Frequently Asked Questions

Comparing Lensbaby Lenses

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General Questions [ open ]
Q. What are the differences among The Composer, The Muse, and The Control Freak?
A. All three Lensbaby bodies get you to the same place: a Sweet Spot of focus surrounded by graduated blur. But each one gets you there in a way that reflects your individual personality and shooting style.

The Composer is great for a smooth and precise shooting style. You can bend and focus The Composer with one hand, similar to the way you would focus with a traditional lens. Tilt the Composer in the direction you want to place your Sweet Spot, and it automatically stays put. Rotate the focus ring to get that Sweet Spot in focus. The Composer is a great Lensbaby lens to use when you absolutely have to nail the focus. The Muse is for photographers with a fast and loose shooting style.

The Muse is similar to earlier Lensbabies; the photographer compresses the flexible tubing to find focus, and tilts the lens to move that focus. You shutter while holding the lens in place. The Muse is great for street photography, and fun shooting on the fly.

Photographers who have a methodical and step-by-step shooting style may favor the Control Freak. Focus by compressing with two hands, then once you place your Sweet Spot where you want it and get that Sweet Spot in focus, press the locking button on the focusing collar to lock it into place. Then fine-tune your focus by rotating the fine-tune focus ring, and fine-tune the placement of your Sweet Spot by rotating the knobs on the end of of the focusing rods. The Control Freak is great for macro and table-top photography.
Q. What are the differences among all of the optics available in the Lensbaby Optic Swap System?
A. Lensbaby currently offers four optic choices - the Double Glass Optic, Single Glass Optic, Plastic Optic, and Pinhole/Zone Plate.

The Double Glass Optic is a multi-coated optical glass doublet, providing a tack-sharp Sweet Spot of focus with minimum diffusion at all aperture settings.

The Single Glass Optic is an update of the Original Lensbaby’s primitive optic, ideal for fine art, portraiture, black and white images, and any shot requiring a subtle, soft, dreamy effect.

The Plastic Optic is for plastic fanatics. Our softest optic overall, it creates very ethereal photos with abundant chromatic aberration.

The Pinhole/Zone plate lets you shift easily back and forth from pinhole to zone plate mode with your digital SLR by simply sliding a toggle inside the optic. In pinhole or zone plate mode, this optic insert achieves softer focus, producing dreamy images that are equally sharp from edge to edge. (Please note: you will not see any Lensbaby blur in the pinhole and zone plate photos.  The pinhole and zone plate are simply extra, creative options Lensbaby provides, allowing you to turn your SLR into a pinhole or zone plate camera. You should keep your Lensbaby facing straight ahead when using the Pinhole and Zone plate.)
Q. I want to try the Pinhole/Zone Plate, but I've never done this kind of photography before. Can you point me towards more information?
A.Try these helpful links to learn more:
Q. What are the differences among the previous Lensbaby line, the Original Lensbaby, the Lensbaby 2.0 and the Lensbaby 3G?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_photography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_plate
http://photo.net/pinhole/pinhole.htm
Q. Why not just use software to try to create a Lensbabyâ„¢ look? Is it possible?
A. There are two differences between the Original Lensbaby and Lensbaby 2.0: the optic and the aperture system. The optic in the Original is a single non-coated glass element, while the 2.0 optic is a coated glass doublet. Essentially, this means that the optic in the 2.0 is sharper.

The Original Lensbaby gives your pictures a softer, dreamier look; it has been called a “Holga on steroids” or a “digital Diana.” Because the Original optic is non-coated, your pictures will show some diffusion, and occasionally, prismatic color shifts. Some portrait photographers lean toward the Original because it is softer and more forgiving. All Lensbabies have manual aperture systems: they come with a set of disks that drop into the front of the lens. The Original disks are held in place with a rubber gasket. To change the aperture, you pluck the gasket out, change the disk and drop the gasket back in.

The Lensbaby 2.0 comes with one more aperture than the Original (f 2.0). There are shielded magnets inside the 2.0. The magnets work together with disks that are made of metalicized plastic, so they drop in and stay in. The aperture controls how much blur appears in your picture; choose the aperture for the effect that you want to achieve, then compensate with your shutter speed.

