Tag Archives: lensbaby

*Lensbaby Composer Pro for MILC Cameras, a system within a system.

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April 2nd, 2012 – Lensbaby has announced it’s second MILC dedicated product which now gives the MILC (Mirror-less Interchangeable Lens Compact) systems, micro 4/3, NEX, and NX users access to every optic and add on in the Lensbaby system.  Where the Tilt Transformer  for Micro 4/3 and NEX cameras allowed for the Composer Front to be used, it was limited to the Lensbaby optics that were compatible.  Now, the Sweet 35, Fisheye, Edge 80, Macro Converters and all standard optic swap inserts are entirely compatible!  It’s like immediately gaining access to a bunch of new lenses for these young systems clamoring for more affordable and diverse options.  More after the jump…

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*Lensbaby’s brand new Edge 80 Optic!

by in Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

February 14th, 2012 – Uh oh, don’t look now.  Lensbaby has further diversified their lineup with a sharp, solid portrait lens with the same quirky capability of that signature Lensbaby look…  It’s been a busy winter for Lensbaby.  Out now and available immediately, the new Edge 80 optic.  Like the Sweet 35 before it, the Edge 80 has the ability to control the aperture of the optic without having to use the magnetic drop in disks necessary with the standard optics.  An 80mm f/2.8 Flat Field focus Optic with a 12 blade circular, user controlled aperture mechanism is great for anything from portraits to street shooting.  Read on for more examples and links…

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*Lensbaby’s NEW Macro Converters!

by in Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Lensbaby's new Macro Converters! image©lensbaby

February 2nd, 2012 – Just announced and available immediately,  the new 8mm and 16mm Lensbaby Macro Converters, compatible with all LB Optics!

Using Lensbaby's new 16mm macro converter.

read on for my take as well as price, specs and links…

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*Kubota Lensbaby Action Pak!

by in Postprocessing techniques, Software tutorials / reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

1 photo, 15 actions for 15 different looks. (click on all pics for larger view)

With all the Lensbaby fun of late, I went in search of ways to enhance the Lensbaby experience and stumbled across the Kubota Lensbaby Action Pak!  For those not familiar with Kubota actions, they’re purchasable groups of photoshop actions (very popular with studio, event and wedding shooters) which provide you with quick, easy and repeatable adjustments with the click of a button.  Based in Bend, Oregon, they’re just down the way from me so I decided to get in touch with them and they were very gracious to let me play around with their Lensbaby Action Pak which includes 15 actions tuned for image files taken with various Lensbaby optics.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and while I never have a problem rambling on and on, I will let the image examples show off what these actions do.  Starting with the original image taken with a GF1 and the Lensbaby TT + Composer / double glass optic and on through each of the included 15 Kubota Filters:

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*Lensbaby’s sweet, ‘Sweet 35’

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

It’s here.  This, more than any other Lensbaby optic I’ve personally used, changes the Lensbaby from a fun tool, into a productive, creative asset.  Not that any of the other Lensbaby optics are bad, quite the contrary, I think that the Lensbaby system is and has always been a wonderful addition to my photographic arsenal, it’s just that up until now, one big challenge with any of the Lensbaby optics has been the inability to alter the size of the sweet spot via aperture adjustment quickly on the fly…  Now, you can bring all of the cool, selective focus effects into concert with the adaptability and exposure tuning qualities of a more standard lens.  Read on for a quick video and image samples…

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*Sony NEX5 + Lensbaby Tilt Transformer = Unadulterated Fun

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

*Firstly, thank you to Lensbaby and Sony for the early Christmas gift!  Being a micro 4/3 man primarily when it comes to my compact MILC camera system of choice, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t very curious about the new NEX cameras.  My experience with the NEX5 prior to this was limited to over the counter tinkering and parking lot shooting.  I will do a more in depth review of the NEX5 vs. the GF1 soon as the NEX5 both confirmed some of my doubts and opened my eyes to it as a viable choice for those looking into a small mirrorless interchangeable lens compact camera.  Combined with a Lensbaby Tilt Transformer and Composer front, I feel it provides NEX system users an easy, affordable and fun way to greatly diversify the NEX system.

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*Lensbaby Scout!

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

image © Lensbaby Inc. 2010

My blog may seem as if I’ve become nothing but a Lensbaby honk of late.  Let me say, I’ve been lucky enough to have made friends with the fine folks at Lensbaby.  That, and they’re my local, hometown lens manufacturer right here in Portland.  I am a softy when it comes to supporting the local folks, so in a word, yes, I like seeing a local, forward thinking optical company do well.  They are also very cool people making very unique, affordable optics, and they asked me if I would play around with this new lens.  I love all things photography, so I was excited to get my hands on yet another brand new Lensbaby product to play around with.  As if the recently released Tilt Transformer wasn’t enough, Lensbaby has developed the Scout to further diversify their optical offerings.  More after the jump…

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*Micro 4/3 and Sony NEX Lensbaby Tilt Transformer is HERE!

by in General ramblings, Photography gear and tagged , , , , , , | 30 Comments

*image used courtesy of Lensbaby

 

As announcement after announcement come in, excitement in the photographic industry rarely hits the pitch that it does when Photokina rolls around.  Lensbaby has used this stage to announce their first micro 4/3 and Sony NEX dedicated offerings in the form of a combined Tilt Transformer and Composer for each of the subsequent mounts.  Being that I do not have, nor have access to a NEX 3 or 5, I’ll be writing about my experience with the micro 4/3 mount Lensbaby Tilt Transformer/Composer combo.  Combining the optical playground that is the Lensbaby Composer with the ability to replace the composer element and mount any Nikon F mount lens to gain a multitude of tilt-able options is just what we’ve needed to see in a micro 4/3 mount, a versatile, affordable, different and really, really fun option.  Read on for a few test shots and examples…

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*A new way to see indeed!

by in Photography gear, Photography tutorials and tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Why do we take pictures?  For the majority of us, I’d guess it falls somewhere into the realm of, enjoyment and/or documentation.  Regardless of the medium, whether it be digital or film, we like to preserve moments and may enjoy trying to do so with some level of artistry.  Isn’t it nice when someone says, “wow, that is cool!” or “how did you get your picture to look like that?”  Simply put, many of us enjoy taking pictures because we like to and it’s nice when that is noticed or appreciated.  Add in a few cool tools and enjoyment can turn into excitement from behind the lens.

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