Lensbaby thread - Pics and tips ........

swag72

swag72

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Bought a Lensbaby Composer, and prior to getting it I searched far and wide for pics, comments and tips. Found pics on Flickr and a useful forum on the official Lensbaby site.

I know that the Lensbaby is a bit of a niche and is a lot like marmite - Love it or hate it!!

So, I thought I'd start this thread for some pics and general thoughts on the Lensbaby. Certainly something I would have liked to have found when I was doing a bit of research.

Hope this is helpful to some and that others with this lens give their ideas and photos too.

A couple of examples of my shots this weekend.

3581846361_dbf785fa0a_o.jpg


3581844565_c17253f1da_o.jpg
 
would you mind commenting on why you picked the composer instead of the muse? I want to buy one, but not sure if the benefits of the composer is worth the huge price tag difference! cheers :)
 
Hi Robby. I looked at the muse as well as watched a couple of youTube videos. To me the muse looked more tricky to use where you set the focus point and had to hand hold it there. All sorts of opportunities for my fingers to fail!!

The Composer, with its ball socket is so easy. It moves easily to where you want it - And more importantly to me - Stays there!
 
Had the Muse, but found it very hard to hold in position if you're pulling some extension out of it for a close up (flower etc) but it's not so bad for normal distances. So I got the Control Freak which I really enjoy using. Though thinking about it, I've not used it for, erm, quite a long time...

The Composer was not available when I bought, but I think that's the one I'd go for now.
 
swag72 said:
Hi Robby. I looked at the muse as well as watched a couple of youTube videos. To me the muse looked more tricky to use where you set the focus point and had to hand hold it there. All sorts of opportunities for my fingers to fail!!

The Composer, with its ball socket is so easy. It moves easily to where you want it - And more importantly to me - Stays there!
Click to expand...

you got some links to those vids??
 
thanks for the tip! checked out some videos including this one on the site http://www.lensbaby.com/lenses-muse.php

you are right, it does look terribly difficult to manipulate. but I might just get the muse since I can't afford the composer right now, haha. and when the money comes I'll upgrade! :naughty:

damn, looking at your pictures and checking out the videos... my appetite is whetted! :D
 
swag72 said:
Bought a Lensbaby Composer, and prior to getting it I searched far and wide for pics, comments and tips. Found pics on Flickr and a useful forum on the official Lensbaby site.

I know that the Lensbaby is a bit of a niche and is a lot like marmite - Love it or hate it!!

So, I thought I'd start this thread for some pics and general thoughts on the Lensbaby. Certainly something I would have liked to have found when I was doing a bit of research.

Hope this is helpful to some and that others with this lens give their ideas and photos too.

A couple of examples of my shots this weekend.

3581846361_dbf785fa0a_o.jpg


3581844565_c17253f1da_o.jpg
Click to expand...
Woooooooooooooooooahhhhhhhhhhhhhh the top shot is what i see when i have had too many drams LoL
Like you say Marmite factor, personally i have spent years and loads of money trying to get sharp in focus shots and Lens babies seem to be going in reverse to me?
Same goes with current interest in Pin Hole camera's retro or what? what's next glass plates? LoL
 
What is a Lensbaby?
 
While these are fun, they are a bit of a "one trick pony" and pricey as well, theres a tendancy to shoot everything with it then chuck it in a draw after a short while when the novelty wears off.
 
It looks like you've used the blur tool with a bit of smudge in Photoshop...
 
swanseamale47 said:
While these are fun, they are a bit of a "one trick pony" and pricey as well, theres a tendancy to shoot everything with it then chuck it in a draw after a short while when the novelty wears off.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this. Mine is now sat in its box.
 
i've got a lensbaby 2.0 and i can't use the thing to save my life (got given it from crimbo).
it's just far too hard to focus while trying to hold the lens where you want it
 
willp2003 said:
i've got a lensbaby 2.0 and i can't use the thing to save my life (got given it from crimbo).
it's just far too hard to focus while trying to hold the lens where you want it
Click to expand...

