Comments on: Lensbaby Fisheye Optic DSLR Lens Review http://www.dimagemaker.com/2009/12/15/lensbaby-fisheye-optic-dslr-lens-review/ The site for the contemporary image maker, using photography and digital imaging Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:47:50 +0000 hourly 1 By: Craig Strong http://www.dimagemaker.com/2009/12/15/lensbaby-fisheye-optic-dslr-lens-review/#comment-333 Craig Strong Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:12:57 +0000 http://dimagemaker.com/?p=4765#comment-333 Wayne, this is just to correct my email from my previous post. On this post it is correct. Thanks. Craig P.S. I look forward to the new optical designs too! Wayne, this is just to correct my email from my previous post. On this post it is correct.

Thanks.

Craig

P.S. I look forward to the new optical designs too!

]]> By: Wayne Cosshall http://www.dimagemaker.com/2009/12/15/lensbaby-fisheye-optic-dslr-lens-review/#comment-332 Wayne Cosshall Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:05:40 +0000 http://dimagemaker.com/?p=4765#comment-332 Thanks Craig for the thoughtful response. Much appreciated and I look forward to the new optical designs. I'll give the multiple exposure idea a go. Thanks Craig for the thoughtful response. Much appreciated and I look forward to the new optical designs. I’ll give the multiple exposure idea a go.

]]> By: Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-Founder http://www.dimagemaker.com/2009/12/15/lensbaby-fisheye-optic-dslr-lens-review/#comment-331 Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-Founder Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:07:47 +0000 http://dimagemaker.com/?p=4765#comment-331 Wayne, thanks for the accurate and thoughtful Lensbaby Fisheye optic review. You are correct that tilting your Composer when using the Fisheye optic can be useful. I have found that tilting the fisheye optic can create compelling images. For multiple exposures tilting dramatically to different regions of the image for each individual exposure can produce an image with four or more exposures that are only partly overlapping which can be really nice. Regarding the full frame image being cropped top and bottom, seeing this optical design from fruition to market with all necessary tweaks ended up maximizing the size of the image circle slightly beyond the size of a full frame sensor. I shoot a D700 and, while the slight crop top and bottom has not affected the subject matter and feel of most of my images adversely, I have Photoshop'd one image that I wanted to frame square with a full black border around the circular image. While Lensbaby optics take advantage of the "imperfections" that big lens manufacturers avoid such as spherical aberrations (Soft Focus optic) and curved field of focus (Double Glass, Single Glass & Plastic optics), the slightly larger than 24mm image circle may not have enough useful application to outweigh it's drawbacks. I am working on new optical designs and will take your feedback on the image circle into account regarding new fisheye designs. I'm also exploring ways to easily and attractively mask the image of the existing Fisheye optic, when a full circle image is desired. I enjoyed your photographs here and look forward to seeing more. Wayne, thanks for the accurate and thoughtful Lensbaby Fisheye optic review.

You are correct that tilting your Composer when using the Fisheye optic can be useful. I have found that tilting the fisheye optic can create compelling images. For multiple exposures tilting dramatically to different regions of the image for each individual exposure can produce an image with four or more exposures that are only partly overlapping which can be really nice.

Regarding the full frame image being cropped top and bottom, seeing this optical design from fruition to market with all necessary tweaks ended up maximizing the size of the image circle slightly beyond the size of a full frame sensor. I shoot a D700 and, while the slight crop top and bottom has not affected the subject matter and feel of most of my images adversely, I have Photoshop’d one image that I wanted to frame square with a full black border around the circular image. While Lensbaby optics take advantage of the “imperfections” that big lens manufacturers avoid such as spherical aberrations (Soft Focus optic) and curved field of focus (Double Glass, Single Glass & Plastic optics), the slightly larger than 24mm image circle may not have enough useful application to outweigh it’s drawbacks.

I am working on new optical designs and will take your feedback on the image circle into account regarding new fisheye designs. I’m also exploring ways to easily and attractively mask the image of the existing Fisheye optic, when a full circle image is desired.

I enjoyed your photographs here and look forward to seeing more.

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