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G1 with Lensbaby/FE`

Diane B

New member
Thought some others might be interested in what to expect from a Lensbaby with FE optic (12mm). Got mine last night and tried a few interiors which will tell the tale a bit for a FE. Having a 15mm FE for my FF, I would say the spherical FE optic is more similar to the linear FE than a spherical one on an m4/3rds body. These were shot at f/4.0 (no inserted aperture disk --but they go up to f/22 and its said that the image is quite sharp edge to edge at this aperture--but I would think it would create some other issues--and doesn't interest me anyhow since if I'm using an LB--I want more of that feel. I didn't shoot on tripod as I wanted to try some other POV--overhead, etc.





 

slosync

Member
Thanks for the post and images Diane. I am/have been toying with the possible acquisition of a Lens Baby. I will be interested in comments and critiques from your post. :bugeyes:

Perhaps after you "kick the tires" a little more you will come back with some more images and comments yourself... :)

Cheers,
Don
 
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rachp

Guest
Looking forward to seeing more, Diane. I have been considering the Lensbaby so I am very interested in your thoughts. I have a Contax Zeiss FE that I cannot wait to try on the GH-1 - Just waiting on an adapter. I don't know what to expect.....
 

Diane B

New member
I have 2 photos with the Sigma 15 f/2.8 FE with EOS adaptor on the G1--not fishy at all. It lost all the 'fishiness' for the most part--but similar to what I see with an APS-c rather than FF also. In fact, I bought it quite a long time ago to have a faster wide for my 1.6x bodies--its linear and I usually didn't have to 'defish' it at all on those bodies. Even less fishy on the G1.


and this was at f/2.8. The LB FE will be fun at times.

I'll come back later when I've had a chance to shoot more with it on the G1 (which I prefer to using it on the GF1). I also bought the UWA (.42) converter which gives me a FOV similar to the 20--and I already owned a .625 and a tele converter (plus 2 macros) from having owned the LB 2.0 for years. I tried it a bit on the G1 but I wanted more control and the Composer gives you that. Still the LB look--esp. wide open or at f/2.8, but its possible to find and hold that sweet spot of focus more easily.

Diane

Diane
 

swandy

New member
Hi Diane - glad to see you are enjoying your new LB FE. (I told you so!!!)
And I agree that I generally leave out the aperture disks for the same reason, no sense using a LB if you want everything sharp. And I really don't miss the circular look, never really cared for it anyway.
Love the interior shots.
Steve
 

swandy

New member
Thanks for the post and images Diane. I am/have been toying with the possible acquisition of a Lens Baby. I will be interested in comments and critiques from your post. :bugeyes:

Perhaps after you "kick the tires" a little more you will come back with some more images and comments yourself... :)

Cheers,
Don
Hi Don. I got the LB 2.0 for my Olympus E30 because I was very curious about the lens. Switched to the Composer because while it is much bigger and heavier, it gives you a lot more control over where the focus is and the additional optics give other options. I jumped at the Fisheye optic and like Diane really enjoy it.
Just remember - if you get a Lensbaby - the learning curve/frustration factor is pretty high. While using the Composer makes it much easier to get "keepers" than the original LBs did, the percentage of really good shots is still MUCH LOWER than with normal lenses. But - at least to me - that is part of the beauty/attraction of the Lensbaby.
Steve
 

Diane B

New member
if you get a Lensbaby - the learning curve/frustration factor is pretty high. While using the Composer makes it much easier to get "keepers" than the original LBs did, the percentage of really good shots is still MUCH LOWER than with normal lenses. But - at least to me - that is part of the beauty/attraction of the Lensbaby.
Steve
Totally agree Steve. The LB 2.0 was so frustrating with the 5D I quit using early on. Shooting with the Composer and liveview is much easier---but....there is still quite a learning curve and the keepers are lower for sure. But, I agree on this too--that's part of the attraction of the LB. I need to have a day/evening with only the LB (with reasonably decent weather LOL) and get into that different way of shooting.

Diane
 
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rachp

Guest
Are you using the oly 4/3 mount with a m4/3 adapter? Is this the route I would go for the GH-1? Thanks!
 

Diane B

New member
Are you using the oly 4/3 mount with a m4/3 adapter? Is this the route I would go for the GH-1? Thanks!
I am. You can actually use any mount that you can get an adaptor for, but it seemed reasonable to buy the 4/3rds mount--the adaptor with the lens seems more 'one of a piece'. I thought about getting the EF mount (since I still have a 5D) but my EOS adaptor would seem a bit less attractive on the Panny cameras--or Oly either (plus it was so unlikely I would shoot with the 5D--no liveview). I like the look of the LB with the MA-1 adaptor on the G1--and that would work as well with the GH1.

Diane
 
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rachp

Guest
Thanks, Diane! Great info and it gives me more to consider as I have 3 Canon bodies that I could use the lb with. Hmmmm.
 

Diane B

New member
Thanks, Diane! Great info and it gives me more to consider as I have 3 Canon bodies that I could use the lb with. Hmmmm.
I have the old LB 2.0 in EF mount--and just couldn't make up my mind LOL--but finally decided that the liveview was so nice with the LB. OTOH---if you have a FF Canon--the FOV is quite different and may be worthwhile to consider. In some ways, I'm a bit sorry I didn't buy the EF mount so I could take advantage of the different FOV--but then I really wonder if I would have really liked focusing it manually on the 5D all that much. That was what I kept running through my head LOL--but finally just opted to go with 4/3rds mount.

