The market offers many lenses for different occasions. There are some prime or zoom lenses every photographer works with more often then with others. Most of the time the aim is to copy the reality in front of the camera viewfinder as best as possible. But some people may ask: do we really need to picture the reality although we know it is not possible to see it without any distortion? This might be a reason why some of them might choose the fisheye lens effect. If you are wondering what is fisheye lens used for, then this article should give you answers.
What is Fisheye Lens
Fisheye lens is a type of wide angle lens with focal length around 8–16 mm. It comes with barrel distortion which makes the scenes round. The lens gets its name from the way fish see the world around them through water. The first fisheye lens comes from 1906 when physicist Robert W. Wood described the principal of so called fish-eze lens in a science magazine.
Untill the fisheye lenses made there way to photography it was already 1920–1930. For example in 1924 the company R. & J. Beck constructed first 1800 lens for photographing the sky for meteorological purposes.
How Fisheye Lens Works
The difference between standard wide-angle lenses and fisheye is that the later one uses convex optical elements that bend more dramatically. Because of that the lens can capture vast field of view, often up to 180 degrees in a single image.
There are two main types of fisheye lenses:
- Circular fisheye – it produces the common circular image within the frame with black edges.
- Full-frame fisheye – this one filled the whole frame without the black edges but the image still shows strong distortion at the edges.
Althought the edges are distorted the centere of such image is usually sharp nad relatively natural looking. The circular framing helps to draw the attention better to the main subject while keeping the whole composition still visually dynamic and dramatic.
Fisheye vs. Wide-Angle vs. Macro
Here is a small comparison of different types of lenses. It should be more clear when and why are certain lenses more suitable than others.
| Lens Type | Field of View / Effect | Typical Use / Look |
|---|---|---|
|
Wide-Angle |
Captures more of the scene with mild distortion |
Realistic perspective, ideal for landscapes and architecture. |
|
Fisheye |
Extremely wide, up to 180°, with strong barrel distortion |
Creates dramatic lines and immersive perspectives — this shows what a fisheye lens is used for in creative photography, action sports, or sky imaging. |
|
Macro |
Very close-up, high detail, no distortion |
Perfect for tiny subjects like insects, flowers, or textures. |
Typical Uses
Fisheye lenses have been adopted in creative industries primarily for being eable to capture that unique perspective that give images sense of otherness. If you want to study some concrete examples, here are some:
Skateboarding & BMX Videos
Fisheye lenses were very popular in 90s and 2000s skate videos depicting the exaggerated sense of motion and energy. Some examples worth checking are Girl Skateboards, Transworld Skateboarding videos, Supreme edits.
Music Videos
Music video production in the ’90s and early 2000s shows a similar trend. The fisheye lens became a visual signature of energy, distortion and rebellion. It makes it easy for the viewer to get closer to the perfomer in a sense that it creates almost confrontational intimacy. In many times those were hip-hop and alternatiove music videos.
For example, take the Beastie Boys. In many of their videos, they use the fisheye lens, and even when they don’t use it explicitly, they often include some kind of visual distortion. The way the group raps directly into the camera, with that rounded, warped frame, gives the viewer the feeling that they’re right in front of you, almost talking down at you. The video “Shake Your Rump” even reflects skate culture and carries Escher-like vibes, reminiscent of his artwork “Dragon” (also known as “Illusion of a Dragon”), where perspective and space fold in impossible ways.
Some other good examples are videos directed by Hype Williams. He directed the Rain from Missy Elliot where the lens creates more avantgard clash surreal envinronment. Another one is the Gimme Some More from Busta Rhymes. It has this cartoonish, hyperactive and surreal visual trip. The saturated blues and oranges support the comic vibe. The movement is fast and very exaggerated to reflect Bustas hight-speed flow. The whole distortion creates space for madness and fun.
Films
In the film industry, the question “What is a fisheye lens used for?” can be answered by showing that directors often use it to distort reality and reflect a character’s psychological tension or altered perception.
The effect heightens feelings of paranoia, surrealism, and unease. Notable filmmakers such as Darren Aronofsky and Gaspar Noé have employed fisheye lenses to draw viewers into disorienting inner worlds where everything bends, stretches, and wraps around the characters’ minds.
However, achieving a similar sense of distortion doesn’t always require a fisheye lens or specialized apps. David Lynch’s *Lost Highway* is a great example—he created unsettling visual tension through unconventional camera choices and vintage lenses. In *Inland Empire*, Lynch used the Sony PD150 to produce a lo-fi digital aesthetic that felt equally warped and dreamlike.
Modern Digital Fisheye Alternatives
If you are not into shooting with cameras with adjustable lenses, or if you prefer only to do mobile photography, there are different apps which can help you get interesting fisheye distortions. One of my favorites are Hypic and Dazz Cam.
Hypic photo editor offfers couple of different effects which are either fisheye or similar in nature such as Lens, Lens 2, Magnify. In case of Dazz Cam app – for many vintage camera photo or video filters (DQS, Original, D Classic, D Exp, D Fun S, VHS cam) you can also add fisheye effects.
Since digital fisheye filters can reduce image quality, begin with the highest possible resolution to preserve detail after warping. To simulate a physical lens, add slight peripheral blur and natural vignetting—this creates the illusion of depth and glass distortion.
If you are okey working with AI tools it is pretty easy to get distortions. You can generate fisheye-style concept images before a shoot to explore composition ideas, space usage, or surreal perspectives. In tools like Runway or Photoshop’s Generative Fill, you can merge real photos with AI-created warped backgrounds to simulate an exaggerated fisheye reality.
When generating images in Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion, include phrases like “fisheye lens effect,” “wide-angle distortion,” or “circular perspective” to get convincing curvature and depth. The main problem is that AI often tends to overdo the distortion no in the best way. So try to add words like “subtle,” “cinematic,” or “slight curvature” to achieve a balanced effect.
Creative Tips
Capture faces or hands up close to create playful, almost caricature-like distortions that emphasize emotion and expression.
Combine the fisheye effect with symmetry or mirror reflections to produce visually striking compositions where space feels both balanced and surreal.
Use the panorama mode on your camera or phone to simulate a fisheye-like curvature—moving slightly while shooting can exaggerate the spatial bend for a creative twist.
Experiment with night lighting and reflections on glass or metal surfaces. You can use the curved distortion and transform the ordinary lights into glowing, dreamlike patterns.
Final Words – Why the Fisheye Survived Decades
As you’ve explored what a fisheye lens does, you’ve seen that its enduring appeal comes from how it distorts and redefines our sense of reality. With the rise of AI-generated art, a new wave of surrealism and visual experimentation has emerged—reviving the same spirit that made the fisheye iconic in the 1990s.
From the techno subcultures of that era to today’s TikTok filters and digital effects, the fisheye lens continues to evolve. What was once an underground visual experiment is now a tool for both nostalgic expression and futuristic creativity.
It remains a timeless symbol of curiosity, imagination, and the desire to see the world from a different angle—proving that the answer to *what is a fisheye lens used for* goes far beyond simple distortion. It’s about perspective, emotion, and the art of seeing differently.
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