The Lensbaby 3G has the same optics and aperture system as the Lensbaby 2.0. It comes with 3 extra apertures: f 11, f 16 and f 22. The major difference between 3G and the two earlier versions is that you can lock the 3G into place. Once it is locked you can fine-focus it. This allows you to repeat your shot and work in lower light situations using long exposures. You can shoot unlocked as you would with the Original or the 2.0 or you can lock it into place, fine-focus and adjust the tilt.

The Lensbaby 3GPL is a 3G for use with motion picture film cameras.
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Purchasing Questions

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General Questions [ open ]
Q. Where can I purchase Lensbabies retail?
A. See our Retailers page
Q. Is your webstore secure?
A. Absolutely.
Q. I don’t have a credit card; can I still order a Lensbaby?
A. You can send us a cashier’s check or money order as payment and we will ship your Lensbaby when it clears.
Q. How can I figure out how much the shipping costs will be?
A. Domestic shipping is free with USPS Priority Mail. We also offer UPS Overnight, 2-Day, 3-Day and Ground. For international orders, USPS Priority International starts at $16 to Canada and $18 for other countries. UPS is offered to some international destinations. During the ordering process you will be shown a shipping menu with shipping options and prices calculated door to door. To calculate shipping without purchasing simply choose your items and enter your zip/postal code and you will get a quote with options and prices door to door. Please note that USPS does not offer detailed tracking.
Q. I don't live in the United States. Will I have to pay duties if I import a Lensbaby?
A. Overseas customers may indeed have to pay import duties and other taxes such as VAT. Lensbabies does not have a list of all the taxes collected by various countries.
Q. If I buy a Lensbaby do you have tech support?
A. Sure, if you have any problems, just send us an e-mail or give us a call and we will do our best to answer your questions. You may be able to find the answer you need below, under Technical Questions.
Q. What if I change my mind about the Lensbaby and want to return it?
A. All Lensbabies come with a 30-day money back guarantee, provided the Lensbaby is in new condition. The customer covers the shipping charges. You can return it to: Lensbaby, LLC. Attention: I don't love my Lensbaby. 516 SE Morrison Street. Suite M4. Portland. Oregon. 97214 USA
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Technical Questions