Diane
 
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rachp

Guest
LOL These things are never easy! I am leaning toward the Canon mount. I get the most bang for my buck. Also, no extra adapter to buy. That is me thinking tonight - may change tomorrow.... Haha
 
A

Andy_G

Guest
Re: G1 with Lensbaby/FE` - with PEN-EP1

Hi (and 1st Post),

Been following this thread since it started and finally got a Composer + SWE in 4/3rds fit for the PEN/GF1 that I have. I've had 1 play so far, but 1st impressions are:
On PEN works well, the camera seems to 'fit' with a totally manual lens, GF1 I'm not so sure about - yet:)

I had a quick walk around Huntingdon (England) near where I live (one shot is of the old school where Oliver Cromwell went as a kid

Comments welcome

Cheers
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
The FE does some neat stuff.

I still have an original LB in Canon EF mount from my Canon days ... seems like ages ago ... and have thoughts of the Composer. It would be more useful to me than the original. Hmm.
 

Diane B

New member
Godfrey, I can tell you for sure (well, that's assuming a lot, isn't it?? LOL) that you will like the Composer a LOT more. I still have my LB 2 in EF mount also--even thought I might use it along with my TS so bought he EOS adaptor. Well--after fiddling with it, I decided if I wanted to shoot with an LB at all, I needed the Composer. I never was able to really hold the lens in the place it needed to be for the focus area I wanted. The Composer is just so easy--not only can you move it easily to the focus area you want--but you can twist and hold it there. I'll post a few more in this thread when I get a few I took Thursday processed.

Diane
 

Diane B

New member
Here are some FE shots I did with LB/FE optic in Old Salem, NC--a living history village--Salem College is there, people live within the village (Old Salem is actually within Winston-Salem) in restored homes, the cemetery, which is ordered by 'choirs' (the married men are buried together, the widows, etc.) is still in use--and shops are open as well as some of the oldest buildings as museums with costumed guides--as well as in the gardens, on the street, etc.

I shot the shop window with Moravian stars with the 20, the LB with .625 WA and the LB with fisheye optic. Interesting results--to my eye, the FE is the most interesting visually.

The 20 f/1.7 at f/1.8 on G1


G1 Lensbaby Composer with .625 WA converter at f/2.8


(I likely could have taken more time and gotten the sweet spot of focus better--or perhaps played with composition, but other people were crowding me to get into shop).

G1 with LB/FE optic at f/4.0


In a dark barn in the village, I did a series of shots with the FE only





I have several in color--different compositions--here
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/image/120479067
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/image/120478932
http://www.pbase.com/picnic/image/120478933

I have other LB shots which I'll add to another thread.

Diane
 

Diane B

New member
LOL---couldn't find another LB thread--this IS it. So--here are a few more taken at Old Salem last week.

Selective focus with the LB Composer f/2.8 and the .625 WA
Came upon this stone with 'Vacant/Remains Removed'. I tried a number of different compositions and both LB and 20. This is a quite old stone--in the Old Salem Moravian cemetery people are buried by 'choir'--married men, married women, young women, widows, etc. This is a quite old section, so the stone--and the fact they had actually had it created to say 'Vacant....' caught my attention.



The cemetery always intrigues me with its long long lines of the same stones, just with name, date of birth--not much else altho' the oldest ones often have a bible verse. The area I shot is quite old--noted by this row being disrupted by a cedar tree growing up in the middle--and the graves/stones moving right up over the roots.



Three more---the first 2 are of similar composition with 20 f/1.7


and the LB (.625 WA)--which I think conveys more the feeling of the cemetery I was trying to convey than the first.



In the end, though, I prefer the vertical.
.

The LB is interesting to shoot with. Having several converters makes it more flexible--and the FE has its place for certain subjects. In a couple that I shot, if I had it to do over, I probably would have also shot stopped down a bit (by insertion of aperture disks---the composer is f/2.0 to f/22 and the FE is f/4.0-f/22)

Diane
 
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greypilgrim

New member
Diane,
Thanks for sharing these. I've always had the LB on my short wish list of "toys", but I've never gotten around to it. This series really reminds me of my interest :).

I know you like the vertical (and I do too), but I also really like the first of the cemetery series. There's something about it....

Doug
 

Diane B

New member
The LB is fun--I would recommend buying one of the converters though--I bought the .42--and I had the old version of the .625 from my LB. Otherwise, its a bit long for a lot of shooting (for me, anyhow).

Looking at the first--perhaps its the long long lines, up and down the hills, all in parallel that capture some attention. I've shot in this cemetery a number of times--and next time i go back I plan to try a variety of compositions--because the subject, for me, is compelling. It seems quite different, standing in that cemetery with all the stones the same--as opposed to a normal cemetery. I get the same feeling in a national cemtery with those long rows of flat stones--though there's yet another emotion that permeates those cemeteries also--but just speaking visually.

Thanks for looking. The new LB Composer isn't a smallish lens like the old 2.0--but still relatively light--and so much easier to use. The focusing ring makes a big difference in use also.

Diane
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Very nice work indeed. Well ok: an LB Composer is now on my (very) short list. See what you've done? ]'-)
 
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