Just got into photography, need some help on getting certain items

[occltzm]

Hi there, recently purchased a Sony a3000. Loving it so far. Currently lenses are quite expensive for me at the moment and i read there are screw on types that attaches itself on existing lens (cheaper alternative). Where can i buy these lenses in Singapore for cheap?

Im looking at the fisheye/macro types.

Where can i find reputable camera shops in Singapore?

Heres are humble photos of mine trying out long exposure. Cheers

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[Edwin Francis]

Stay away from those wide- or tele- converters that screw onto your filter thread. Image quality is just about universally crap. Very often, they are also overpriced.

I'd suggest you post your photos in the Galleries section, in Critique Corner if you want feedback (read the instructions first).

 

[alwaysjerricky]

I think you mean getting screw-on filters. They are a possible solution but your Image Quality will really get degraded unless you get those high end types but they cost a lost too. So I suggest you save up a bit first and get a proper lens (it will be worth it) if you are interested or can get the olloclip lens for iPhone (go google it!) for the special effects.

 

[lawrencewkl]

If you want the fisheye type using a front mounted type of converter lens, you can buy the original sony one. http://www.sony.com.sg/product/vcl-ecf1
This is design to mount on the SEL 16mm and I think it is optically matched to the 16mm. AF on the 16mm will be maintained and aperture still at f2.8 with no light loss due to the much bigger front element in the sony fisheye converter. However, it is not very cheap as compared to third party converters. You can also mount it on the SEL 20mm but the effect will be reduced and the AF will not be accurate. The result will be quite decent with the 16mm but will not reached the levels of dedicated fisheye lens like the samyang 8mm. Hopes this helps.

 

[catchlights]

don't waste your money.....

for those wide angle converter, using it shooting video maybe still can.
using it to shoot photos? you can forget it, you might as well just buy a Holga camera, it is cheaper and give you the authentic look on the photos for the same effects.

 

[Hinata76]

guess im lucky..

im using micro 4/3rds..

uses 14mm pancake lenses and attached a Sony Fisheye converter..
'fisheye' lenses with AF built in..heh..

profit!

 

[rhino123]

Like what others had mentioned. Stay away from these screw on converter... except for a few that are pretty well made.

I mean, if you are looking for macro converter, you can get the Raynox 250, I have one and it is really really well made and pretty good. The only problem is... it cannot focus to infinity, and I tends to try focusing manually. The other cheaper alternative for fisheye is to get the Samyang Fisheye lens, they are good, sharp but manual focus only.

The other alternative might be to get old vintage lenses that are pretty cheap nowadays in ebay.

 

[keithwee]

Used the screw on 'wide angle' converters before on my Oly MFT 14-42mm long time back.

Honestly the results were sad and the converter was a original Olympus product , not some cheap 3rd party ones.
My advice is if u can , save up for a proper wide angle or fisheye lens. Samyang , Rokinon etc produces very value for money decent ones and most of the time u will gladly pay the difference for the improvement u r getting.

Lastly I always had the fear of the screw on piece dropping from a knock etc , I don't know why haha and yeap , it did take a lot of fun out of shooting.

 

[edutilos-]

TS - Unless you don't mind very visible degradation of the image quality, I urge you to stay away from those attachments.

Don't be penny-wise, pound-foolish. There is a reason why a lot of people here still use UWA or proper lenses compared to just buying fisheye or wide angle attachments. If you have no alternative (e.g. Ricoh GR is a fixed lens camera with a fixed focal length and you really like it but would want a wider view then it makes sense to get their wide angle attachment), then maybe you can consider. Here, I don't see a need to do so.

Another consideration is that such attachments are not that popular in Singapore (or for most hobbyists worldwide for that matter), hence it is hard to obtain good feedback on what brand is good, and what a good price for it locally would be. Now and then we see complaints on shops ripping people off on these converters/attachments because they can - people who buy them usually do not do homework and it is also hard to do your homework on such items.

For the macro, so far I have only seen positive reviews on the Raynox 250. You should be able to get it from McGill which is an online shop. It would be good to check in the Macro section to see whether there are better options now, I am out of touch when it comes to macro photography and the equipment available.

http://store.mcgill.com.sg/index.php

Do call a few reputable camera shops to compare prices; there is an extensive list somewhere in CS but I've found that the following have less complaints wrt price throughout the years: TK Foto (Funan), SLR Revolution (Funan), Orient Photo (Sim Lim Square #6).


Hope this helps.