It’s All About Focus – The Lensbaby Review by Dennis Hays

There is something almost primitive about the Lensbaby series of optics. The idea of a hands-on approach to selective focus is quite ingratiating and gives me a feeling of control. Almost from the minute I put the Lensbaby Composer on my Canon, I had an intuitive feel for its operation.

The Composer is the base lens of a system, where you change the optics to achieve various results. With the default double glass optic , you can move the front of the Composer, within its ball-and-socket axis, to adjust the "sweet spot" in any direction. This allows you to change the area of focus and force other areas softer. Once moved, the Lensbaby stays where you put it–there is no lock—it is secure to use for multiple shots or to point in any direction.

Lensbaby Composer with Double Glass Optic

Operating the Composer is easy. After putting it on your camera (it approximates a 50mm lens), twist the manual focusing ring to adjust the focus and then tilt the front of the Composer in any direction. This is a manual focus lens—there is no electronic connection between the lens and camera.

Changing the aperture is more involved than any other lens you have in your kit. You have to remove the double optic lens (or any of the other optics of the Optic Swap System) from the Composer body and replace the aperture disks This is the primitive nature I alluded to in the first paragraph. The aperture disks supplied with the Composer double-optic are: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22.

All of the Lensbaby series of optics come with aperture disks and a magnetic tool to remove an existing disk. The tool has a built-in container to hold the unused aperture disks.

The Composer is not like a tilt-and-shift lens or a large format camera where you can extend the depth of field or adjust parallel line convergence. It has but a single purpose; to move the sweet spot within the angle of coverage.

Years ago, we used to take an old glass filter and gently put Vaseline over it, leaving a clear spot in the center. The Lensbaby is essentially a "dryer" form of this, albeit, with the ability to tilt the optics in any direction, while keeping the film plane parallel to the object.

As I said previously, the Lensbaby Composer is the base of the system. Using the top of the plastic case of one of the  Optic Swap System lenses , you remove the double glass optic and replace it with one of the other optics.

Lensbaby Composer with Fisheye Optic

I used the single glass optic , which simulates the optics found on an antique camera; the plastic optic that simulates the lens of a toy camera with a large amount of chromatic aberration; Pinhole and Zone Plate; Soft Focus Optic with which you can vary the amount of softness by replacing or stacking aperture disks; and the Fish Eye Optic with an ultra-wide 12mm focal length and 160 degree field of view.

Since all of these are part of a system using the same base device, when you purchase any of the other Optic Swap system units, you keep the versatile tilting base. None of the Optic Swap System connect to your camera’s electronics; therefore, everything is manual–focusing, aperture adjustment and degree of softness.

 
Lensbaby Composer with Soft Focus Optic

To change any element, optic or aperture, you have to remove the optics and replace the optic and/or an aperture disk. This is not as simple as removing a lens from you camera and replacing it with another. Changing the Lensbaby requires some effort, so using any of the Optic Swap System items is not a spontaneous decision. You must think about the shot you want and not just set your camera on five frames a second and wave it about.

While some photographers, using the automatics of the digital SLR, may find using the Lensbaby cumbersome, I heartily disagree. The Lensbaby Composer and the rest of the Optic Swap System are a set of devices to help you acquire your artistic vision. You are not just capturing an event, you are painting a digital canvas.  

Lensbaby Composer with Zone Plate Optic

The Lensbaby is not expensive and definitely worth considering, whether you are an amateur or professional photographer. The $270 retail price the of the Composer is within the means of both the professional and the hobbyist and the individual lenses from the Optic Swap System are also affordable (Single Glass Optic $34.95, Plastic Optic $34.95, Pinhole/Zone Plate $34.95, Soft Focus Optic $89.95, Fisheye Optic $149.95).

This is a different way of working and unlike any optics or lens available, therefore it safely sets its own niche. I found their best use in portraiture and still life, but I’m certain I have only touched the surface.

Lensbaby Composer Specifications

• Available in mounts for Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Sony Alpha A / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX, Olympus E1 / Panasonic Lumix DMC cameras.
• Double Glass (Multi-coated Optical Glass Doublet) included.
• Focal Length: about 50 mm
• Focus Type: Manual
• 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
• Minimum Focus: about 18" (45cm)
  Maximum Focus: infinity
• Size: 2.25"(5.7cm) h x 2.5"(6.35cm) w / Weight: 3.7 oz (104.9g).
• No electronic communication between the lens and the camera body.
• Automatic light metering is possible by shooting in aperture priority mode for almost all digital and film SLR camera bodies except certain Nikon bodies including the D40, D50, D60, D70, D70S, D80, D90, D100, N50, N65, N70, N75, N80, Kodak 14N and ProN, & Fuji S1, S2, and S3.

Single Glass Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• Uncoated double convex optical glass singlet
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Plastic Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• Uncoated double convex plastic singlet
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Lensbaby Pinhole/Zone Plate

• 50 mm focal length
• Pinhole: f/177
• Zone Plate f/19
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.75" (4.44 cm) x 1.37" (3.5 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak

Soft Focus Optic Specifications

• 50 mm focal length
• f/2 to f/22
• Multi-coated optical glass doublet
• Magnetic disk aperture system
• Degree of softness controlled by changing the aperture disks
• Includes 3 special multi-hole soft focus aperture disks
• Part of the Lensbaby Optic Swap System
• Compatible with the Composer, Muse, and Control Freak
• 1.93" (4.9 cm) x 1.93" (4.9 cm) x 1.34" (3.4 cm)

Fisheye Optic Specifications

• 12 mm focal length
• 160 degree field of view
• Minimum focus: .5" (1.3 cm) from front of optic. Allows for extremely close focus (zero inches from the front of the optic) when used with the Control Freak.
• Maximum focus: infinity
• Six element multi-coated optical design
• f/4 optic with aperture disks that range from f/5.6 to f/22
• Shipped with clear plastic storage case
• 1.89" (4.8 cm) x 1.89" (4.8 cm) x 2" (5.08 cm)
• Compatible with the Composer. Special adapter required for Muse and Control Freak (sold separately).

Lensbaby web site: http://www.lensbaby.com