Fire Engine Gauges. Composer Pro Double Glass f/5.6
The Lensbaby Project
Lensbaby (lens) is called “selective focus” for your digital camera. The basic principle is to produce a sharp zone of focus or “sweet spot” anywhere in the image with ever-increasing blur outside it. You have full control over how large the sweet spot is and where it appears in the image. There is a flexible barrel that you can tilt the lens and the sweet spot can be moved around the frame and to focus on off-center subjects. The size of the sweet spot can be increased or decreased by using a various apertures rings. The lens can only be used in either manual or aperture preferred mode depending on your camera type. Your auto-focus will not work with the Lensbaby, so everything is done manually. Oh, in case you are wondering. You can not produce this same effect using Photoshop.
The images below are my Nikon D300 with Lensbaby Composer Pro Double Glass lens. There are all sorts of different optics and assessories. I’ve provided a link to the Lensbaby website at the end of this article.
The first image shows the Composer Pro pointed straight ahead. Next, the you see how you tilt or move the lens barrel to adjust the “sweet spot.” Lastly, the image shows the apeature disk that you drop inside the lens to vary the size of the sweet spot and blur the depth of field.
Lensbaby Composer Pro Double Glass - Lens barrel straight ahead.
Lensbaby Composer Pro Double Glass. Shows how the barrel can be tilted.
Composer Pro Double Glass. Seven aperture rings.
Selective Focus – What does it mean?
For those who haven’t come across Lensbaby’s before the idea of selective focus may be difficult to visualize at first. The example below illustrates the concept – when the lens is centered only an area in the middle of the frame is sharp, and the edges are blurred. By moving or tilting the lens it’s possible to move this sharpness ‘sweet spot’ freely around the frame, focusing selectively on your area of interest as seen in the other images. (Also, the top image shows how I moved the lens barrel to make the sweet spot appear only on the RPM gauge.)
Composer Pro Double Glass. Sweet spot centered.
Composer Pro Double Glass. Sweet spot slightly left-center.
Why the Lensbaby?
I’m always ready to add something new to my photography arsenal. A few years ago I considered adding it to my Christmas list, but I held back. I needed to do more research, look at more Lensbaby images, and determine if I wanted to put the energy into learning how to use this type of new lens.
You may be asking: “What is so difficult about getting and using a new lens?”
Learning to use the Lensbaby is a very humbling experience! If you think you can instantly be creative and get great shots you are wrong. Despite years and years of great image captures there is a long and steep learning curve. Believe me, I’ve taken about 1,000 shots since getting the Lensbaby for my birthday on the 27th of June. Just today, I’m getting the feel for how to get and control the “sweet spot.” You quickly find out that it takes only an ever so slightly move of the lens barrel to adjust and obtain the sweet spot. A little goes a long way toward changing the image.
Composer Pro Double Glass. Black & White image.
What I Purchased
- Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic.
- Focal Length: 50mm lens that has a metal swivel ball design for ultra-smooth focus and tilt control.
- The selective focus optic with drop-in aperture discs, provides a tack-sharp Sweet Spot of focus with minimum diffusion at all aperture settings.
- Focus Type: Manual
- Tilts from zero to 17.5 degrees
- Double Glass Optic Aperture Type: Interchangeable, magnetic aperture disks Apertures: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22 Selective focus optic (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradual blur)
- Focus distance when used with Composer Pro: 18″ to infinity
To learn more about the Lensbaby go here: Lensbaby Website
Just the beginning…
Thank you for visiting. Hope you have learned something new. Hey, you may even be inspired to consider purchasing the Lensbaby.
My promise is to keep you updated as my learning curve straightens out and my Lensbaby images improve.
Thanks Rick!! I’ve seen lensbaby displays at a photography show I regularly attend, and I always wondered how they worked. That was a very informative post
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Cindy…
That’s great that you know about and have seen images using Lensbaby. Each of the optics you can purchase work slightly different, produce a differerent “sweet spot” and blur effect. Glad you enjoyed the information.
Excellent images Rick. One of these is on my short list of “must-have” photo goodies!
Hi Jeff…
Thank you for the comment about the images. There are a few different optics available and accessories, like macro attachments or wide angle/telephoto. This means you have a made-ready “Christmas” list for a few years (-:
Interesting Rick. Didn’t know about this device. What do you mean by ‘can’t be done through photoshop?’ I would rather think that the magic to have those picture right to the sensor is the difference between the lens baby and PS. Bernard
Hi Bernard and thank you for stopping by.
You are 100% correct. There is a category, “guru” for the top Lensbaby photographers. The three I spoke with said you can not reproduce the effect in PS, it is all about how the lens is made. If one wanted to try reproducing the effect in PS, I’m sure it would be a lot of work.
Thanks for your comment.
I’ve heard of this lens (and have seem many images taken with it) but didn’t realize it came with such a learning curve! Good for you for sticking it out and practicing until you learned its tricks.
The images I have seen with this are mostly urban landscapes where the scene looks miniature (I always think of the opening to Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood when viewing them). Have you tried that?
Yes, the learning curve for any level of photographer is there.
Throw on a Lensbaby macro lens and it adds to the curve (-: But hey, I love challenges.
The trick is to start out using a large f/stop disk (f/5 is good) and pointing the Lensbaby straight-ahead to get a feel for where the “sweet spot” appears. It is actually a circle. Next, you slowly begin moving or tilting the lens to adjust the sweet spot and blur effect.
Hmm, can’t get an image in my head about your reference to urban landscapes that look miniature /-: There are other optics that include a wide angle lens which I don’t have. That could be the effect.
Thanks for the comment.
Wonderful information about lensbaby.
Hi Otto! Thank you for stopping by and for your comment.