What Does Lens Baby Plastic Optic Connect to

Lensbaby Composer Review

The Lensbaby Composer is not like any other lens you have always used. In a good way. It is a creatively-designed product that inspires creativity.

"Some photographers take been a bit skeptical about the Lensbaby, and have written it off every bit a fad. After 5 years in the marketplace, Lensbaby sales are still very steady and growing. I remember the reason for this growth is that more and more photographers are recognizing that Lensbaby lenses provide a unique mode to command depth of field, which is one of the fundamental elements of photography. When used with care, the photographic results tin be quite stunning, and in many cases a Lensbaby is the perfect tool to get a very artistic result." (Sam Pardue, CEO, Co-Founder, Lensbaby, LLC)

While I did non write the Lensbaby off as a fad, it did take Sam a couple of years to convince me that a Lensbaby review was worth my time. When I saw the new (every bit of this review) Lensbaby Composer, I asked Sam to send me an evaluation sample. And the review was definitely worth my time.

Equally Sam indicates, the Composer provides a unique mode to control depth of field. Let'due south take a look at an example.

The soccer ball is sharp, the grass is blurred. A normal lens could mistiness the groundwork and foreground, but non the areas in the aforementioned plane of sharp focus as the ball. And only expensive, very wide aperture lenses could create this much blur.

The Lensbaby Composer is basically a brawl and socket with a lens set installed in the forepart (ball) portion of the assembly. To move the sharp-focused expanse around in the frame, the lens elements are pivoted on the brawl. Friction on the ball is controlled by the rear black-ribbed ring that fine-click-stops into place. Set it loose (still holds the lens in place simply is like shooting fish in a barrel to suit) or lock information technology tight. The plastic ball is not every bit precise equally a loftier quality tripod brawl caput, but the lens is far lighter (and is less expensive) than these. The brawl works fine for its purpose. Mouseover the labels above to see the lens in diverse positions.

Every bit usual, manual focusing is done by turning the manual focus ring (this is a manual focus-only lens). Focus is achieved by moving the unabridged lens associates forward for close focusing and back for distant focusing.

Constructed of plastic and aluminum, the Composer is small and extremely low-cal.

Model	Weight		Dimensions w/o Hood		Filter	Year
Catechism EF 50mm f/1.four USM Lens	10.2 oz	(290g)	2.ix x two.0"	(74 10 51mm)	58mm	1993
Canon EF 50mm f/ane.eight II Lens	iv.6 oz	(130g)	2.7 x 1.6"	(68 x 41mm)	52mm	1990
Lensbaby Composer	4.vi oz	(130g)	2.6 x 2.1"	(66 10 53mm)	37mm	2008
Canon EF-South 18-55mm f/3.5-5.half dozen IS Lens	7.1 oz	(200g)	2.vii 10 2.8"	(69 x 70mm)	58mm	2007
Canon EF-Due south 17-85mm f/iv-5.6 IS USM Lens	16.8 oz	(475g)	3.1 x iii.vi"	(79 x 92mm)	67mm	2004

The Lensbaby Composer is not like other lenses, but this small-scale nautical chart should put the size and weight into perspective. The Composer tested to exist very similar to the Canon 50mm lenses listed above for focal length - matching the spec. The 130g weight does not include caps or any aperture disks (all of these counterbalance only 15g in the case - I'll draw them later) but includes the Double Glass Optic. The filter spec is listed at a tiny 37mm - and the piddling center-compression 37mm lens cap is cute.

There are no electronics and just a few moving parts in the Composer. This ways that not merely are apertures manually controlled and not reported to the camera (not present in EXIF data), they are physically installed.

The Lensbaby Composer ships with the Magnetic Aperture Fix including the magnetic wand discontinuity removal tool and custom storage case shown higher up. The included aperture discs allow apertures of f/2 (no aperture disk installed), 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, xi, 16, and 22. Not shown is the 35mm film canister cap that secures the aperture discs into the case (Sam thinks that Lensbaby LLC is currently the #1 heir-apparent for these caps). Select the aperture you desire and drop it into the Composer. The slightly flexible metalicized plastic aperture disks are secured by 3 magnets inside the lens optic existence used (excluding the Pin Pigsty Optic). Utilize the magnetic wand tool to remove the aperture disk when irresolute apertures. The system is simple to use, but of grade in that location are at present loose parts to lose. Fortunately, replacements are cheap.

Manually installed aperture disks permit additional control of the image. The shape of the aperture pigsty can be manipulated for creative control over the shape of the spherical highlights in your Lensbaby photos. The very inexpensive Lensbaby Creative Aperture Kit provides an f/4 star shaped aperture disk, an f/4 eye shaped deejay and 5 blank disks. "By using these disks, points of low-cal in out-of-focus areas of the photograph take on the same shape every bit the middle opening of the aperture deejay. For case, with the star aperture, points of low-cal behind the subject announced equally glowing stars." The bare disks are used for creating custom shapes by using a shaped paper punch (sold at arts and crafts stores) or a sharp knife. These creative aperture disks tin be rotated to rotate the issue. Very absurd.

