Lensbabies

Can anyone give a brief explanantion of the differences between the latest lensbabies :

Muse is basically the same as Lensbaby 2.0 with the addition of their new Optic Swap system. It's a push-pull design that requires you to hold the lens in place while taking the photo.

Control Freak is basically the same as Lensbaby 3G with the addition of the new Optic Swap system. It allows you to lock the lens in place once you've found the "sweet spot" so is better suited for repeatable results.

Composer is all new (and features the Optic Swap system) and acts more like a conventional lens; ie you twist the barrel to focus and you can set the degree of tilt without having to hold onto the lens.

Previous generations of Lensbaby had fixed optics whereas the new generation's Optic Swap system allows you to change between a coated glass doublet, an uncoated glass singlet, a plastic lens and a pinhole lens (depending on the effect you want to achieve). These have to be purchased seperately though as each Lensbaby only ships with the coated glass doublet (same as permanently fixed into Lensbaby 2.0 and Lensbaby 3G).

struggling to understand the lensbaby principle...interested in macro. would be interested in any experience in using the G3 lensbaby, please

Firstly, Lensbabies *aren't* macro lenses. You can buy "macro" adaptors for them but these are just close-up filters that attach to the front in the same way you'd use them on normal lenses.

Lensbabies are designed to mimic (in a limited fashion) the tilt movements of a large format camera. By changing the angle that the light hits the sensor (relative to the lens) you can radically alter the plane of focus, ie. the part of the picture that appears sharp.

The simplest of the Lensbabies (Original / Lensbaby 2.0 / Muse) is little more than a short length of flexible plastic tubing (similar in appearance to the hose on a vacuum cleaner) with a lens mount on one end and a glass lens on the other. Around the glass lens is a finger-friendly ring for you to grip as you take photos; by pulling, pushing and wiggling this ring around you move the focal spot around the frame. Once you're pleased with the composition you take the photo. It's quite a simple and organic process.

Example photo taken with Lensbaby 2.0 on my K10D:

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/IMGP4040.jpg[/IMG]

You change the aperture on the lens by dropping in one of a number of supplied magnetic discs in front of the glass - quite a simple operation. You can then use the Lensbaby in Aperture Priority or Manual modes.

The Lensbaby 3G / Control Freak works in a very similar fashion, but has the advantage that you can lock the tube into any position once you've found one that suits. If you're looking to repeat an outcome (say for tripod work) then this would be the one to go for, however, for wandering around and taking snapshots some may (and do!) feel the locks to be too fiddly and restrictive, preferring the simpler Lensbabies instead.

I hope that gives you a better idea anyway.

You need to understand what makes large format cameras different than 35 mm cameras to understand the whole tilt, shift, swing movements and how that affects the ways lights goes from the front lens element to the film plane.
35mm, and hence our dlsrs are VERY limited in controlling focus, perspective, and dof effects.
lensbabies do give give a little more control over lens movement... great for some special effects, (all easily created in photoshop) but for macro work, you may be happier in the long run with a macro lens.

Thanks for the explanation...not for me..at the moment. Ron

What bothers me is just how high quality is the lens in one of these? What's the point of all the wibbly wobbly stuff if the IQ is rotten at the end of it all.

Mike

can't be that bad...alot of wedding photogs use em.
acquired taste i suppose.
I get great shots with my Pentax 85 soft focus lens...and am proficient with photoshop...so I can't justify spending money on lensbabies.

I'd have thought they take too long to use for a wedding shoot where the pace is pretty hot I'd have thought.

I love a gadget but I can't quite see the appeal much as Lomo don't seem to have much merit.

Mike

The "sweet spot" from the coated glass doublet (which can be enlarged by using one of the smaller aperture discs) is very sharp indeed. It's difficult to quantify absolutely but I'd say it's considerably sharper than the DA18-55 and only just lags behind the FA43 (which I judge to be my sharpest lens).

As for taking too long, assuming you're using the simple versions the effects you see through the viewfinder are instantaneous so it takes no longer than focussing a traditional lens; although there's certainly a bit of practice needed to get the right effect time after time...

As Don says, the effects could mostly be replicated in Photoshop but that means extra time taken out for PP duties; the Lensbaby lets you take the finished article right away in-camera. It's a matter of taste really but I do quite like the effect for portraits:

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/IMGP4038.jpg[/IMG]

Both this image and the one in my last post are completely undoctored with the exception of re-sizing for the web.

To be honest, I wouldn't have bought a Lensbaby if it weren't for the fact that (a) SRS had them in stock for £39.99 and (b) I happened to be in Watford. It's never going to be my most used lens but it can sit happily in the camera bag and come out for special occassions - I've spent more on filters that get used less...

hefty 1 - thank you for all the information and the photo examples.

Quite

Mike