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General Questions [ open ]
Q. Does the Lensbaby stay in place when you use it?
A. The Composer stays in place, the Control Freak can be held in place by a locking mechanism you engage by pressing a button, and The Muse does not stay in place by itself - you need to hold it in place while you shutter.
Q. Can I retro-fit my Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0, or Lensbaby 3G to work with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System?
A. No. The inside of the older generation Lensbabies are very different than the new generation and there is no way to retrofit the swappable optics to work in them.
Q. Is the Lensbaby an attachment?
A. No, the Lensbaby is an actual SLR lens. You take your current lens off your camera and put the Lensbaby on.
Q. How can I figure out how much the shipping costs will be?
A. We ship to anywhere in the US starting at $4.60 for USPS Priority Mail. USPS Priority International starts at $16 to Canada and $18 for other countries. We also ship via UPS. You can calculate the shipping door to door by clicking on “Buy Me” and typing in your address without actually making a purchase. While the USPS is an economical way to ship, they do not allow for package tracking.
Q. Which Lensbaby will work on my camera?
A. Lensbabies are available and work on almost all versions of Single Lens Reflex cameras that have interchangeable lenses. Our webstore lists most, if not all, of the makes and models with which the Lensbaby will work. The Canon Lensbaby will fit on most Canon DSLR and SLR bodies, the Nikon Lensbaby on most Nikon SLR and DSLR bodies, etc. If your camera is a point-and-shoot, the Lensbaby won’t work.
Q. Do you have the User Guide that came with my Lensbaby available online?
A. Yes, you can find it on the user guide page.
Q. I am just starting to work wit the Lensbaby, and I am getting blown images every time. I know I must be missing something very obvious. Any hints?
A. When using your Lensbaby, exposure is most easily controlled with your shutter speed and ISO adjustments. Exposure can also be adjusted by swapping out apertures on your Lensbaby. The aperture will not show up on the LCD or in your meta data and you cannot change the aperture using the normal method of turning the aperture dial, you must insert a different aperture disk to change your aperture.
Q. What is the focal length of the Lensbaby?
A. The focal length is approximately 50mm with the Double Glass, Single Glass, and Plastic optics. The focal length with the Pinhole/Zone Plate is 55mm. The Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G all have a 50mm focal length. Lensbabies Wide Angle and Telephoto accessory lenses screw onto the front of the Lensbaby, changing the focal length to 30mm and 80mm, respectively.
Q. How closely can I focus on a subject?
A. The Composer focuses from 18" to infinity. The Muse and the Control Freak, as well as the Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G, when fully extended have a minimum focus distance of about around 12 inches, and the maximum distance for achieving sharp focus is infinity on all Lensbaby lenses. With the The Muse and the Control Freak, as well as the Original Lensbaby, Lensbaby 2.0, and Lensbaby 3G, you can actually focus on subjects as close as 7 inches away by pushing on the focusing collar rather than pulling in on it. The Macro Kit allows the user to focus between 2” - 13” away.
Q. Can I use filters or adapters on my Lensbaby?
A.Yes, as long as they have a 37mm thread. We sell a range of accessories in our webstore, including a Macro Kit and Wide Angle and Telephoto adapters. If you want to use filters larger than 37mm, we recommend obtaining a step up ring from 37mm to the size of the filter you would like to use. If you are using larger filters with the Lensbaby 3G it would help to buy two 37mm spacers for the front of the Lensbaby 3G and then screw your step up ring to the front of the spacers. These spacers will allow you to use the center barrel focusing ring on the Lensbaby 3G, making your Lensbaby's focusing system fully operational with the step up ring attached.
Q. How do I use Electronic Flash with the Lensbaby?
A.First determine the Flash sync shutter speed for your camera: this is usually between 1/60 and 1/500 of a second. Set your camera at this shutter speed or SLOWER, (i.e. 1/60, 1/30). If your camera has multiple options, put it in Manual or Aperture Priority mode.
Digital cameras users can take a test shot and look at the histogram for correct exposure. * If the image is overexposed, use a higher aperture (smaller hole) or decrease your flash power by 1 stop. Continue to decrease aperture size or flash power as needed. You may have to experiment to find the right balance between flash power and aperture size to get the correct exposure with the amount of blur you want. * If the image is underexposed (not likely) use a larger aperture.

For film cameras used in combination with an external Flash Unit, do one of the following: * Use a flash light meter to measure the amount of flash being emitted from the Electronic Flash Unit and set your aperture according to the readings (make sure you calculate for the correct film speed!). * Calculate the distance from subject to camera and set the Flash according to the chart on your Flash unit. The users manual of the Flash Unit will also give you more information.

Some cameras have built in flashes that can meter TTL (through the lens) and adjust your flash for correct exposure.

Please go to our Electronic Flash page for more information.
Q. Does the Lensbaby work with a converter?
A. Yes. One side effect of using a teleconverter that goes between the body and the lens is that you will be eliminating a good portion of the Lensbaby blur around the edges, whereas a screw-in conversion lens will give you a longer focal length while keeping the sweet-spot small.
Q. Is the Lensbaby like a tilt-shift lens?
A. The Lensbaby is a uniques SLR lens that has a sweet spot of focus with blur all around the sweet spot. The field of focus is curved, unlike a tilt-shift lens, which has a flat field of focus.
Q. Can the Lensbaby correct converging lines?
A. No. Because the Lensbaby does not have a flat field of focus its tilt action only moves a sweet spot of focus around the image plane and does not correct perspective or make converging lines parallel.
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Nikon [ open ]
Q. I just received my Nikon mount Lensbaby and I can’t get the rear cap off.
A. Nikon mount Lensbabies' caps turn in the opposite direction of most other manufacturer's rear lens caps (remove the cap by turning clockwise).
Q. Why can't I get my Lensbaby to meter on my Nikon D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70(s), D80, D90, D100, N80, Fuji S1, S2, S3 etc.?
A. Older and more expensive current Nikon cameras have a mechanical link between the aperture mechanism on lenses with an aperture ring. Nikon stopped putting this mechanical interface on the lower priced camera bodies. In order to make a mount that physically accepts all F-mount lenses, but avoids messing up an active meter that has no way of knowing what aperture the lens is going to be at the moment of exposure, Nikon disabled the meter altogether on these lower priced models (this a relative criteria since we are talking about $2000 D100 cameras and $400 N80 cameras).
Q. Why can't I get my flash to fire on my Nikon D70(s) or D50?
A.Nikon has disabled TTL flash metering when the D70(s)/D50 camera does not sense an autofocus lens mounted. In order to use the built-in pop-up flash on these cameras:

1. go into your custom settings (CSM) menu on the D70 and set your pop-up flash to manual rather than TTL (if this is not clear then your Custom Menu may need to be changed from Simple to Detailed in the Set Up menu).

2. start by setting your flash power to 1/2 with a shutter speed/ISO combination that gives you an ambient exposure that is 1 to 1 1/2 stops too dark so your background does not go totally black. Test the ambient (non-flash) exposure by shooting a few test shots with the flash off. Play with the power of the pop-up flash from full power down to 1/16 to get proper exposure on your main subject(s).

Hotshoe mounted Nikon Speedlight flashes must be set to either manual or auto exposure modes. TTL modes on your Nikon Speedlight flash will not work with a Lensbaby on the D70(s) or D50 camera bodies.
Q. Can I meter with my Lensbaby on my Nikon?
A. Most Nikon camera bodies allow metering with your Lensbaby, unfortunately the most common current Nikon bodies do not allow metering. See lists below.
Q. What Nikon bodies will meter with a Lensbaby while shooting in Aperture Priority mode?
A. D200, D300, D2x, D2h(s), D1x, D1, F100, N90(s), N70, 8008(s), FA, N2000, N2002, F5, F4, F3, FE(2), FM(2), F2, N6006, N8008
Q. What Nikon mount bodies will NOT meter with a Lensbaby?
A. Fuji S1, S2, S3, Kodak 14n, DCS Pro/N, Nikon D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70(s), D80, D90, D100, N60, N80, N6x series, N5x series, N4004, N5005
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Canon [ open ]
Q. Which Canon bodies will meter with a Lensbaby?
A. All Canon bodies will work with your Lensbaby when set to Aperture Priority Mode. The camera will meter the light coming through the lens and will set the shutter speed accordingly.
Q. Why does my EOS Rebel T2 not recognize the Lensbaby when it's on my camera? ("no L" blinks on the LCD panel)
A. The Safety Release Lock needs to be disabled. On the LCD panel, move the Right Arrow to the <sLock> icon. Next, press the <FUNC.> button. Turn the dial and place the setting on “0”.
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Sony Alpha / Minolta Maxxum [ open ]
Q. The Lensbaby does not seem to work on my Sony Alpha A/ Minolta Maxxum Camera, what should I do?
A. The most likely reason is that your custom settings need to be changed. Please go to our Sony Alpha / Minolta Maxxum Page, find your camera model and follow the instructions for using non-AF lenses on a Sony Alpha / Minolta camera body.
Q. Will Lensbabies work on Minolta manual cameras?
A. . Yes. Set you camera to Manual or Aperture Priority Mode to use the Lensbaby with Minolta Manual cameras.
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Pentax *ist D and *ist DL [ open ]
Q. Will Lensbabies lenses work with my *ist Camera?
A. Yes. Despite conflicting information from the Pentax website, any K mount lens will work with a Pentax *ist Camera. This means that a Lensbaby will work fine too. Note that a Lensbaby lens does not communicate with your camera electronically. Therefore you need to make some setting changes to your camera for it to work properly.