Since the lens aperture is fixed, the viewfinder is nighttime when narrow apertures are selected (normal lens apertures remain wide open up until the shot is taken). DOF preview is always provided. Car exposure in Av Fashion functions normally.

"The Lensbaby Optic Swap system has introduced a new level of creative freedom for our line of lenses. Photographers can choose between the Double Glass Optic, with it'southward tack precipitous sweetness spot, the Single Glass Optic, which has a rawer look like to vintage camera optics, the Plastic Optic, which is positively ethereal, or the Pinhole / Zone plate, which is just loads of fun for creating dream similar images. The idea for the system is to give photographers every bit many options every bit possible for realizing their personal creative vision." (Sam)

In the curt period of time nosotros had to meet, Sam seemed merely as positive to exist around equally he sounds when writing nearly his creative lenses.

And his replaceable optic concept is a great one. The Lensbaby Composer comes with the Double Optic lens - my personal favorite (I'm still hanging on to that sharpness issue I guess). Each of the other Optics tin can be purchased individually or together in the Lensbaby Optic Kit. And so, for an incremental price, your Lensbaby can change its capabilities. Additional options can easily be added to the line and electric current Lensbaby model owners would be able to simply add the new Optics to their lens to gain the new capabilities.

Let's take a look at the results from the currently bachelor options. Use the mouseover labels below to run across the reduced-but-total-frame results from the specified Optic and aperture combination.

 

Dragging your mouse over the labels in a higher place volition show the mistiness event delivered past the corresponding lens optic and aperture selected. A stationary Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III was used for these not-perfectly-framed samples. Framing was done with the Double Drinking glass Optic focused in the center of the exam chart. The position was not changed for the balance of the sample shots. These are not pretty pictures, but they do give you an idea of the consequence each combination produces. Continue in mind that when used on a 1.6x FOVCF body, the almost-blurred area of the frame - the edges - will not be included.

At f/2, the Double Drinking glass Optic is soft in the center, but becomes reasonably sharp (sharper than I expected) when stopped down to f/2.eight and across. Corners remain extremely soft at all apertures - by pattern. As Sam indicated, the other Optics have increasing amounts of softness as you go downwards the listing.

Vignetting is very well controlled, only flare is non (not a surprise). Use the flare for its additional creativity. If there is any CA (Chromatic Aberration), I can't find it. And of course, the background blur quality is expectedly dandy.

The Lensbaby Composer is shown mounted on a Canon EOS 40D in the above moving picture.

The Composer is easy to utilize - information technology is one of those lenses that you can take out and get some decent shots with right away. Probably ameliorate results than photographers used to go with Vaseline smeared on filters in try to achieve this same look.

But with use, your captures will get more and more impressive - as will your level of creativity. You volition learn how to better use the lens and you lot will learn what images work best with the bachelor lens and discontinuity combinations. Learning how to position the area of sharpness and match it with manual focusing takes some practice to go skilled at. I struggled a flake with a full frame body at f/2, but did meliorate with f/2.8 and f/4 aperture disks installed. An easier time with focusing accurateness will be had when using a 1.6x trunk.

A Lensbaby can be used in a very broad range of applications, but wedding ceremony photographers seem to be loftier on the list of those desiring the Lensbaby look. At that place's something romantic about the results.

In that location are currently three Lensbaby models available (or coming soon). All take the same Optics (and therefore evangelize the same prototype quality) and utilize the same aperture disks. While the Composer, my preference, is deemed "Smooth and precise", the Control Freak (below) is termed "Methodical and Footstep-by-Step" and the Muse (2nd below) is "Fast and Loose".

"The Control Freak is the evolution of the Lensbaby 3G, an ideal selective focus lens for tabletop and macro photography. Yous tin can shrink and bend the lens to find your desired Sweet Spot, and and then lock it in identify with the push of a button. Once locked, y'all can fine focus using the barrel focusing ring and fine melody the tilt with the Control Freak's three metal posts." The Command Freak is priced like to the composer (note: not available until Q2 2009).

The Muse is the to the lowest degree expensive of the current Lensbaby lenses, just delivers the same paradigm quality. "Photographers focus the Muse by compressing the lens and move the sweet spot past bending the flexible lens tubing."

Lensbaby lenses are available in mounts for Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Sony Blastoff A / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX and Olympus E1 / Panasonic Lumix DMC. For the most role, at that place is no worry almost compatibility since there is no advice between the camera body and the lens. Automatic light metering is possible by shooting in aperture priority manner for almost all digital and picture show SLR camera bodies except certain Nikon bodies including the D40, D50, D60, D70, D70S, D80, D90, D100, N50, N65, N70, N75, N80, & Fuji S1, S2, and S3.

Corner to corner sharpness is non e'er the goal for a lens - and in this case, corner softness is the goal. Inventiveness is what the Lensbaby Composer inspires. And for the low toll, it makes a groovy gift for the photographer you want to inspire.

Bringing you this site is my full-time chore (typically lx-80 hours per calendar week). Thus, I depend solely on the commissions received from y'all using the links on this site to make whatsoever purchase. I am grateful for your support! - Bryan

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Source: https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Lensbaby-Composer-Review.aspx

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