help a photog newbie find the right lens.

[manoverboard987]

ok - so i've been taking pictures for a long time, but never seriously looked into any of the complexities of the art before now. that being the case, one topic i never did learn about was lenses and the terminology involved. so here's my question:

I have a Kodak Z740 (5.0MP, 10x Optical Zoom):


and it came with what is labeled as a "45.5mm to 55mm Lens Adapter". Looks like this:


i've kept the lens adapter screwed on the camera, because it helps to protect the lens, helps cut down on glare, and allows me to take pictures of things behind glass.

now on Kodak's website, there is a category under lenses called "55mm lenses", and i imagine that one of these is what i would need to fit in the adapter. i can tell by putting a ruler up against the adapter that the "45.5mm" and "55mm" demarcations on it mean the diameter of the lens, and not focal lengths.

what i'm looking for however, is a fisheye lens, and Kodak does not make/carry one at all, let alone one that is indicated for my camera.

i've searched on ebay, and i've found a few fisheye lenses that say they either fit or come with adapters to fit 55mm diameters. i know that on lenses that say for instance "18-55mm", those numbers DO indicate focal length, and are controlled through turning the actual lens.

what i'm looking for is just a simple fixed fisheye lens that i can pop on the end of my camera. i'm not looking for any extra features or anything- i just want the ability to take pictures with the fisheye effect.

so:
1.) if i were to buy a lens such as this one, which is apparently made for a Minolta but has a 55mm back diameter, will it work for my application?

2.) if not (or even if so), is there any type of generic fisheye lens that would work for my application? or even a different brand that anyone knows as superior?

3.) am i right in what i'm saying about the diameter vs. focal length markings on the lenses i've seen?

also, feel free to correct me on anything i got wrong in the body of the post. all of this is based off what i've learned offline, so odds are something's wrong.

and thanks ahead of time for the help.

[jdesigns]

Hi Kris!

Having not researched this kind of thing before, I can't say that I know what I am talking about.

I did find the lens that you posted on Amazon and it doesn't get good reviews. I'd run away from this one.

I did find a Kodak wide angle lens that is more favorably reviewed, but it is WAY more expensive than the one you posted a link to.

I'll keep looking to see what else I can find.

[manoverboard987]

duh - amazon. never thought to look there. guess i never got used to amazon having more than books, music, and movies.

but ya, that Kodak lens is pretty awesome. i've used a friend's before and i spent some time checking it out. definitely an awesome little thing.

problem is, those are wide angle lenses, and i'm looking for a fisheye lens. the widest setting on my 10x zoom is fine for me now. i just want to take photos with the distortion from the fisheye. they seem fewer and farther between.

[manoverboard987]

ok - so after some searching around, there's essentially 2 things i can choose from:

1.) an actual fisheye lens made for a specific camera by that camera company, ranging anywhere from $200-$1200.

2.) an aftermarket fisheye lens that is made to fit specific cameras, but is much cheaper and of lesser quailty. these range anywhere from $30-$100.

both are available in a myriad of back thread sizes (55mm being the one i need), and a number of magnifications (anywhere from .2x to .75x, where the lower the number, the wider the angle).

after scowering there's about 30 million great reviews for the more expensive fisheyes, and only 1 useful review for any of the cheaper type. it says that the cheaper lens is "a great intro to fisheye" and will "make you wanna save up for a better one". one brand i found, Opteka, has many good reviews for their regular telephoto and wide angle lenses, but none for their fisheyes.

at this point, i think i'm gonna buy the $30 Opteka lens, (the same one i linked to in the first post), and try it out. at that price, it's a mistake i could forgive myself for. How bad could it be? as long as the actual glass is quality (and it is according to the other lens type reviews) and i get the right size threads, i should be happy.

i'll keep you posted.

and thanks for the help jdesigns.