If you're a photographer looking to get more creative with your images, you may want to pick up a Lensbaby selective focus lens.
A Lensbaby is a camera lens that can be bent, pushed and pulled to create different photographic effects. One selected area of your photo is in sharp focus with a gradual blur surrounding the focal point.
There are currently three different models of Lensbabies. The original Lensbaby is the simplest and least expensive. The Lensbaby 2.0 uses a coated lens doublet which makes the focus a lot sharper than the original Lensbaby. The Lensbaby 3G also uses the coated lens doublet, but it can also lock in place.
In 2009, the current Lensbaby models will be discontinued, but will be replaced with similar upgraded versions. The original Lensbaby and Lensbaby 2.0 will be replaced with the Lensbaby Muse, and the Lensbaby 3G will be replaced with the Lensbaby Control Freak. Additionally, a new Lensbaby model will be released called the Lensbaby Composer. Unlike the current Lensbaby models which use bellows to bend and move the lens, the Lensbaby Composer will rotate on a ball and socket.
The Lensbaby Muse, Control Freak and Composer will all feature something called the Optic Swap System. With the Optic Swap System, you can change the glass inside the Lensbaby with single glass, double coated glass, plastic, pinhole and zone plate.
All of the current and future Lensbaby models have a 50mm focal length. The aperture can be changed by swapping out different magnetic disks inside the Lensbaby. Lensbabies are currently available for Canon EF (EOS) mount, Nikon F mount, Minolta Maxxum/Sony Alpha mount, Pentax K mount, Olympus Four Thirds System mount, Leica R mount, Olympus OM mount, Canon FD mount, Minolta SR (MD) mount, Contax/Yashica mount, and screw mount cameras.
Each of the Lensbaby models have a 37mm thread so that you can attach filters. Lensbaby also has a series of accesories that can be used with the Lensbaby models. Among these accessories are a wide angle kit, macro kit and telephoto kit. The Creative Aperture Kit comes with a heart shaped aperture disk, a star shaped aperture kit, and five customizable aperture disks. These aperture disks change the shape of the bokeh.
Lensbaby lenses can be used on both film and digital cameras. They really add a whole new creative element to your photography. Many photographers compare the Lensbaby result to that of the Holga cameras.
Lensbaby lenses can be used in portraiture, photojournalism, nature, landscape, macro, architecture, night, wedding, wildlife, black and white, surreal, street, or any other type of photography you can think of! They can be especially useful for a photographer in a creative slump.
No matter what kind of photographs you take, if you're an amateur or a professional, or what Lensbaby model you decide to use, I am sure that you will have a lot of fun with your Lensbaby lens! To learn more, visit their website at http://www.lensbaby.com
