Lensbaby 3G /Control freak/ is back home, with my friend, where it belongs... Thank you, darling, for letting me test it.
Extra photos on flickr (click pic to get there)
To have or not to have?
CON:
- 3G's limited focusing distance (approx 30cm-2m, that's about it). I really dislike to have that limit, I tend to use my lenses for everything. I'll take macro on a street hunt, I also often do that with my 85mm 1.2 which is meant for portraiture. You see, I couldn't care less. Lens is a tool IMO. It should "work" in every possible situation. I'll look into Composer (another Lensbaby model), I read it goes all the way to infinity. Let's see.
- a lot of fiddling (manual program + manual focusing + manual bending to search for sweet spot all at the same time) Now LB is really not a-quick-click type of lens. Annoying really but not something I could not get used to if payback is great results ;-P
- it really isn't intuitive (I kept pushing the wrong buttons, "I was trying to focus yet I locked it" type of wrong). I will look into Composer, might be a better solution.
- attracts way to much attention (well it looks like a freak hahaha)
- has a steep learning curve (it really isn't easy to use and not at all that easy to figure out)
- it wreaks havoc with your compositions (anything more than a slight adjusting of the sweet spot pushed the lens too far)
- it's unpredictable (it looks like a freak, it behaves like a freak... LOL That should get better when one gets used to freakishness)
- for what it is, it's actually expensive IMHO (Control freak is 350 US at the mo, Composer is 270 US)
PRO
- it's unpredictable which means it isn't boring ;-))
- it's very creative. Did you know I loathe photographing flowers? No? I do!! I'm forcing myself, because I believe that to be called a photographer I should be able to take any type of photo. So usually I struggle until I find the angle I like... Well, I'll admit it - this session was pure fun!
- it helps you see things differently yet. Here we go again: 1st it's seeing. Then it's seeing through the lens. Then it's seeing with a vision. Then it's seeing with a different vision, offering a fresh view of the world surrounding us... and then comes a Lensbaby and pushes it all onto a new dimension
- the sweet spot is fab to bring attention to just one part of the image (example in 1st comment - a single flower stands out)
- the sweet spot is perfect (although difficult to use well) in portraiture. It just brings the eyes out and they become even more windows to the soul in illustrative sense [I've added previous two LB portraits in comments to show that]. I can see possibilities here - maybe bringing out the mouth, just a hand...
- but it wasn't until I started abusing it that I suddenly saw the possibilities. I'm all for out of focus, haunted images, suggestions of objects, of surroundings, or even feelings. And this is what pulls me towards LB: the unexplored territories of the different
- LB's choice of optics can really help explore alternative imaging yet in an arty way, it's not very stock photography LOL
LB is not a substitute for a regular lens.
LB is not an easy click have a great pic recipe.
LB is not tilt and shift [it has a round spot of focus not a planar one, it's not precise and cannot adjust verticals]
Mostly LB images need post processing work for best results.
LB is an art tool. Do I need a new paintbrush? I'll let this stew and see how much I'll miss it.
