The Newest Lensbaby Is Out!!
A view from the Beta Testers
Get Your Magic with the NEW SOFT FOCUS II
@skahdee
Lensbaby has done it again! Another beautiful and fantastic optic called The Soft Focus 2, aka SF2. The SF2 is a brand new Lensbaby optic that is compatible with all of Lensbaby's current and legacy Optic Swap lens bodies. The Soft Focus II optic from Lensbaby is a new-and-improved version of one of the earliest and, recently, most sought-after optics in Lensbaby's Optic Swap System, the original Soft Focus optic. It has an ethereal, mysterious and impressionistic glow to it wide open. Very similar to a velvet, but more. It’s A pumped up velvet. You can definitely see definition in lines and details under that majestic glow! If you didn’t know, All Lensbaby lenses are manual lenses. They do take some practice and patience to get those dreamy images.
The SF2 optic renders some beautiful pastel color tones when shot wide open. The sunrise and sunset colors are amazing. Those winter cotton candy skies… no edits are needed. It has a very flat field of focus with a subtle sharp detail under that glow at F2.5. As you shut down your aperture the lines and details will get more defined. It’s kind of like looking through a fog but with detail. I know for Velvet users this will be a love and must have. Even with all the Lensbaby images I have captured, which is a lot, my first one with the SF2 was a flop. You do need time to get acquainted and practice with it. At F8 or more, this optic will produce sharp and detailed images with minimal to no glow. New Lensbaby users should try their focus at lower apertures before trying wide open or you will just get frustrated. I would suggest around F5.6 and F8. There are many images I have captured with this optic where minimal editing has been necessary. I’ve seen some beautiful ethereal images with no edits on them from other Lensbaby Ambassadors as well.
The Soft Focus II improves on its predecessor by adding a 12-blade adjustable internal aperture with it's built in drop-in magnetic aperture system. It comes with 4 drop in disks. 3 have a main hole, that vary in size, with smaller holes around it. It kind of resembles a flower. The 4th disk is shaped like a sunburst. The disks are held in place with a magnet and don’t fall out. The disks distribute the soft glow from the edge of the optical system, and blend it with the sharpness found in the center of the lens. Each of these three multi-hole apertures combine the sharpness and glow differently for a unique look.
When the multi-hole apertures are in place and the 12-blade aperture is used, the balance of glow and sharpness can be further tuned to your liking and shooting style b y adjusting your aperture. Not everyone likes wide open or even tack sharp. Find the aperture best suited for you and your style. There’s no right or wrong. Lensbaby is about allowing you to be imperfect and creative. Embrace that and experiment.
My favourite part of this lens is the magical and fun way it processes bokeh and light. Out of Focus bokeh, with no disk, becomes shapes like gumballs and Balloons. As you shut down your aperture your gumballs get more defined and less glowy. Lights have never been more fun.
You can drop in a disk and get some bokeh in the shape of a disk you use. If you put a Heart in there and your bokeh becomes heart shapes. On Christmas lights and street lights you want to adjust to get slightly out of focus with those lights. You will see your shapes forming! Adjust your focus until you get the bokeh you want and adjust your aperture to reduce the amount of glow and size.
The disks will add textures to your images and some fun bokeh too. Shot wide open, with a disk, a haze or glow can form around your subject when using a dark background. If you have a disk in place The haze will take on the shape of the disk. If there is no disk it becomes a haze/fog. Any lights in the frame will take on the shape of your disks and the extra glow will emanate from behind the subject or in front. The Creative Bokeh disks will also fit in the SF2 and have great effects, especially shooting with lights and the light trapped in those leaves. When using the disks, as you shut down the aperture, the shapes of the bokeh become more defined. The disks can also make your image look like a double exposure.
I love working with Lensbaby lenses and experimenting to see what happens. Long exposure. Action. Macro. Portraits. You have to try everything! Every capture is unique and hard to replicate. Especially when using an Omni or tilt. Every lens has a different effect or focal distance. Everything is done in camera and minimal editing is required. The Soft Focus 2 is no exception and produces beautiful , magical and ethereal images. This optic will always be within arms reach when shooting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
By Melissa Tokarwski @skahdee
Barbara Corley
The Soft Focus 2 Optic gives dreamy results. It’s like smooth, expensive chocolate that slowly melts in your mouth. I found I was savoring every aspect of the character of this optic. It has the most amazing buttery smooth bokeh. The highlights radiate with a pleasing glow. The Soft Focus 2 optic with it’s velvety overall look is different and unique compared to the Lensbaby Velvet line of product.
