Lens Baby Club

Mike Cash · 08-20-2008, 07:47 AM

We have clubs for everything else under the sun. May as well have one for the Lens Baby too.

Pentax K20D
Lens Baby 2.0

Screwmount....of course.

Nesster · 08-20-2008, 08:03 AM

Oh yeah! great lenses, these. I have a 1.0, use it on film and digital. Mine's K mount.
Now I suppose I'll need to start a pinhole club as well...

Click on the image to view it in a larger size

Lensbaby 1.0, Program Plus

figmental1978 · 08-20-2008, 08:29 AM

Can I play?

Pentax K10D with Lensbaby 2.0 (k mount)

Nesster · 08-20-2008, 08:37 AM

Ah, nice work with the branches.

In order to do proper evaluation, I hereby submit the same subject, first with a pinhole, then with the lensbaby. Camera used: ZX-10 for its autofocus ability

Finally, a Lensbaby shot of my bookshelf, with a very important book visible.

Strobist info: onboard pop up flash.
Rosarch test: which of the books is the very important one?

creampuff · 08-20-2008, 08:48 AM

Some nice pictures but it would be useful to indicate what aperture disc was used to take the picture. That would help others visualize the effect of the different aperture discs.

figmental1978 · 08-20-2008, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by creampuff

Some nice pictures but it would be useful to indicate what aperture disc was used to take the picture. That would help others visualize the effect of the different aperture discs.

I usually don't record what aperture disc I use but probably either the f/2 or f/2.8.

Nesster · 08-20-2008, 09:53 AM

I don't keep track either, though I've walked around with f/8, f/4 (or is it 3.5), the 2.8... and a home-made give-or-take f/64

Here's one with that f/64:

Note that the effect is different depending on whether you're using 35mm or APS. The above example is with film.
Here's the same f/64 with the K100D (I abandoned the stop after this pic as I couldn't see through the vf!)

Click on the image to view it in a larger size

Mike Cash · 08-20-2008, 01:39 PM

Mine was with f5.6, I think. I spent most of the day using that.

Pentax K20D
Lens Baby 2.0

**roentarre** · 08-20-2008, 03:50 PM

Now I am tempted to get one myself. After viewing so many creative and artistic images from you guys!

*mel* · 08-20-2008, 05:43 PM

Here's a self-portrait with lensbaby at f2, held at arms length so I was totally guessing on the focusing and hoping it would turn out. Obviously there was some pp work done as well.

f2.8 i think, or whatever the next one up from f2 is

same as the last one

It's a fun little gadget to play with. And as a plug, I won mine in a drawing at the East-Coast Gathering. Lensbaby was a sponsor and graciously donated a 2.0 and the other one (higher end model). I won the 2.0. The only Canon user in the group won the other one.

Mike Cash · 08-21-2008, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by roentarre

Now I am tempted to get one myself. After viewing so many creative and artistic images from you guys!

I just got mine and it definitely requires a different way of "seeing" a picture in your mind and in translating it to the camera. I can tell already that it is going to take me a while to develop that. But that's not a bad thing; it keeps me thinking.

The mechanical skills in using it (compress to focus, bend to move the sweet spot) similarly require quite a bit of practice. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, though. The manufacturer recommends using fingers from both hands to adjust the lens, but I find that impossibly awkward to pull off. I just make a big "peace" sign with my left hand and lay those two fingers across the ample flange to make adjustments.

Pentax K20D
Lens Baby 2.0

*benjikan* · 08-21-2008, 04:32 AM

Should I get the Lens Baby 2 or 3...The 3 is much more expensive.

Ben

*mel* · 08-21-2008, 05:17 AM

Originally Posted by benjikan

Should I get the Lens Baby 2 or 3...The 3 is much more expensive.

Ben

I'd get the 3G. Those antennae thingies lock the lens in position (i think) for focusing and you can fine focus it with a ring on the end as well. The 2.0 just has the accordian thing (like my techincal terms?) and can be difficult to hold steady, especially, for me anyway, when focusing on things further out.

Besides, you can write it off as a business expense right? (not having any idea how the French tax system works or anything).

Nesster · 08-21-2008, 05:36 AM

The 1 and 2 are more casual, like mel says. You squeeze or push and snap. Very fast, not very repeatable. The 3, I've never used or seen it used, is more deliberate and repeatable - you move the balls on the antennae to position it just so.

If the 3 doesn't allow the squeeze and shoot technique, I'd want both the 3 and the 1 or 2.

I bought the 1 for two reasons - I like the effects better, it's more extreme than the 2, I think both sharper and more blurry. Oh and it's cheaper.

A couple of times a year I go out for a day with just the lensbaby. I'm quasi ambidextrous so perhaps it's easier for me to do the peace sign focus technique.

*mel* · 08-21-2008, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Nesster

I bought the 1 for two reasons - I like the effects better, it's more extreme than the 2, I think both sharper and more blurry. Oh and it's cheaper.

I like the effects of the 1 shown in the brochure. It gives a dreamier look. But my 2 was cheapest of all, FREE!! (thanks again lensbaby!)

Does anyone have either the telephoto or the macro kit for these? They're on my wishlist (with about a kabillion other things) and I'm wondering if they're worth having.