Sigma AstrHori 10mm F8 II Ultra Wide Angle Fisheye APS-C Review

The AstrHori 10mm F8 II is a $79 ultra-wide fisheye pancake lens for L-mount APS-C cameras. It's a fun, niche creative tool with a fixed f/8 aperture and manual focus, offering a unique 180-degree view in a tiny package. Just don't expect it to be your go-to lens for anything but experimental shots.

If you're hunting for a weird, fun lens that won't break the bank, the AstrHori 10mm F8 II fisheye is a fascinating option. At just $79, it's an ultra-wide, manual-focus pancake lens for APS-C L-mount cameras that promises a 180-degree field of view and a built-in filter slot. It's the kind of specialty glass you buy for creative experiments, not your everyday walk-around lens. People searching for a cheap fisheye or a super compact wide-angle for Leica, Panasonic, or Sigma APS-C bodies will find this on the shortlist, but you need to know what you're getting into with that fixed f/8 aperture and manual everything.

Let's be clear: this isn't about benchmark charts. It's about a specific, quirky experience. The lens is sharp enough in the center for its purpose, but our data shows its optical quality lands in the 1st percentile versus other lenses. That's not a typo. You're buying the fisheye effect, not clinical sharpness. The fixed f/8 aperture means you're shooting in bright light or with a tripod most of the time. Where it surprisingly excels, according to our scoring, is in macro capability (99th percentile) when used with a reverse adapter, and it has decent built-in stabilization (88th percentile) which helps with handheld shots in good light.

For $79, it's hard to complain too much. You're getting a niche creative tool for the price of a fancy dinner. The value is entirely in its novelty and portability. If you want a general-purpose lens, look elsewhere immediately. But if you specifically want the cheapest possible path to a 180-degree fisheye view on your L-mount APS-C camera, and you're okay with its limitations, the price is the main argument in its favor.

This lens doesn't really have direct competitors because it's so weird. The closest things are other manual, budget primes, but they're different tools. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Z (for other mounts) gives you autofocus and a fast aperture for low light and portraits, trading specialty for versatility. The Meike 55mm F1.4 is another manual option but with a standard focal length and much brighter aperture. Even the kit lens like the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR is more useful for daily shooting. The AstrHori only wins if 'super thin fisheye' is your exact, non-negotiable requirement.

Skip this lens if you need autofocus, shoot in anything but bright light, or want a versatile, sharp lens for everyday use. Portrait photographers, event shooters, and anyone looking for their first or only lens should avoid it. If you want a general-purpose prime, look at a used or budget 35mm f/1.8 instead. This is strictly for the experimental photographer who already has a kit covered.

Should you buy this? Only with very specific expectations. This is a toy, a creative spark plug, or a teaching tool for learning manual focus and composition. It is not a serious lens for serious photography. If you have a compatible L-mount APS-C camera, a few bucks to spare, and a desire to play with extreme perspectives and starbursts, go for it. It's a fun addition to the bag. But if you need reliable autofocus, good low-light performance, or sharp corner-to-corner images, you will be deeply disappointed. Consider it a filter with glass, not a primary lens.