[Kerrowdown]

Lensbaby announces new lens

Thanks for the info and the link... looks kind interesting for the more artistic amongst us... I'm not sure if that includes the old Kerrowdown or not.

[pentax360]

looks like fun.

[stillshot2]

It can produce some nice images in certain situations, but I don't understand why they chose the brand name they did? The name "Lensbaby" sounds so dumb to me lol

[zero86r]

Looks pretty good, I may have to get one!

[pxt]

I want play till shift lens. It is interesting option fo creative photography.

[BruceBanner]

Lensbaby are good on this front - nearly all of their lenses have a PK option. I guess it helps that they are all full-manual non-electronic lenses so it's just a matter of screwing on a mechanical mount. But all the same, those Canikony users all see Pentax in the drop down, so it's sure to have some positive effect.

---------- Post added 08-07-18 at 06:31 AM ----------



It seems fairly similar in principle to the composer, but with the added 'bokeh blades' on the front. Still looks fun and cheap enough to give it a go without losing too much if you don't like it and decide to sell.

That's my view. I've just ordered one, should be with me for xmas.

Looks like they've sold half a dozen just here! Good to reward them for supporting Pentax!

Yet not a single review in the forums of it. Hopefully I can change that.

[smf]

Photographer Kathleen Clemons wrote about the Sol 45 at Kathleen Clemons Photography
Among her observations is that the Lensbaby +2 macro lens is just right for the Sol 45.
I am very interested in learning what Pentaxforum members think of the Sol 45 — with or without Lensbaby macro lenses.
Best wishes!

[BruceBanner]

Photographer Kathleen Clemons wrote about the Sol 45 at Kathleen Clemons Photography
Among her observations is that the Lensbaby +2 macro lens is just right for the Sol 45.
I am very interested in learning what Pentaxforum members think of the Sol 45 — with or without Lensbaby macro lenses.
Best wishes!

I've really enjoyed the Velvet 56 and have just recently added my review. I too saw the Kathleen Clemons blog which put me onto it in the first place, and I think I will likely try the macro ring set as well, but first I just wanted to see how things behaved without them. Perhaps the K-1 resolves so well that strong crops can allow for an almost macro feel, I dunno...
The Velvet 56 is also a macro lens as well so if I really like the Sol 45, I may invest in the macro lens and sell the 56... who knows... I'm just not sure I will need both (even though they resolve differently).

I've never tried any tilt shift lens, I quite like the results when it's done well, I utterly detest the fake instagram kinda stuff tho, I'm definitely a believer in getting it as authentic as possible at the time (be it a tilt lens, using flash gels for colour manipulation, whatever...), I'm not really sold on the concept of using normal lenses and trying to steer the image in post to being something akin to what these lensbaby things can achieve (or rubbing Vaseline on the lens lol).

I'll be sure to add my results and eventually a review in due course.

EDIT: Oh.. something else I forgot to mention, the Sol 45 has a fixed aperture of 3.5. (I think it stops down to f5 with the bokeh blades in use). The 3.5 is interesting to me because with the Velvet 56 I find somewhere between f2.8 and f4 is probably the best aperture to use in general use for striking a balance between the effect and central sharpness. In fact you could release a f3.5 velvet 56 (for cheaper) and I think it would sell quite well indeed. So the fixed 3.5 is going to be interesting and I feel having used the V56 and experienced it's aperture range that the idea of 'only' a fixed aperture just doesn't scare me so much

[Cambo]

Typically Lensbaby...but if you like their stuff, this does look fun. And cheap. And available in PK from launch.

Lensbaby SOL Creative Effect Camera Lens – Tilt. Focus. Shoot.

You'd get better results just taking a sharp shot with a good lens and get creative with your blur filters/tools/masks.

I'll save my money for more great Pentax glass, thanks.

'Bout time for a new Limited APSC, wouldn't you say, folks? How about a 135 F2.8 or 3.2 or so...it's been a LONG time since they've put out a fixed focal length like that.

