Lensbaby = digital Holga?

[Mig]

Hey you Holga fans - have any of you seen this yet? Basically a Holgaesque lens for SLR/DSLR. And it's got tilt-shift! It's a lot more expensive than the Holga at $96, but it sure looks like fun.

This is the creator's site - check it out - his photography is awesome. Hands down some of the best wedding photography I've ever seen. All of his galleries are pretty cool, but I have to say that this shot from the Families gallery is my favorite.

Danielle

[Kokopeli]

Thanks for sharing this with us!! I just might order one tonight.
~Brian

[Kokopeli]

Thanks for sharing this with us!! I just might order one tonight.
~Brian

Change "I just might.." to "I just bought..."

Hopefully I'll have some images to post by Monday or Tuesday!
~B

[Mig]

Awesome!! I've been sitting here trying to restrain myself and I figured if I was going to go down then I might as well drag the rest of you down with me. Heh. So far I'm still holding out (only because I've already spent waaaaaaayyyy too much this week), but I'm looking forward to seeing your pics!! I'm sure I'll cave soon.

Danielle

[Sebastian]

This is awesome...definitely going on my short list.

[megan]

Heh heh, I'm so stubborn - BUT it looks like SSSOOOOO much fun that I might have to get one!

Cool find, Danielle! Thanks for posting it!

[Searches wallet for and extra $100... hmmm not there.... gotta sell some stuff on Ebay!]

Megan

[megan]

You can test it before broke me gets one. WOOT!
New fun equipment! HURRAY!!!!!
I wonder how long before lomo catches wind of this.
I can't wait to see your photos!

Megan

[megan]

Hope that didn't come off as snotty. The whole square comment was said in a joking manner!

Megan

[walterick]

Hey Danielle

I don't know that I like the effect it has. But I agree with you in that he has some of the best wedding photography I've ever seen. And that shot you linked to is great!

Thanks for posting.

[walterick]

Everyone here knows you're not snobby. Stop apologizing and go out and shoot

[megan]

to come up with something similar.

lomography tunnel kit:

http://shop.lomography.com/shopDeLux...p?cat=&pro=tvp

[Mig]

Very cool! The main appeal to me of the lensbaby though is that it fits on my Canons. Hmmm...now I'll just have to get both!! Maybe in a few months.

Danielle

PS - I don't think any of us would ever mistake you for snotty Megan!

[Asylum Steve]

Guess it must be me, but IMO, that thing-a-ma-jig is one of the most ridiculously overpriced gimmicky camera accessories I've ever seen...

The sales pitch must be good, though, because a lot of smart people here seem impressed with it...

Not me...

Now, those of you who know me also know I love Holgas, Lomos, pinholes, and any other type of camera/process that creates degraded or otherwise interestingly distorted images, but the effect this "Lensbaby" gives to a shot, one, is NOT EVEN CLOSE to a Holga photo, and two, is so unbelievably simple to create either with a cheap filter or taking two minutes in photoshop that, to me it is beyond belief that anyone would pay that kind of money for the device...

Then again, I'll be paying $40 for a new video game in the next few weeks, so who am I to talk, right?...

Personally, I don't like the effect it gives an image much, either, I guess mainly because it DOES look so much like a simple photoshop filter or an old Cokin plastic filter (which, btw, is only a few bucks used ;) ) smeared with vaseline...

All I can say is, if you decide to get one, I hope you get you money's worth out of it. It ain't gonna be easy...

Hey you Holga fans - have any of you seen this yet? Basically a Holgaesque lens for SLR/DSLR. And it's got tilt-shift! It's a lot more expensive than the Holga at $96, but it sure looks like fun.

This is the creator's site - check it out - his photography is awesome. Hands down some of the best wedding photography I've ever seen. All of his galleries are pretty cool, but I have to say that this shot from the Families gallery is my favorite.

Danielle

[Mig]

I completely understand where you're coming from Steve. Like I said, it just looks like fun to me. I know it's really not like a Holga, but it's more that I think it would give me the same sense of enjoyment that I feel when I'm shooting with the Holga. If that makes any sense.

As far as creating a similar image in PS, well, the same could be said for the Holga. But it's getting there that's the fun part. I don't have my laptop out in the streets with me, so it's a matter of taking a shot and then manipulating it later. I like the ability to manipulate the shot while I take it. To see thins differently right through the lens. Taht's where the value lies for me. Now granted, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Holga, but $100 isn't going to break me. And I've been known to blow money on stranger things.

