The Nikkor 6mm Fisheye Lens Looks Bonkers, Can See Through 220º

Major camera manufacturers have always liked to show off by creating weird and wonderful lenses that have, at best, very niche practical uses, but look spectacular. One such lens was the 6mm F2.8 made by Nikkor back in the ‘70s, which is the wackiest fisheye you’ll ever come across. As happens from time to time, a copy of this rare beast has just shown up on eBay, listed at €49,990 (approx. $62,300) — and the Danish seller, Photografica, has done some test shooting so we can all have a look.

As taken by a Nikon D4s, the footage is about as weird as the lens that took it. Buildings that are situated behind the camera are warped into frame, looking like a scene out of Inception.  The center of the frame, on the other hand, is almost normal. The 6mm also has five in-built filters (Skylight, Yellow, Deep Yellow, Orange and Red) of dubious usefulness, and unsurprisingly, the image is circular. I can still envision occasional uses for such a lens, though — capturing big crowds in confined spaces, for instance.

The primary attraction of this lens, however, is rarity. Nikkor only made a handful, and they sold for top dollar when they were new, so the price has only increased. If you lack the spare $60k to make a bid, the listing still makes great viewing, thanks to some stunning images of what might be the world’s strangest lens.


The New Age Smartphone Photo Kit – $69 (65% off)redesign_19650012026727.XjfST0bya97XtN88F7To_height640

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