You can find more from Barbara here: https://www.facebook.com/bicyclingbarbsphotos
The new Lensbaby Soft Focus II is a versatile optic that provides a dreamy glow, rich colors, and a sense of mystery.
It has the capability to capture a classic, vintage-feeling portrait, to adding soft ethereal mood. At the apertures f/16 or f/22 it gives rich contrast while still maintaining the background blur.
This optic is accompanied by 4 drop in discs (held by a magnet) that provides layers of shaped bokeh for a truly unique look.
For landscapes it creates scenes that you desire enter into, that you can imagine yourself experiencing with wonder.
Through the addition of the Lensbaby macro filters and/or converters, the lens transforms into capturing delicate details while enhancing the ambiance with a soft glow.
I personally appreciate this lens for it’s dreamy feel and it’s ability to create rich, emotive art while maintaining a mysterious tone.
Liz Willson
It’s Still Life Photography by Elizabeth Willson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsstilllifeewillson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItsStillLifePhotographybyElizabethWillson
Website: https://itsstilllifeewillson.smugmug.com/Prints
Blog: https://itsstilllifephotography.wordpress.com
Janet Broughton
I'm a photographer and texture creator living in the North West of England shooting mostly still life with the occasional portrait or landscape. I'm inspired to celebrate the often unnoticed beauty in the ordinary things that surround us. I shoot mostly with Lensbaby lenses and optics, manual focus forces me to slow down and connect with my subject and the Lensbaby products help me to express myself creatively.
It's always an honour to be asked to beta test a Lensbaby product and I was really excited to receive the new soft focus optic. Life has been really busy recently so I haven't had the chance to use it as much as I would like but I already know that this is going to be one of my favourites. I've really enjoyed shooting still life with the optic, the softness is perfectly suited to creating some lovely minimal images and I can't wait to get out and explore the landscape with it too.
Website : www.definitelydreaming.com
Instagram : www.instagram.com/definitely_dreaming
Instagram: @ Our_everyday_captures
I love the new Lensbaby Soft Focus optic because of the versatility of the use, the ability to change aperture, and the unique bokeh the different discs create. The softness gives my photos this vintage vibe that I am really drawn to.
The release of the Lensbaby Soft Focus II optic is bringing excitement to so many of us. When I received this optic I was thrilled that it mimicked the Velvet series. I love my Velvet 56 and the Velvet 28. I love the glow and the blur. The glow on the Soft Focus II surpasses that of the Velvet series! I believe it was quoted as “the Velvet on crack!” I can’t confirm that but I can confirm it surpasses the glow of the Velvet, without question!
There is something more about this optic. Something special. You have the ability to add multi-hole aperture disks and creative bokeh disks to the optic to change the results of your image. You’ll add texture and light effects that aren’t possible on the Velvets. You also have the ability to shoot without any of those things, without a disk at all. You have the ability to use the internal aperture ring, unlike the drop-in disks of the Double Glass Optic. You can create the most amazing bubble bokeh I have ever seen. And you can do it all in camera! Spending more time shooting and less time editing is good for my soul! How about yours?
This optic can shoot from f/2.5 to f/22 giving you the option of lots of glow to no glow at all! What could be more versatile than that? One of the many things that draws me into choosing an optic or lens is it’s versatility. By adding disks, even stacking them, you can change up the final result of your images. Genre knows no boundaries with this optic! I have shot landscape, macro, abstract and some around town images. All with varying aesthetics! That’s what draws me in! The possibilities. Let it draw you in too!
-shared by Cathy Alice Photography
The new Soft Focus Lensbaby Optic allows me to awaken my senses and cultivate mindfulness. The Soft Focus lens has been such a fun lens to create art within the genres of portraiture, environmental lifestyle and food photography. I believe the softness and glow of this lens will convey almost any image in a beautiful manner that will render as a piece of fine art.
