Discussion
I agree that similar results could be achieved in post production and they do mention the PS issue on their site:
"You will get a unique new look, with gorgeous blurring, glowing highlights, and subtle, prismatic color distortions, all without software manipulations".
I think the difference with this product is that you can create the image at the moment of shooting. It's the subtle graduation from sharp to soft focus that can be difficult in PS.
"You will get a unique new look, with gorgeous blurring, glowing highlights, and subtle, prismatic color distortions, all without software manipulations".
I think the difference with this product is that you can create the image at the moment of shooting. It's the subtle graduation from sharp to soft focus that can be difficult in PS.
I can't comment about the lensbabies quality in particular but have to disagree with the comments that they are not worth it or it's nothing you can't do in PS.
Tilting the lens axis to shift the plane of focus using the Scheimpflug principle, positive or negative, will create some unique images. You can start to fake it to some degree in PS but optical blur is different from digital Gaussian blur, even using PS's lens blur filter. Faking a diagonal blur, sharp front left, sharp rear right, soft front right, soft rear left, say a crowd of people would take days in PS and still wouldn't look right. A twist on the lensbaby........ click.... done.
Tilting the lens axis to shift the plane of focus using the Scheimpflug principle, positive or negative, will create some unique images. You can start to fake it to some degree in PS but optical blur is different from digital Gaussian blur, even using PS's lens blur filter. Faking a diagonal blur, sharp front left, sharp rear right, soft front right, soft rear left, say a crowd of people would take days in PS and still wouldn't look right. A twist on the lensbaby........ click.... done.
The main thing with the Lens Baby is that it's fun and easy to use. I'd much rather spend time playing around with one on my camera than hours stuck in front of Photoshop.
Also, there's something appealing about sticking a simple £50 lens to a top of the range DSLR, with more technology in it than you can shake a memory stick at
Also, there's something appealing about sticking a simple £50 lens to a top of the range DSLR, with more technology in it than you can shake a memory stick at
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