Welcome to TP Will :)

I agree with you, all the LensBabies are quite fiddly to use when you're trying to frame up a pic. Except the Composer that Sara has. That one is a real doddle, which is why they made it I guess, because it doesn't actually do anything that the other versions do not - just real easy to use.

I think it really is more than just a gimmick or toy, even though that tends to be the way you use it at first. Some wonderful pics on their website linked to above.
 
Tried to play with achieving a tilt / shift effect. I know that it will be easier to see in an urban environment, but thought that this worked quite well. Watch this space for some more!

3596053650_7f697e2c99_o.jpg
 
swag72 said:
I can't shoot a portrait with a normal lens, I doubt I'll try with this one either. They're just not my thing :)
Click to expand...

LensBaby makes quite a good dreamy/soft portrait lens. I've used it with a 1.4x extender to get 70mm f/2.8 :)
 
What focal length are they??? and i take it they are wide open all the time?? someone should try one with a 3x converter just to see the result...oh the hilarity..:woot:
 
My eyes bleed and a little bit of me dies inside when I see Lensbaby stuff. What a shame...
 
onform said:
What focal length are they??? and i take it they are wide open all the time?? someone should try one with a 3x converter just to see the result...oh the hilarity..:woot:
Click to expand...

LensBaby is 50mm f/2. They come with a range of manual aperture discs, to f/22. That's how you change the size of the blurry bit, and depth of field. At high f/numbers they are actually quite sharp :eek:
 
Intriguing, but I've not seen anything that you couldn't do in photoshop? Or am I missing something?
 
mid_gen said:
Intriguing, but I've not seen anything that you couldn't do in photoshop? Or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

There is actually nothing that you cannot do in Photoshop, at least in theory. If you're prepared to modify every flippin pixel by hand.

But to do what a LensBaby does, or most other optical effects, is far, far easier when done in camera. And it's a lot more fun that sitting in front of a computer for hours on end.
 
HoppyUK said:
There is actually nothing that you cannot do in Photoshop, at least in theory. If you're prepared to modify every flippin pixel by hand.

But to do what a LensBaby does, or most other optical effects, is far, far easier when done in camera. And it's a lot more fun that sitting in front of a computer for hours on end.
Click to expand...

:agree:

I don't have the PP skills to get the effect, nor the time. For me the LB is a bit of fun as well as actually really liking the effects that it produces. I know it's not every ones cup of tea.

Would love to see some more pics from other people before I bore you all to death with my pics and you get really bored of this thread :D
 
So!

I went for a Muse with a plastic optic in the end cos of the cheapness of it. :) Also figured that it would be a less of a pain if it turned out to not be my thing. First thoughts: soft, soft, softtttt!! But I do think I might get used to it, quite liking some of the shots i've taken! but the success rate is really low. maybe its just me :D

Lensbaby.jpg


Here's one, no blemishes on the skin as you can see, hahaha.
 
I think I'd rather just buy a knackered old lens on eBay and take it apart and mess about with the elements + blutac personally :D
 
Its not for me really, just looks like your photo went wrong somehow.
 
Robby, Congrats on your new LB!! You can see where the sweet spot is on the lens, Prefer the sharpness of the glass optic to be honest, as believe it or not I do like stuff to be in focus!

So here's another pic. Slightly different, taken with f22 and Raynox, showing the sharpness that is possible.

3607622385_d0e5af6223_o.jpg


Interested to hear your thoughts on this one.
 
robbytherobot said:
So!

I went for a Muse with a plastic optic in the end cos of the cheapness of it. :) Also figured that it would be a less of a pain if it turned out to not be my thing. First thoughts: soft, soft, softtttt!! But I do think I might get used to it, quite liking some of the shots i've taken! but the success rate is really low. maybe its just me :D

Lensbaby.jpg


Here's one, no blemishes on the skin as you can see, hahaha.
Click to expand...

Thats the sort of picture id expect at 1/15 and no flash. I fail to see the lensbaby effect.
Dean:)
 
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