Hello !
I'm on the point of buying the Marumi Super Fisheye 52mm x 0.25 lens.
You can see it here:
http://www.marumi-international.co [...] ts_en.html (bottom of the page)
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.a [...] x-52mm-_JM
 
But I need to know if it will work with REALVIZ.
Does somebody know it?
 
Thanks !!!!
Enrique (from Argentina, sorry for my bad english   )

Enrique
That's the problem with buying an unknown lens like the Marumi Super Fisheye 52mm x 0.25. It may work great for creating virtual images, but you're the guy who gets to spend his money to try it out. If it doesn't you have a lens that isn't worth much to you
 
You can contact the company, tell them what you want to do with it and see if they will provide some sample images for you to try to stitch together. But its likely they've never heard of RealViz or any of the other stitching software. Virtual Photography is just a very, very small segment of the photography market as a whole.
 
I'm guessing the Marumi lens is much less expensive than a Nikkor 10.5mm or Sigma 8mm, which is why you're looking at it. But the Nikkor & Sigma are the "workhorse" lenses of virtual photography.
 
Putting aside the money you'll save with the Marumi, you'll have a large group of users to call on for help with problems if you're using the same lense they are. To me that's worth a lot.
 
Unless you definitely have another use for the Marumi or can get a really, really low price, I'd go with a lens more commonly used by virtual photographers; like the Nikkor 10.5mm or Sigma 8mm. You'll be able to get more support and if you decide to get out of virtual photography, the lens is worth something when you sell it
 
Good luck

Thanks Douglas !!!
I will search the way to test the lens before to buy it...
But I'm a bit confused, why we can't know if the lenses will work with REALVIZ? I mean, we can use any camera and REALVIZ stitch it without problems. Is this different with Fisheyes? I mean, the common thing is to find with problems at the moment of stitching the images with FIsheyes lenses? (if the lens are not Nikkor 10.5mm or Sigma 8mm).

Enrique
Its likely that one of RealViz Stitcher programs will be able to stitch a spherical image if you take enough overlapping shots.
 
But shooting more images defeats the purpose of using with a fisheye lens.
 
Some lenses that have 185° Field of View can stitch a scene from just 2 photos, others with the same FOV need 3 shots for Stitcher to make it work. Its a matter of how they project the image onto the sensor and what size sensor the lens was designed for
 
The question is whether another lens, who's performance is known, would better serve you.
 
The way I look at it is the Nikkor 10.5mm and Sigma 8mm are the Ford and Chevrolet (I'm obviously in the USA) of virtual imaging lenses. They're not cheap, but they get the job done, day in and day out, and there are mechanics who know how to repair them (support) every where in the US.  
 
I dropped a lens and damaged the mount while I was out of town for a big, profitable virtual tour shoot. Fortunately, I had a spare camera & lens with me, but if I hadn't, it was a stock Nikon lens and I could have ordered online and had it overnighted. A local camera shop might have even had one in stock. So by using a "main-stream" lens, there lots of benefits. The only benefit of an off-brand is low price.
 
The fact that you're not getting any helpful responses specifically about the Marumi lens here, is just an example of what I'm suggesting.
 
If you're just getting into virtual photography with a fisheye lens, I'd go with a proven set of equipment.  
 
Its the path I'm following with my move up from a Nikon Coolpix 5400/FC-E9 Fisheye Lens Converter to a Canon XTi/Sigma 8mm f/3.5. I'm going from one proven combination to another, just stepping up in quality
 
Hope that helps

Yes, I know low cost sometimes is too expensive. But sometimes the "right" way is just impossible. Think this:
Sigma 8mm = 600€
Marumi = 60€
Standard Salary in Argentina =  < 300€
And I don't know if Sigma lens will work with "simple" cameras like Kodak Z650 and Sony H1 (those are the cams I have). Money is a real problem here...
Anyway, if I'm understanding well, you say the Marumi's lens will work fine if I shoot enough pictures?. I mean, maybe with Sigma 8mm I need only 3 pictures, but with Marumi I can stitch it without problems with, I don't know, 6 pictures?. Right now we need to shoot 58 pictures, this is a lot of work... reducing it to 8 pictures (maybe 10) will be a really achievement.

Enrique
I understand the economics, but we still don't know for sure if the Marumi will work?
 
I'd look into the wide-angle lens for the Sony H1
 
Good luck

Enrique
Its a safe bet the Sigma lens can't be mounted on either of those cameras.
 
If you can mount the Marumi, it may be your best bet

Yes, my "salesman" says it can be mounted perfectly in my Z650, and with H1 I will need an adapter.
I will try to make some test and I will put my results here.
 
Thanks !!!!
Enrique.
PS: I can't use Sigma lens even with an adapter?
 

Its doubtful.  
 
The Sigma is a complete, removable lens with it own aperature and focus.  
 
The Marumi is probably a Lens Converter designed to fit over an integrated lens like the Sony and Kodak have