Lensbaby

Lensbaby camera lenses are a line of camera lenses produced by Lensbabies that mate a simple lens with a bellows for use in special-effect photography. Lensbaby lenses can be used on cameras which accept interchangeable lenses, mainly of the 35 mm or digital SLR formats. The focal length of the Lensbaby is approximately 50mm, making it a normal lens in 35mm format.

The front standard can be manipulated off axis to move the sharpest area of focus (called the "sweet spot") to almost anywhere in the frame. Therefore the important part of the subject can be rendered fairly sharp with everything else out of focus, even if it is the same distance from the camera. Aperture is controlled by a series of interchangeable discs (basically a Waterhouse stop). The Lensbaby naturally focuses at approximately 2 feet; closer focus is achieved by pushing the front of the lens out, and infinity focus is achieved by pulling the front of the lens toward the base of the lens.

Results achieved with a Lensbaby mimic that of the Holga camera (though without the light leakage) or other toy cameras. There is extreme spherical and some chromatic aberration outside the central sweet spot. The lens produces oval bokeh that point to the sweet spot, as seen in the sample photo on this page. The effect is unique and well suited to portraiture, some landscapes, and product photography.

The Lensbaby has no electronic components and does not communicate information to modern cameras. Because of this, some modern cameras may not recognize that a lens is attached at all and may require special settings to operate with the Lensbaby attached. Autofocus is unavailable on any camera because of the basic structure of the lens; additionally, the spherical aberration can make focus confirmation unpredictable or unavailable. For best results, the manufacturer recommends shooting in aperture priority or fully manual mode. The Lensbaby design also makes it impossible to include an index mark for infrared photography. However, infrared photography is certainly possible with the Lensbaby and very effective images have resulted.

The Lensbaby is available in several different lens mounts: Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Minolta Maxxum/Sony Alpha, Pentax K, Olympus Four Thirds System, Leica R, Olympus OM, Canon FD, Minolta SR (MD), Contax/Yashica, and screw mount.

Versions

There are currently three variants of the Lensbaby, the latest of which was announced on September 26 2006.

The original Lensbaby is a simple design, just a single element lens attached to a flexible collar. The maximum aperture is f/|2.8|link=yes, though more depth of field is possible by adding aperture disks (f/|4.0, f/|5.6, f/|8.0), which are held in place by a rubber gasket. A screw-in metal lens cap is provided to protect the front element, as well as a cloth bag to hold the lens. A small plastic case for the aperture disks and a small LENSPEN cleaning tool (to help change the aperture disks) are secured to the bag's drawstring by a small chain.

The more expensive Lensbaby 2.0 features a larger maximum aperture (f/|2.0) with easier aperture control and a coated lens doublet. The effect of the doublet lens over the original's single element optic means the Lensbaby 2.0 is sharper in the sweet spot, which may suit some photographers. Chromatic aberration is also reduced by the use of the doublet lens. Aperture disks are held in place by magnets; disks are available in f/|2.88, f/|4.0, f/|5.6, and f/|8.0. Lens cap, cloth case, and LENSPEN tool are also included.

The most recent addition, the Lensbaby 3G, further improves upon the first two models by adding a locking collar. This makes it possible to produce consistent images by locking the settings of the lens. Three posts extend from the base of the lens to the locking collar, allowing the photographer to make minor adjustments to where the sweet spot lands. The 3G also has a focusing ring, again allowing minor adjustments once the lens is locked into position. Additional aperture disks are included, giving a range of full stops from f/|2.0 down to f/|22. Due to the three posts and the locking collar, the 3G is larger and heavier than its two predecessors. Additionally, the lens cap was changed to a plastic locking cap from the metal screw cap, and the LENSPEN was replaced by a small magnetic tool to ease changing the aperture disks. Otherwise, the lens construction is substantially similar to the Lensbaby 2.0: f/|2.0 maximum aperture and a coated lens doublet.

In addition to small format camera mounts, the Lensbaby 3G can be mounted on medium format cameras (Mamiya 645 and Pentax 67) and video cameras with the PL mount. These versions have the same optics and basic design as the existing version of the 3G. The Mamiya 645 version has a focal length of 80 mm and an aperture range from f/|3.0 to f/|39, the Pentax 67 version has a focal length of 100 mm and an aperture range from f/|4.0 to f/|40, and the video version (Lensbaby 3GPL) has a focal length of 50 mm and an aperture range from f/|2.0 to f/|22. .

All Lensbabies have a 37 mm filter thread, making it possible to attach filters, wide angle, telephoto, or macro accessory lenses. There is an accessory kit of custom aperture disks for the Lensbaby 2.0 and Lensbaby 3G, consisting of an f/|4 star, a f/|4 heart, and 5 blank customizable aperture disks.

External links

* [http://www.lensbabies.com Official site]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/tags/lensbaby/interesting/ Lensbaby example pictures]