These are the best fisheye lenses for aerial photography when you want dramatic 180° perspectives, flexible framing from circular to diagonal, strong flare control around the sun, and compact, rugged builds for helicopters, fixed-wing doors-off, gyro/handheld gimbals, cine-FPV, and drone-mounted mirrorless rigs—and here’s what to look for as you buy: prioritize diagonal fisheyes for full-frame stills (cleaner edges, easier partial de-fish) and circular options for VR plates/logo frames, tight coatings that suppress ghosts at high altitudes, near-hyperfocal focus behavior for set-and-forget operation, and light barrels that won’t overwhelm small gimbals; avoid bulky front filters (most fisheyes can’t use them) and keep rear/gel ND solutions handy for video. Full-frame heroes: Canon EF 8–15mm ƒ4L Fisheye USM (benchmark circular→diagonal zoom with excellent sharpness and coatings; adapt to RF/E/Z/L easily) and Nikon AF-S 8–15mm ƒ3.5–4.5E (modern optics, quick AF, equally versatile); if you prefer a prime look and speed, Samyang/Rokinon 12mm ƒ2.8 diagonal fisheye (lightweight, bright for dusk) is a budget-friendly classic. APS-C standouts for light rigs and FPV: Tokina AT-X 10–17mm ƒ3.5–4.5 DX (close-focus, compact, beloved by action shooters; adapts well to mirrorless) and Pentax DA 10–17mm (same optical lineage)—both yield diagonal coverage on crop and play nicely with small stabilizers; the Canon/Nikon 8–15s also act as diagonal fisheyes across most of their range on APS-C if you’re already invested. Micro Four Thirds options for gimbal drones and ultralight helicopters: Olympus M.Zuiko 8mm ƒ1.8 PRO (fast, weather-sealed, excellent into-the-sun behavior) and Panasonic Lumix G 8mm ƒ3.5 (tiny, sharp, budget-friendly)—both are favorites on small MFT gimbals/airframes. Action/FPV note: if you fly cine-FPV where lens swaps aren’t possible, consider GoPro/HERO “SuperView” or 360 cams for stabilized fisheye perspectives, then de-fish selectively in post to blend with interchangeable-lens footage. Practical buyer tips: for full-frame versatility, grab an 8–15 and set custom zoom stops for (a) edge-to-edge diagonal fill and (b) safe “no-prop” crop on your airframe; for crop/lightweight drones, the Tokina 10–17 offers the best size-to-coverage value; for MFT gimbals, the Oly 8/1.8 is the low-light and dawn patrol king; pick rigid, play-free adapters (EF-to-RF/E/Z) and confirm gimbal balance/clearance before flight, learn your airframe’s prop-in-frame thresholds at various pitches, and plan a rear-gel ND or internal NDs on the camera for 180°-shutter video. Aerial fisheye shooting tips: keep horizons centered for neutral geometry (tilt deliberately for “planet” drama), fly closer—altitude flattens impact—so work 300–1500 ft AGL when legal/appropriate, use fast shutters for stills (1/1000–1/3200 s depending on vibration) and 1/50–1/120 s 180° shutter for video with ND; start around ƒ5.6–ƒ8 for edge discipline, pre-focus near hyperfocal and tape the ring, avoid CPLs (uneven skies), and shade the front element with the airframe/hand/flag when the sun skirts the corner to prevent veiling; for door-off, secure everything with tethers and shoot perpendicular to flight path to reduce motion blur; for mapping/VR plates, shoot multi-row at fixed pitch, lock WB, and de-fish consistently in post; for drones, test each flight mode for prop intrusion and set geofenced altitudes that preserve safe framing; whether you’re carving coastline bends, compressing city grids into dynamic domes, stitching immersive VR skies, or flying low over textured desert, the best aerial fisheye choices—8–15 zooms on full-frame, Tokina/Pentax 10–17 on APS-C, and Oly/Pana 8 mm on MFT—deliver adjustable 180° drama, dependable sharpness, and manageable weight so your horizons stay intentional, your corners stay clean enough to de-fish, and your frames feel bold and unmistakably aerial.