These are the best Zeiss fisheye solutions when you want dramatic 180° perspective, tight corner discipline stopped down, clean color, and robust mechanics for skate, architecture drama, underwater CFWA, concerts, and creative cityscapes—and here’s the straight talk: Zeiss’s modern lineup has very few fisheyes, so the winning strategy is (1) the diagonal 35 mm classic F-Distagon 16mm ƒ2.8 (ZE/ZF.2/ZK and legacy Contax/Yashica) adapted to your mirrorless body and (2) the medium-format Fisheye Distagon 30mm ƒ3.5 for Hasselblad V (true 180° on 6×6) if you shoot MF; both deliver solid coatings, reliable mechanics, and that Zeiss micro-contrast, with the 16/2.8 giving a frame-filling diagonal fisheye on full-frame and crisp sunstars around ƒ8–ƒ11. Pairing notes: the 16/2.8’s compact size balances beautifully on modern mirrorless via rigid EF/F→E/Z/RF adapters; the Contax/Yashica version is a cost-savvy path with the same signature (use a sturdy C/Y adapter), and many copies include a rear filter turret—leave clear at night and skip CPLs. Medium-format shooters get the unique look and clean edge geometry of the 30/3.5 Fisheye Distagon—plan a matte box or slip-in ND workflow and mind dome-port choice if you go underwater. Practical buyer tips: if you need a circular fisheye on full-frame, Zeiss doesn’t offer one natively—rent a circular third-party for that specific shot, keep the Zeiss 16/2.8 as your diagonal workhorse, and “de-fish” selectively in post when clients want straighter lines; test flare at night lights and sunballs (Zeiss T* coatings are strong, but angles matter), check your adapter for play, and standardize step-ups so one slim VND covers video days. Fisheye shooting tips: get close (inches) for scale, keep horizons centered for neutral geometry or tilt deliberately for dynamic bend, stop to ƒ5.6–ƒ8 for edge crispness, watch your feet/rig in frame, and avoid CPLs (they blotch skies and cost light); for video, lock a 180° shutter with a quality VND, shade the front element to prevent veiling, and keep moves slow—tiny wobbles read big at 180°; underwater with domes, place the subject inches from the port and toe strobes out to kill backscatter; whether you’re carving bowls at sunset, emphasizing cathedral height, shooting immersive stage pits, or crafting planet panoramas, the best Zeiss fisheye approach centers on the F-Distagon 16/2.8 (35 mm) and the MF 30/3.5—classic optics, tough builds, and that Zeiss look so your frames feel bold, clean, and unmistakably fisheye.