Cheers,
Cameron

[BruceBanner]

You'd get better results just taking a sharp shot with a good lens and get creative with your blur filters/tools/masks.

I'll save my money for more great Pentax glass, thanks.

'Bout time for a new Limited APSC, wouldn't you say, folks? How about a 135 F2.8 or 3.2 or so...it's been a LONG time since they've put out a fixed focal length like that.

Cheers,
Cameron

Well that is the million dollar question indeed. Sadly I have yet to see a single good 'fake' tilt shift image, or something resembling what the Velvet 56 or Velvet 85 can manage. I'm guessing the post processing skills would have to be of an extremely high level and perhaps a good deal of time spent in post as well, you have to ponder if it is simply easier and more cost effective (yes cost effective because time = money) to simply use special lenses that cater to that look natively. Let me be clear, I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm highlighting the point you are making and in turn expressing mine. If you would have links to peoples work where they have mastered the blur tools and what not to such a degree to mimic what these lenses can manage natively then I would be really interested in seeing that work. To date the opposite is true (from what I have seen), for the majority of us togs with ok to above average PP skills there is no getting away with it in post, it just doesn't look good like what the real thing can achieve.

[victormeldrew]

You'd get better results just taking a sharp shot with a good lens and get creative with your blur filters/tools/masks.

Not at all... I've tried, I've seen much more capable people try, none has ever come close to the quality of the Velvet 56 effect, let alone the tilt effect of the Sol. To even come close to a passable effect, the amount of time taken is neither sustainable nor fun (in my eyes). Just trying to isolate a subject and blur the background is difficult enough to get good-looking, let alone an arbitrary slice of the entire scene. Try it yourself and see - if it's an effect you'd like to use regularly, you will very quickly see the value of a dedicated lens.


The same argument goes for more or less anything and doesn't work there either. Why get a sharper lens when you can spend a few hours with sharpening in PP? Why get a wider lens when you can stitch multiple images? Why get a faster lens when you can use the brenzier method or fake the DoF with filters? Because it's a massive faff compared to having a dedicated lens.

[BruceBanner]

Not at all... I've tried, I've seen much more capable people try, none has ever come close to the quality of the Velvet 56 effect, let alone the tilt effect of the Sol. To even come close to a passable effect, the amount of time taken is neither sustainable nor fun (in my eyes). Just trying to isolate a subject and blur the background is difficult enough to get good-looking, let alone an arbitrary slice of the entire scene. Try it yourself and see - if it's an effect you'd like to use regularly, you will very quickly see the value of a dedicated lens.


The same argument goes for more or less anything and doesn't work there either. Why get a sharper lens when you can spend a few hours with sharpening in PP? Why get a wider lens when you can stitch multiple images? Why get a faster lens when you can use the brenzier method or fake the DoF with filters? Because it's a massive faff compared to having a dedicated lens.

+1 (at least that's been my experience to date)

I'm not bashing those capable of some truly astounding PP manipulation with artistic flare, there's just a limit for the regular user in this regard. My PP skills are not too shabby, self taught but I stack frames, layer, mask, use plugins, use a heap of different brushes for different tasks but I could not easily replicate the V56 or Sol45 style, for those that can with ease and pass it off as authentic, more power to you, but I'm yet to see a single user demonstrate even that and whether the additional PP time is worth it vs just having the lens to take you to that place quicker.

[BruceBanner]

Some test shots.

Sol 45 (without blades)



Sol 45 (without blades)



Sol 45 (with blades)


Initial impressions are good. It's not nearly as sharp as the Velvet 56, but in pixel shift mode it can help squeeze additional sharpness that really puts it on par. I think I will either get an extension tube or macro rings for this baby.

[victormeldrew]

Some test shots.

Looks very good. If you get a chance can you try out some shots with more depth...landscapes and such?

[BruceBanner]

Looks very good. If you get a chance can you try out some shots with more depth...landscapes and such?

Yeah I definitely will, thus far I really like the results, and with pixel shift on it's definitely performing ok.