    1. In the “Custom Setting” Menu of the camera, set the “Using aperture ring” setting to “2” (Permitted) - This will allow pictures to be taken even when a lens has no “A” setting on the aperture ring (or in the case of a Lensbaby, no aperture ring at all!).

    2. Use the Av or M settings on the camera to make your exposure. When using the Av (Aperture Priority) setting, you might have to adjust your exposure with the +/-Av button and adjustment wheel to an EV of 2.0 as otherwise images will tend to be underexposed.

    3. Experiment with your camera's ISO settings and shutter speeds to get the best results. Also try different aperture discs in your Lensbaby.

    Q. Can I use the Built-in Flash of my *ist with my Lensbaby?
    A. You can try, but the results probably won't be what you want! The output of the flash does not seem to be adjustable with the Lensbaby mounted which means that the flash always fires at full output. You can set the shutter speed only at 180 or slower, so even with a Lensbaby aperture of f8.0 the images will tend to be overexposed even if it is very dark.
Q. Can I use the Built-in Flash of my *ist with my Lensbaby?
A. You can try, but the results probably won't be what you want! The output of the flash does not seem to be adjustable with the Lensbaby mounted which means that the flash always fires at full output. You can set the shutter speed only at 180 or slower, so even with a Lensbaby aperture of f8.0 the images will tend to be overexposed even if it is very dark.
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Leica [ open ]
Q. What mount do I need for the Leica Digilux 3?
A. An Olympus 4/3rd (E1) mount
Q. How does the Lensbaby work with the Leica Digilux 3?
A. To allow the Digilux to fire with a lens that doesn't communicate electronically with your camera (like the Lensbaby), you must go into the Custom Menu Settings, page 4 and set “No Release without Lens” to “OFF”. Then the Camera will meter through the lens, adjusting the shutterspeed appropriately.
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GPL/Motion Picture [ open ]
Q. Can I use the 3GPL with my digital video camera?
A. In order to use a Lensbaby with your digital video camera, you will need to use an adapter. The following companies make adapters which have been tested and used successfully with a Lensbaby: P+S Technik, Redrock M2, Brevis35, Letus35, and SGpro. To use an adapter with the PL mount Lensbaby, you will need to choose an adapter that will attach to your camera (has the correct thread size, for example 72mm or 82mm) and features a PL Mount on the other end. You can also use an adapter with a digital video camera and an SLR mount Lensbaby; in this case you will need to choose a an adapter that will attach to your camera and features an SLR (for example, Nikon) Mount on the other end.
Q. Is there a B4 Mount Lensbaby?
A. No. Lensbaby does not offer a dedicated B4 mount Lensbaby and has no plans of offering one in the near future. The main problem in developing a Lensbaby for the B4 mount is the small sensor size. Since the Lensbaby relies on depth of field to create blur around the sweet spot of focus, a longer focal length is necessary than is viable for the small sensor cameras.
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Accessory Questions [ open ]
Q. Can I use filters or adaptors on my Lensbaby?
A. Yes, as long as they have a 37mm thread. We sell accessories in our webstore.
Q. Can I use filters with my Lensbaby Accessory Lenses?
A. Yes. The fronts of the Lensbaby .6x Wide Angles Lens and the Lensbaby 1.6x Telephoto Lens each have a 46mm thread. 46mm filters can be screwed onto the front or you may use a step up ring to use larger filters.
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Creative Uses [ open ]
Q. How can I take Color IR photographs with the Lensbaby?
A. The Lensbaby does not by itself alter light or specialize in making IR shots. Look at http://lensbaby.com/forum/read.php?1,7238,7238, to see how Craig modified his Nikon D70 to obtain colour IR shots. You will have to indulge in the same way on your camera!
Q. What can I do for alternate apertures?
A. Lensbabies makes a Creative Aperture Kit, which includes 1 f/4 star, 1 f/4 heart, and 5 blank aperture disks, as well as a kit only with blank disks. You can custom cut the blank disks into any aperture shape you want. Out of focus specular highlights (bright points of light) in your photos take on the shape of the opening in your aperture disk.

The Creative Aperture Kit is available on the Accessories page of the Lensbabies webstore.
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