Now as for your fancy new video game, we'll have to see how it stands up to my Atari 7800!

Danielle

Oh, BTW, that tunnel at the top is the key to a successful game of Centipede.

[Asylum Steve]

Mig,

I too, understand not wanting to or not feeling like you have to mess with a shot on a computer. I have no problem with low tech photography, or at least confining your creativity to in camera at the moment you shoot.

That's why I mentioned using an on camera filter. I guess what gets me is it's so easy to duplicate this lensbaby effect with a VERY inexpensive filter, one that can also be repositioned to move the "sweet spot" focus wherever you want it in the shot.

BTW, something you guys should look into is the "pinhole lens cap" for SLR camera lenses. Like it sounds, its a normal SLR lens cap with a very precise pinhole drilled in it, and it allows you to take great pinhole shots with all the major brands of SLRs, including (obviously) digital ones.

These caps too, are pricey, and using them is tricky (long exposures), but unlike the lensbabies, they allow you to take absolutely unique images (PURE pinhole shots) with cameras and lense you already own...

EDIT NOTE: As Rick points out below, I mean camera BODY CAPS, not lens caps...

I completely understand where you're coming from Steve. Like I said, it just looks like fun to me. I know it's really not like a Holga, but it's more that I think it would give me the same sense of enjoyment that I feel when I'm shooting with the Holga. If that makes any sense.

As far as creating a similar image in PS, well, the same could be said for the Holga. But it's getting there that's the fun part. I don't have my laptop out in the streets with me, so it's a matter of taking a shot and then manipulating it later. I like the ability to manipulate the shot while I take it. To see thins differently right through the lens. Taht's where the value lies for me. Now granted, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Holga, but $100 isn't going to break me. And I've been known to blow money on stranger things.

Now as for your fancy new video game, we'll have to see how it stands up to my Atari 7800!

Danielle

Oh, BTW, that tunnel at the top is the key to a successful game of Centipede.

[walterick]

Steve, is this what you're talking about? I have a body cap with a small metal plate and a pinhole drilled into it. It goes in the body, not the lens. I've never seen a pinhole lens kit.

Mine took crappy pictures, never used it twice.

Danielle: I gotcha beat with my Atari 2600 baby!

(it sits on the floor right next to my Deliverance Soundtrack record )

[Asylum Steve]

Rick, all this Mom Day excitement has me in a stupor. More than usual...

Yeah, BODY CAPS are what I meant.

I'm curious what problems you had. I've never tried one (been meaning to), but they sound like a sure thing. To me, the only factor would be the precision of the pinhole, and the ones Calumet sells are lazer cut, so they should be perfect.

What was crappy about them? I don't mean to sound condescending, but a lot of folks would make the argument that ALL pinhole pics looks crappy, you know, that pinhole pics are SUPPOSED to look crappy. Uh, but in a GOOD way...

Steve, is this what you're talking about? I have a body cap with a small metal plate and a pinhole drilled into it. It goes in the body, not the lens. I've never seen a pinhole lens kit.

Mine took crappy pictures, never used it twice.

Danielle: I gotcha beat with my Atari 2600 baby!

(it sits on the floor right next to my Deliverance Soundtrack record )

[megan]

I own a Canon 10S!!!!!
So I'm thinking...
I've got this BIRTHDAY coming up soon....
Hmmmm....

Megan

[walterick]

from what I shot. I gave it a roll, didn't like it, and put it away. So probably I didn't give it a fair shake.

"Crappy" as defined here means, blurry, unacceptable image quality. Not like "Holga Crappy," just crappy-crappy. Not even worth a second look, in my opinion.

BUT! Opinions are like cameras - everybody has one - so I'll go see if I can find 'em and post a few. Or... just go out and shoot some

[megan]

As far as creating a similar image in PS, well, the same could be said for the Holga. But it's getting there that's the fun part. I don't have my laptop out in the streets with me, so it's a matter of taking a shot and then manipulating it later. I like the ability to manipulate the shot while I take it. To see thins differently right through the lens. Taht's where the value lies for me. Now granted, it's quite a bit more expensive than the Holga, but $100 isn't going to break me.

Completely brilliant! I could never have formed these sentences.
I agree, I like taking photographs *without* Photoshop in mind.

Megan
PONG RULES!
[Kinda wish my Mom hadn't sold our Pong at the garage sale. We never had Atari.]