The Canon EF 8-15mm Fisheye zoom is a unique lens and one for which anticipation has been steadily building since its original announcement back in August 2010. Now one year on, the lens has finally hit the stores and I've had a chance to see what all the fuss is about in my review.

180 degree diagonal fisheye for all Canon DSLRs; 180 degree circular fisheye for full-frame DSLRs; Tough build with weatherproofing; Optically sharp across the entire imaging circle

Vulnerable-looking front element; Lens cap easily comes loose; Chromatic aberrations in areas of high contrast; Full circular fisheye only available to full-frame

The fisheye camera lens was originally developed so that the whole sky could be captured in one single image to help meteorologists study cloud formations. However, the extravagant 180-degree angle of view soon found favour with photographers.

Every so often, a product comes along that just blows you away - one that completely makes you rethink your photography. The Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L USM Fisheye Lens is, without a doubt, one of the most radical lenses Canon has introduced - and it is a game changer for photographers.

The EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye lens is a highly-anticipated and unique lens in Canon's lineup. I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and will give a hands-on "user report" review of it below.

FROM OUR EDITORS AT PHOTOKINA: We got our hands on a couple pieces of new Canon glass tonight, including their upcoming 8-15mm f/4L fishey zoom. The Canon rep informed us that the pre-production unit we were checking out may actually be the only one like it in Europe at the moment.

The fisheye camera lens was originally developed so that the whole sky could be captured in one single image to help meteorologists study cloud formations. However, the extravagant 180-degree angle of view soon found favour with photographers.

Handling and features Performance Verdict Specification This unique lens offers two lenses in one for full frame camera users. At 8mm it provides a circular fisheye image, with a 180 degree field of view in all directions.

Excellent sharpness; in the centre of the image area; Superb build; Unique zoom design effectively gives full-frame users two lenses in one; Useful for owners of multiple Canon camera formats

Expensive; No way to lock the lens at either end of the focal range; High CA levels towards edges of the picture area

Although cheaper, lighter lenses are now designed purely for these smaller sensors, professional lenses are still designed for full-frame use. It is rare, however, that both formats are considered, as it is difficult to satisfy both from one lens without overly inflating the cost or sacrificing the...

Lovely lens with lots of creative uses

Very sharp

Hood design

Canon's latest L-series lens is the widest in its sizeable arsenal by a full 2mm. Designed primarily for use with Canon's pro spec DSLRs, the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4 L Fisheye USM boasts an impressive spec sheet and will shoot edge-to-edge fisheye images without vignetting at 15mm (wider focal lengths...