These are the best fisheye lenses for street photography when you want graphic, immersive perspective—neon canyons, crowded crosswalks, subway sweeps, and close-focus character—with strong flare control under streetlights, fast or near-hyperfocal focus you can tape, and compact builds that disappear in a sling bag—and here’s what to look for as you buy: favor diagonal fisheyes on full-frame for edge-to-edge frames you can partially de-fish (keeps people proportionate while preserving energy), circular options for playful hero frames, close minimum focus for CFWA moments inches from the lens, coatings that resist veiling around LEDs and car headlights, and lightweight barrels for long walks and gimbals; front filters are rarely usable—run a slim hood/hand flag to tame flare and keep glass immaculate. Full-frame heroes: Canon EF 8–15mm ƒ4L Fisheye USM and Nikon AF-S 8–15mm ƒ3.5–4.5E (benchmark circular→diagonal zooms—park ~14–15 mm for de-fishable diagonal coverage; excellent sharpness and ghost resistance), Samyang/Rokinon 12mm ƒ2.8 diagonal (fast, featherweight, budget-friendly—great for moody bars and alleys), Sigma 15mm ƒ2.8 EX diagonal (compact classic—edges tighten around ƒ5.6), and the Nikon 16mm ƒ2.8 (ultralight used gem). APS-C standouts for stealthy kits: Tokina AT-X 10–17mm ƒ3.5–4.5 DX and Pentax DA 10–17mm ƒ3.5–4.5 (close-focus champs—perfect for subway cars and tight market aisles); the Canon/Nikon 8–15s also behave as diagonal fisheyes across most of their range on crop if you already own one; for Micro Four Thirds, Olympus M.Zuiko 8mm ƒ1.8 PRO (fast, sealed, excellent into-the-neon behavior) and Panasonic Lumix G 8mm ƒ3.5 (tiny, sharp, cost-effective) are street-ready. Practical buyer tips: on full-frame, get an 8–15 for maximum flexibility and save two zoom stops—(a) circular for graphic “tiny world” frames and (b) diagonal “no-vignette” for people; if speed/price matter, the Samyang 12/2.8 is the low-light value; on crop, the Tokina 10–17 is size-to-coverage gold; on MFT, the Oly 8/1.8 rules blue hour; choose rigid EF→RF/E/Z adapters with zero play, build repeatable partial de-fish presets so lines feel consistent across a series, and consider a slim protector only when debris risk is high (remove if it ghosts). Street-shooting tips: compose with intention—keep faces near the center for minimal distortion, use corners to stretch background lines, and tilt deliberately for energy; start around ƒ4–ƒ8 (ƒ2.8 for glow), run a minimum shutter ~1/250–1/500 s for moving crowds, and expose for faces while letting neon clip gracefully; get close (6–24 in) for CFWA impact, keep backgrounds 2–5 m away for airy separation, and shade the front element with your hand at harsh oblique lights; for reflections, shoot into puddles and windows without a CPL to avoid uneven skies, and for symmetry stand dead center in crosswalks/arcades with the horizon level—then de-fish lightly to relax verticals while preserving drama; for video, lock a 180° shutter, set a fixed zoom stop before the take, move slowly—tiny wobbles read big at 180°—and let IBIS smooth micro-steps; whether you’re weaving night markets, bending skyscraper canyons, squeezing subway cars, or crafting playful portraits on busy corners, the best street fisheye choices—8–15 zooms on full-frame, Tokina/Pentax 10–17 on APS-C, and Olympus/Panasonic 8 mm on MFT—deliver close-focus drama, manageable flare, and post-friendly projection so your lines stay intentional, your subjects feel alive, and your images land bold, graphic, and unmistakably street.