[Dangermouse]

This arrived this morning, so I went for a walk. All on the Q10 at ISO400, with the camera choosing its own shutter speed. First couple were with spot metering as I was shooting the moon with a borrowed 15-45 last night and had forgotten to change the setting back, but given the characteristics of this lens it works well.

The focus is fixed so that subjects between about 2m and 30cm will be in focus, but with soft edges as you can see with this lamppost:



Try to shoot a landscape and you'll get something like this:



However, it can produce some surprisingly pleasing results with subjects more than 2m away. I think this benefits from the low sun and the warm tones of the building:



For best results, get in close to something detailed. I also used the "Tone Expansion" filter on this shot:




In summary, it's a fun lens. Not for everyone, but I think I'll get enough enjoyment from it to justify the price tag. You do need strong light or a high ISO setting as it's only f9, but that's workable.

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Last edited by Dangermouse; 12-03-2014 at 04:05 PM. Reason: Edited as Photobucket has now turned them right side up!

[Docrwm]

Glad you're enjoying it. Thanks for sharing. Not my cuppa but I can see that for the price it could be a fun lens. My favorite lens for the Q is the fisheye, it's just so much fun on the Q.

[Na Horuk]

I know people who bought a whole Holga camera and lenses and film to get photos like that.
Interesting stuff, have you tried B&W? I think a good B&W profile could work well with this

[mike.hiran]

maybe it's gimmicky but I like it. I think the selective focus feel of the images is pretty fun to play with. Worth the price for me anyway...

[pacerr]

A good landscape starting point for the water color effect??

[Dangermouse]

I've yet to try the B&W mode with it, will be going out on Friday to a different location so will give it a go then. I've been struggling a bit with the front selector dial as the only B&W mode it'll offer me is "bold" when I really just want a standard one.

I think the Holga point is, well, the point. When I get bored with the way this lens renders I can take it off and put the 02 zoom back on for sharper images. Holga owners are stuck with the thing!

[reh321]

Thank you for the pictures. I'd been wondering what effects this lens would produce.

[Dangermouse]

I can see it being a very flattering lens for head and shoulders portraits. It's sharp enough in its sweet spot to be able to recognise the subject (a quick test at home rendered 2mm high text on a book spine legible, with the shot taken at a distance of about 50cm) but that smooth softness around the edges would blur the background neatly.

Blunty (Youtube reviewer on the basis of whose video I decided I wanted one) commented that it was not unlike a Lensbaby in effect, but without the ability to focus or move the sweet spot around on the sensor. I'd agree with that.

[hoovs]

Thanks for sharing. I'm thinking this might be coming my way for Christmas -- or the fisheye.