus let you know how many photos you will need to take.
Step 1: Decide how many photos you want to take per 360 photo.
Option 1: 4 shots, with lower resolution: look for a circular fisheye. For the panoramic head, you can use a multi-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja 3), or a single-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja R1)
Option 2: 4 shots, with higher resolution: look for a cropped fisheye. For the panoramic head, you can use a multi-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja 3), or a single-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja R1). Reader Ludwig suggested that this lens can also be shot at a higher quality with a multi-row panoramic head if you shoot 4 around, plus 1 zenith to get a clear zenith, such as for places with ornate ceilings. Another option he suggested is to take 6 shots instead of 4, which will improve the image quality because you will be using images from the middle of the frame where the lens is usually sharpest.
Option 3: 8 shots, with even higher resolution: use a diagonal fisheye. For the panoramic head, you can use a multi-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja 3).
It is possible to use a single-row panoramic head (e.g. Nodal Ninja R1) with 8 shots if you tilt the camera but there will be a star-shaped hole in the nadir.
Step 2:
Choose a lens, looking at the column for your sensor size and narrowing the choices based on how many photos you want and what kind of coverage you need (from Step 1)
| Lens | Price (estimated street) | Manual focus ring? Aperture ring? | Full frame | APS-C | Micro Four Thirds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7artisans 7.5mm f/2.8 | 139 | MF, aperture | Cropped? (haven't shaved mine yet) | Diagonal | <180 |
| Canon 8-15 f/4 | 1249 | MF | Diagonal at 15mm Cropped at 12mm Circular at 8mm | Diagonal at 10mm | <180 |
| iZugar MKX22 f/2.5 (220deg fisheye lens) | $499 | MF, fixed aperture | Circular | Circular | Cropped for Z Cam E1 4:3 Circular for GX80 4:3 |
| Laowa 4mm | 199 | MF, aperture | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Lensbaby 5.8mm f/3.5 | 299 | MF, aperture | Circular | Circular | Cropped |
| Meike 6.5mm f/2 | 139 | MF, aperture | Circular | Circular | Cropped |
| Nikon 8-15 f/3.5-4.5 | 1095 | MF | Diagonal at 15mm Cropped at 12mm Circular at 8mm | Diagonal at 10mm | <180 |
| Nikon 10.5 f/2.8 | 772 | MF | Cropped if hood is shaved | Diagonal | <180 |
| Opteka 6.5mm f/3.5 (similar to Samyang 8mm 3.5) | 120 | MF, aperture | Cropped with hood removed | Diagonal | <180 |
| Peleng 8mm f/3.5 | 289 | MF, aperture | Cropped | Diagonal | <180 |
| Samsung 10mm f/3.5 | 299 | none - electronic | no adapters found | Diagonal | <180 |
| Samyang 7.5 f/3.5 | 219 | MF, aperture | Circular if hood is shaved completely; conversion kit required | Cropped if hood is shaved; conversion kit required | Diagonal |
| Samyang 8mm 2.8 II | 269 | MF, aperture | Cropped if hood is shaved | Diagonal | <180 |
| Samyang 8mm 3.5 (removable hood) | 199 | MF, aperture | Cropped with hood removed | Diagonal | <180 |
| Samyang 12 2.8 | 399 | MF, aperture | Diagonal | <180 | <180 |
| Sigma 8mm f/3.5 | 899 | MF | Circular | Cropped | <180 |
| Tokina 10-17 f/3.5-4.5 | 479 | MF | Cropped up to 12mm if hood is shaved Diagonal at 14.5mm | Diagonal @10mm | <180 |
| Tokina 10-17 f/3.5-4.5 NH (no hood) | 499 | MF | Cropped up to 12mm Diagonal at 14.5mm | Diagonal @10mm | <180 |
| Yasuhara Madoka 7.3mm f/4 | 200 | MF, aperture | Circular | Circular | Cropped |
Panoramic head tutorials
Here are tutorials if you want to learn how to use a multi-row panoramic head, or a single-row panoramic head. If you want to know more about the Nodal Ninja family see here.
What about video?
The fisheye lens image circle comparison chart above is only for photos. For videos, the image circle could differ dramatically from camera to camera, and even within the different modes within the same camera because some video modes use a full sensor readout while others don’t. To see to the image circle in video mode for some popular cameras, check out Entaniya’s page or iZugar’s manual for the MKX22.
Hi Mic. Thanks for creating this. Could I suggest adding the iZugar MKX22?
Thanks Dean. Great suggestion. I’ll add it to the chart!
Great article, Mic!
Thanks Giorgio! 😀
My favourite camera is Nikon D850 (and cheaper D810), so personally I love the shaved Nikkor 10.5mm, but with the more expensive 8-15 mm you have some additional options. For example in some outdoor scenes you may shoot cylindrical single row panoramas at 15mm to get the max horizontal resolution, as nadir and zenith are not always interesting.
Im wary of using zooms. Afraid of accidentally zooming and ruining the pano
It could be added that for option 2 using a multirow head a photographer can make 5 shots (4 round + 1 Zenith) for not more resolution but much better image quality when the zenith is the center of attention (churches for example).
Also in option 2 with a single row head a 6 shot rather than 4 shot method would increase not the resolution but the quality, and really the time increase is not that significant.
I hope this helps.
Thanks Ludwig! I’ll add your suggestions to the article!
Hi Mic, I have just read this article carefully and want to thank you for your suggestions.
Just one thing isn’t clear to me:
I am wondering if on a 5d MkIII (Canon FF) the Samyang 8mm f/3,5 (that you put in the “OK for single-row pano) would be wide enough to actually cover a full spherical image with just a single-row pano, since I read on Samyang website that for Canon APS-C it covers just 167° and not 180°, while it seems it does cover 180° for other APS-C cameras
https://www.samyanglensglobal.com/en/product/product-view.php?seq=335
but maybe where they say 167° they mean “without black vignetting (so covering the entire frame) on APS-C”, without considering that if mounted on a Canon FF the angle would turn to be 180°.
Does it make sense?
Could you suggest which would be the best between the 2,8 and the 3,5 version?
Thank you
Hi Marco. It should be possible. i think the reason it may be 167 on APS-C is bec Canon’s APS-C is 1.6x crop. Unfortunately i don’t have a Canon to test. better to buy it from Amazon if possible (so that you can return it if it doesn’t work). I have the Samyang 8 2.8 and I like it but it’s only for mirrorless — not an option for your 5dIII
7artisans 7.5mm f/2.8: I don’t know why (image from the web?), but I have described it as „Cropped” on APS-C (probably expecting similar image circle as Samyang 7.5mm f/3.5 and Sigma 8mm f/3.5 on APS-C).
BTW: Sheet very helpful!
Thanks buddy!
Was wondering if you could tell me what you mean by ‘rolling the lense’?
Hey guys,
This is a really cool article, my question is.., now in 2021 is this still holding? some 360 cameras can go up to 23mp, 9 brackets; when some of the mirrorless or even DSLRs can do only do 24mp with some limitation for automatic bracketing.
Is it still worth it to invest on a DSLR or mirrorless, with a motorized mount rig and fish eye lens?
I understand those bodies can be more versatile for other things.., and also do 360 with this rig apparatus, but if we are only talking 360, is it still a better deal than an only 360 camera?
Thank you for your excellent compilation! How would th TTartisan 7.5mm F/2 compare?