Lensbaby

I have had my non-beta Lensbaby for 11 days now. So here is what I've learned about this bendy lens in regards to apertures (beta versions had fixed f5.6 to f8 aperture so I have known for awhile what the darker apertures do).

F2.8 is very diffused giving a soft focus look in the sweet spot in addition to the very soft edges. A sharp image can be distinguished from the diffused areas if you have attained proper focus. It can be hard to focus at f2.8 as the diffusion is a bit confusing on the eyes.

I'm finding that f4 is a good balance for general subject matter. Sharpness is mixed with a little diffusion at f4 even in the sweet spot and focus falls off fast.

At f5.6 the diffusion is minimized but focus falls off fairly fast even still.

F8 is about as sharp in the center as my 50mm f1.4 Nikkor is in its center when shot wide open. F8 gives a subtle blurring around the edges that is nice for scenes where too much blur will detract from the subject matter instead of compliment it.

The plane of focus is curved so if you are looking through a window frame at a distant image the window frame will have more sharpness than you might expect when the sweet spot is focused on the distant object. The "sharp" window frame will still have some color issues because these lenses focus all three colors together only in the central sweet spot.

The below images were shot at f4.

Have a super day.

-Craig



You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
Heraclitus of Ephesus

Love those... thanks for the tips...


stay flexible...


...mikel

Here's ballet class with the f/5.6 disc in on the d2h...

Mikel,

Photos with a lensbaby of fun stuff often does more justice than a sharp lens does. There's gotta be a connection between the process and the subject matter.

It's all about fun for me.

Unpredictable is such a beautiful thing in this calculated world of digital photography. Using my lensbaby has become more predictable for me after a bit of experience shooting varied subject matter.

It is so nice to look through my photos and know that the effect is built in to the image and all I need is to adjust the image for exposure and color (my expodisc has been nailing the color for me almost dead on since I got it at WPPI).

Have a surprisingly beautiful day.

-Craig



You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
Heraclitus of Ephesus

What aperture was used to capture the above image?

Thanks,
RW

Rob,

I shot that image and this one at F5.6 with Sony 0.6x wide.

Have a super day.

-Craig



You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
Heraclitus of Ephesus

where can i get this Sony 0.6x wide adapter? is it this one?:

[www.bhphotovideo.com]

Word is from Sony that this lens is discontinued so buy it now. The replacement is silver and seems to go for $40 minimum.

Have a super day.

-Craig



You could not step twice into the same rivers; for other waters are ever flowing on to you.
Heraclitus of Ephesus

I got mine from B&H for about $26 i think....

would attach photos but I'm on my laptop and can't access my network to get images from desktop downstairs....
but the Sony x.6 gives you a WHOLE NEW BALLGAME!!!

I will be using it on wedding assignments, as the select focus is VERY cool!!
with the Sony x.6 wide I get about a 35mm field of view on my Canon 10D.
Perfect!!!

Bob Keene

Craig,

I've just put in an order for the Lensbaby and was wondering about the Sony 0.6x adaptor. Is it the Sony VCL-0637H 37mm 0.6x Wide Angle Convertor Lens? If so, how is it attached to the Lensbaby? Would I need some adaptor ring or does it go on like a filter?

Please advise. Thank you.

Matt Ang