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| The latest fisheye lens from Brightin Star is offered at an affordable price. |
There’s something almost rebellious about releasing a new lens in 2026 that doesn’t have autofocus, aperture blades, or even a filter thread. But Brightin Star is doing exactly that, and photographers on a budget are probably going to love it.
The company has officially unveiled the Brightin Star 10mm f/5.6 II, a revamped version of its already popular ultra-compact fisheye lens. The headline is simple: better image quality, the same ridiculous wide-angle view, and a price that barely touches your wallet.
If you remember the original, you know it was a fun, plasticky little thing that prioritized creativity over optical perfection. This time around, Brightin Star has listened to the feedback. The Mark II version uses a new optical formula with seven elements arranged in five groups, which the company claims delivers noticeably sharper images across the entire frame—even when you’re shooting wide open at f/5.6.
And let’s be honest: f/5.6 isn't exactly "fast glass." But for an ultra-wide lens designed mostly for bright daylight, landscape, or vlogging scenarios, it gets the job done. Plus, the depth of field on a 10mm lens is so massive that the lack of a wider aperture is hardly a dealbreaker.
A 173-Degree View That Warps Reality
The star of the show here is the field of view. At 173 degrees, this lens captures almost everything in front of it—and a fair bit from the sides, too. We’re talking full-on, classic fisheye distortion with the horizon bending into a curve and straight lines turning into dramatic arcs.
Of course, you can always correct the distortion in post. A quick trip into Photoshop’s Lens Correction or Lightroom can defish the image, but you’ll pay a small price. Correction softens the edges a bit and crops into the frame, reducing that wild 173° view. But for product shots or architectural work where you want straight lines, it’s a handy trick to have up your sleeve.
Built for the Bag, Not the Grip
One of the most appealing things about this lens is how absurdly small it is. We’re talking 3.2 cm (1.26 inches) long, 5.7 cm in diameter, and weighing just 132 grams. You will literally forget it’s in your camera bag.
This makes the Brightin Star 10mm f/5.6 II a perfect travel companion for smaller mirrorless bodies like the Sony A6700, Fujifilm X-T5, or any of the compact Canon EOS M cameras. It balances beautifully without making your setup feel front-heavy.
[Check the latest price for the Sony A6700 on Amazon] – it’s a fantastic pairing with this little fisheye.
Manual Focus, Hyperfocal Simplicity
Let’s address the elephant in the room: no autofocus. For some, that’s an instant dealbreaker. For others—especially landscape and street shooters—it’s barely an inconvenience.
Brightin Star has made it even easier with a hyperfocal mark on the focus ring. Set it to the mark, and everything from about 1 meter to infinity will be sharp. You only need to manually focus when you’re shooting subjects closer than that, and the minimum focusing distance is an impressive 0.12 meters (4.7 inches). That means you can get incredibly close to a foreground subject while still keeping the background in the shot.
However, there’s a quirk that might frustrate some users: no aperture ring and no aperture blades at all. What you see is what you get. The lens cannot be stopped down. It’s permanently fixed at f/5.6. You’ll have to control exposure solely via shutter speed and ISO, or by using ND filters—which, ironically, you can’t screw onto the front because there are no filter threads.
So, no polarizers, no variable NDs. If you want to use filters with this lens, you’ll need a gel or a bulky matte box system, which somewhat defeats the purpose of such a compact lens.
Pricing and Availability: The Real Shock
Given the limitations, you might expect a discount. But $65.99 for a brand new, second-generation lens? That’s not a discount—that’s an impulse buy.
The Brightin Star 10mm f/5.6 II is available now directly from the manufacturer’s online store. Shipping is free to most regions, but keep in mind that the listed price does not include import duties or local sales tax, depending on where you live.
You can grab it for the following mounts:
- Sony E (APS-C)
- Canon RF
- Canon EOS M
- Nikon Z
- Fujifilm X
- Micro Four Thirds
Important note for full-frame users: the image circle only covers APS-C sensors. If you mount it on a full-frame Sony or Nikon body, you’ll get severe vignetting or need to shoot in crop mode.
Final Verdict
The Brightin Star 10mm f/5.6 II isn’t trying to compete with professional lenses like Laowa’s manual glass or Canon’s L-series. It’s a purpose-built, fun-loving, ultra-wide fisheye for the budget-conscious creator. The lack of aperture control and filters is limiting, but for $66, you’re getting a second-gen lens with improved sharpness, a true 173° view, and build quality that punches slightly above its price tag.
If you want to bend reality without bending your budget, this little lens is a no-brainer.
Buy the Brightin Star 10mm f/5.6 II directly here – just remember to factor in any potential customs fees at checkout.
