Lensbaby

Have any of you got experience of the Lensbaby system because I find it quite intriguing and would like to hear what you thought of it.

Just a gimmick or seriously useful?

http://www.lensbaby.com/video.php?id=7

I have one, and also Moonstone I think.

I might be a bit dumb (thousands would agree!) but I find it a system requiring a fair amount of thought to use. Firstly the metering seems a bit unpredicatable and it's trial and error - even on my d700 which apparently is meant to meter straight from the lensbaby, or at least the amount of light it lets in. Secondly I find the optical results hard to predict and hard to get right. It is quite difficult to focus even on the full frame I have which is clearer and brighter than APS-C cameras. I am sure this is all down to practice and I don't have enough. There are plenty of people using the lensbaby, even on the fly such as wedding photographers.

The results can be quite interesting although I am fed up with those images that make people and cars look like toy town. Flowers can look good, although I don't photograph flowers and many results can be achieved in photoshop. If you are getting one, it is worth considering what you will do with it, and which one you will be buying. Some are fiddly, others, such as the composer make it easier to work on the fly. You often have to end up buying extra accessories such as the aperture discs or extra lenses.

There is a quite a good little book by (i think) Corey Hilz showing various applications of the lensbaby.

Spooky,just posted a pic using mine

Personally, I love them, let's me be as creative as I like, when I'm in that mood, without any PP jiggery pokery, takes practice,lots of it, think a lot of people try it, get discouraged and give up on them. If you are not confident shooting in Manual, or you don't like to, then it is next to useless TBH. If you love tack sharp pictures, and a control freak, don't buy one.


I love mine, and have several optics.

Moonie, what do you set your Nikon D300 on when you use it? Do you use it in aperture priority and get an F0 on the LCD?

I always use mine in Manual. I get F0 on the LCD. I have the cheapest one, the Muse.

Yep, that is probably the best option. The semi pro Nikons up are meant to be able to meter the amount of light and set shutter speed but I find it a bit erratic. The Composer I think has the glass lens, but your results look at least as good as mine so that says something!

It can be erratic, and inanimate subjects are easier aswell, good lighting can make a world of difference too. I was using the double glass optic, it's the sharpest of them all, the difference between The Muse and Composer,is you find the sweet spot and can let go of the lens, with The Muse, it's a juggling act, and you have to hold your camera funny to hold the lens still and in place and the body . I would like to upgrade to the composer or the composer pro at some point, but I am fine using my funny little lens for now

All the lensbabies you can swap the optics, so they will all take different optics, unless you have a very old model, you should be able to swap the glass out, and pop in a pinhole optic in as an example.


I think it is like HDR, you love it or hate it Shall I shut up, am beginning to sound like a Lensbaby geek x x

No... please don't shut up!

I started the thread so I could find out just these things and am learning lots listening to you both.


I really like the look of the Muse.

I have no experience of it, but am aware of it and what it does. I have this feeling that it may fit in very well with your work Daisy

I have a lensbaby and like it a lot.

Saying that it has not been out of the bag all year. It is the cheap one and for fun pics it is great.

Go on buy it you deserve some ickle treats.