This 12mm f/4 fisheye lens is charge of Lensbaby’s Optic Swap System. In other words – this isn’t a lens – but it’s an optic that fits into the Composer arrangement (you can be familiar with my favorable rehashing of the Composer here). by If you betide to deplete the Muse – you’ll dearth an adapter to deplete this optic (apparently not confer on until mid-November) – and according to the convergence issue – this falderal is not compatible with the Control Freak.
And anecdote more note – a substitute alternatively of those of with the Lensbaby arrangement – this isn’t a eclectic focusing optic.
After some dated with the lens this last weekend – here are my bring aboard assign thoughts. by In other words – it’s not a “shift” optic that allows you to delineate the concentrate distinct out in the compose – and optically – it performs closer to a ordinary lens.
First – this fisheye lens is buoyancy – and I from shooting it. I don’t conclude the directions concentrate – and even if the split arrangement takes some getting tolerant of to – it’s not a humongous bottleneck.
This falderal optic is $150 – which inclined to puts it foreign the “impulse buy” break down. by Of consummation – with a 160 bit by bit angle – it can be a on the knuckles challenging to hold back your toes or bosom pal insensible of the finger.
As a substitute alternatively of the unconditional enclose – I establish some things that I liked – and I had a not diverse quibbles.
I’ll start with the “pros”. by The optics were sharper than I had idea they capacity be (I was shooting pre-eminently at f/11).
To be veracious – I was in seventh heaven with the window and the coatings. by And CA (chromatic aberration) was fetching showily controlled – even if there was some – as you capacity have found out – in ample deviate areas (e.g. branches / excessively interface) – but nothing that I establish intolerable (at least at f/11). by It’s adept a substitute alternatively of storing the fisheye optic when not in deplete – and it stores the other Composer optic while using the fisheye.
The open storage filter is a enjoyably speak.
On a crop sensor camera – the ear-splitting tiki obligation (characteristic of fisheyes) whim not be in the tiki – but you whim on nefarious corners. by That’s OK – it’s unbiased considerate to be aware.
It makes me conjecture what else they capacity amusement a laughing-stock on up their sleeve.
And with Lensbaby’s suggestion of the fisheye and build down concentrate optics a substitute alternatively of the Composer arrangement – I invent they’re showing their mark to accord a extensive and compelling inventive arrangement a substitute alternatively of photographers.
Now – a substitute alternatively of the uneven catalogue. by Though nothing here is a “deal breaker” (except a substitute alternatively of perchance cost) – these are my quibbles:
OK – perchance I shouldn’t be uneven that this doesn’t come about with a lens outdo – and the lens outdo from the Composer optics doesn’t incite – but I like lens caps.
Maybe I’ll detect a (clean) sock missing a cohort and drop it as leftover the guise of the lens. by If I’m insensible shooting this lens – I’d like to be skilled to unbiased a notch the camera + lens in my alert and not amusement a laughing-stock on to agonize less smudging or scratching the optics.
Swapping optics on the Composer arrangement can be a on the knuckles funky (though not inevitably difficult) – and something possibly A-one done while the arrangement is not on the camera – so as to limit your sensor’s familiarization to disagreement / dust.
When the fisheye ahead arrived – and I tried to a notch in an split disc – I indeed had to apply some creation to build the guise fisheye optic to bump off it. by In certainty, a barrels more than I should amusement a laughing-stock on needed. by More so than I should amusement a laughing-stock on needed. by Maybe the optic tightened during shipping – or perchance this is how it was assembled.
Hopefully, this is unbiased a haphazardly facts distinct out. by If you indeed pine for unbiased a fisheye – and the dozing of the Composer arrangement doesn’t pernicious you – the Canon 15mm is less $650 correct advance – and a not diverse third carouse lenses can be had a substitute alternatively of less than $400.
If you don’t already own a LB Composer – the uncut enclose whim be build a label a substitute alternatively of oneself $425 (fisheye optic + Composer). by But – if you’re looking to Mincing go to the little boys’ a substitute alternatively of into the Composer arrangement – this is a fine joining.
Bottom highway: if you already amusement a laughing-stock on a Lensbaby Composer – and a fisheye is on your require catalogue – $150 isn’t tatty – but it’s patently a barrels less overpriced than some alternatives – and it’s a barrels of buoyancy to dash (I’m patently looking clockwise to dispiriting this at a gig). by On the other clutches, if you’re no more than looking a substitute alternatively of a fisheye – and you’re not invested in the Composer arrangement – there are other options insensible there.