Sarah Gupta
Clickin Moms Mentor and Instructor
Website
Facebook Business Page
Instagram
Soft Focus II by Monica McLean
My experience with this lens was phenomenal. I was super excited to be a beta tester and it’s always exciting to explore a new lens and shoot different scenes with it. I loved the versatility of this lens. I was able to take it with me on my everyday life and a few adventures, morning and night. I am lucky we get plenty of light and beautiful warm sunsets since we are in the desert. The soft focus II has the drop-in magnetic aperture disk and employs an array of round holes that distribute a soft glow from the edge of the lens and blend with the sharpness of the center of the lens. I used this lens on aperture of f2.8 and f4.0 to show that beautiful glow and almost hazy look. It comes with 4 disks and one of them has a sunburst effect that makes lights and bokeh pop. From street, to portraits and details this lens is versatile and fun. The possibilities are endless with this lens!
Janet Douglas
Janet is a hobbyist photographer from Scotland who fell in love with Lensbaby lenses 10 years ago, they helped unleash her inner artist. She loves macro and creating ethereal fineart images.
This optic is a vintage-loving girl's dream! I love this optic and feel it pairs incredibly well with my style of imagery which I would describe as nostalgic with vintage vibes. The overall softness of this optic helps me achieve memory-like qualities with minimal editing, and I love the dreaminess and glow.
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/birdandbumblebee
Website:
Lensbaby Soft Focus II: The Perfect Walk Around Lens
By Kaitlin Michael (Kaitlin Shadle Photography)
What do I love about the new Soft Focus II Optic by Lensbaby? I’ve fallen in love with the versatility. When this optic is used on the wide open apertures, it provides a gorgeous vintage haze that feels like I stepped back into time. Additionally, this optic can also produce sharply focused images at the darker apertures that are sure to draw a double take.
I also love that it is part of the optic swap system. Optics are small and light - I can pop this optic in my pocket or camera bag and always have it on me. Have you ever packed your camera bag for a trip and had the issue of which Lenbabies make the cut? This optic is ALWAYS going to make the cut because of its compact nature and photographic versatility.
But most of all, this optic is so much fun to use! Give it a shot and I’m certain you will agree!
You can follow more of my journey with the SFII optic on Instagram @kshadlephotos I look forward to meeting you there!
Holly Nicole
My Instagram is: http://www.instagram.com/hollynicoletimekeeper
I'm always excited to try a new Lensbaby. And the opportunity to beta test a brand new product, hot off the presses, is an honor. I haven't had a lot of time to experiment with the Soft Focus II optic, but in the short time I've had it I have enjoyed the challenge. The Soft Focus II allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and open myself to new artistic possibilities. My favorite thing about this optic is the filmy, almost vintage effect it creates. The softness gives each image a nostalgic quality that I really loved. I also loved the way the bokeh discs played with light and added sparkle. I had to let go of my normal preference for a tack sharp focal point, but in return I was left with images that felt like the the timeless images I pulled out of a shoebox in my closet. The kind you feel with your hands and your heart. I'm really looking forward to experimenting with this Lensbaby more!
By Kate Kanters
@kate.t.kanters
Lensbaby’s newest product, the Soft Focus II optic, is really just so much fun to use. I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure how I’d like the glow effect at first. The Sol 45 and the Edge 35 are two of my favorites, and the creative blur of these two products are quite different than what the SFII produces. I think what I love most about this new optic is that it offers just so many creative possibilities in one product. I typically shoot wide open with a standard lens, but with the SFII, I found my sweet spot to be more closed down. The creative bokeh that the aperture discs are incredibly fun! Some of my favorite images I captured with this optic and the aperture discs were long exposure night time street photography. The headlights of the cars, the streetlights, and the sky… it just looked magical. I also really love the gritty yet painterly (is that even possible!? 🤣) look this optic gave to the lighthouse pictures I took in the Milwaukee Harbor. And, of course, my true heart lies in the portraits I created of my kids. I definitely shot these way more closed down than I’d ever typically do with portrait photography, and now that I’ve had the opportunity to experiment with this optic quite a bit, I’d shoot these again a little more wide open. I really just love how versatile the SFII is. I’ve never come across another product that offers such a wide range of creative looks/ effects, and that works so well in a variety of photographic genres!
I am not a fan of writing which is why I absolutely love Lensbaby lenses – they give me the ability to express myself without words. I had the honored of testing out the new Soft Focus II and fell in love with the nostalgic haze created with this lens! In addition to the softness created by the lens, it comes with optic discs which are SO MUCH FUN! Here are a few of my favorite images with the SFII lens and optic discs. As you can see, it is a very versatile lens!
IG - @rmbphotogallery FB - @rmbphotogallery Website – www.RMBphotogallery.com
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