Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD 300mm
What Buyers Say
Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
This Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 fisheye lens is praised for its excellent value, solid build, and creative potential, especially on APS-C cameras where it delivers a full-frame diagonal fisheye effect. Users love the fun perspective it adds to landscapes, portraits, and skateboarding or astro shots, though they note it requires manual focus and aperture control. Some edge softness and chromatic aberration are mentioned, but these are correctable in post. Issues with full-frame cameras (heavy vignette) and inconsistent compatibility with certain Nikon bodies (e.g., D3500) are recurring drawbacks, and a few users reported a broken focusing ring or cheap-feeling barrel.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fun and creative perspective
- Sharp when stopped down (f/5.6-f/8)
- Lightweight and compact
Cons
- Manual focus only
- Soft edges wide open
- Chromatic aberration at edges
- Not ideal for full-frame cameras (heavy vignette)
- Incompatible with some Nikon bodies (e.g., D3500)
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD 300mm
The Tamron 28-300mm super-zoom wins praise for its lightweight design, versatile focal range, and solid image quality. Users appreciate the compact build and smooth zoom mechanism, but note the slow aperture and trade-offs in sharpness compared to more expensive zooms. Verified reviewers find it an ideal travel lens that pairs well with Sony bodies.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Versatile 28-300mm focal range
- Smooth zoom ring operation
- Compact build for travel
- Good integration with Sony bodies
Cons
- Small maximum aperture (f/4-7.1)
- Reduced sharpness vs. premium zooms
- Not an internal zoom lens
- Slow autofocus at high fps on some bodies
Scores
Specifications
| Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm | Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD 300mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | fisheye | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 28 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 8 mm | 300 mm |
| Elements | 10 | 20 |
| Groups | 7 | 13 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 3★ |
| ED Elements | — | 2★ |
| Coating | super multi-layer coating | fluorine coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/4 |
| Min Aperture | f/3.5 | 4-7.1 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 6 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.43 kg★ | 0.59 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | VXD linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 305 mm | 190 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 1:2.8★ |
Pros & Cons
Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
- Strong social proof (77th percentile)
- Strong macro (67th percentile)
- Below average bokeh (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Tamron Di III VC 28-300mm f/4-7.1 Di III VC VXD 300mm
- Strong versatility (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong optical (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
Pricing
Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm offers 1.6x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 9 of 21 specs.
