Lensbabies are wonderful specialty lenses that create selective defocus effects on DSLRs (or SLRs, for that matter). But as soon as I pull the trigger and buy a Lensbaby Composer -- which I love -- Lensbaby comes out with the new Lensbaby Composer Pro. What does the new Pro offer over my oh-so amateur model? Mainly, it's much better for video, because the mechanics are much smoother. Now I feel like one of the people in that Best Buy commercial. Here's a look at the new Composer Pro in action:
Press Release
The Composer Pro delivers ultra-smooth creative control for the most discerning professional photographers and videographers
Portland, OR – April 4, 2011 - Lensbaby announces its newest SLR creative effects camera lens, the Composer Pro. The Composer Pro refines and enhances the popular and award-winning Lensbaby Composer by upgrading the swivel ball and focus mechanism to provide professional performance. The Composer Pro's metal swivel ball design and refined focus mechanism deliver ultra-smooth focus and tilt control. The updated focus mechanism features a fluid and accurate dampened focus ring comparable to the focus mechanisms of the highest quality professional manual focus lenses. This smooth, fluid operation makes the Composer Pro the perfect choice for discerning professional photographers and videographers who want to create ground-breaking creative imagery.
The Composer Pro is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System and ships with either the Double Glass Optic or the new Sweet 35 Optic installed. Each optic creates a Sweet Spot of sharp focus that photographers can move around the photo by tilting the Composer Pro's swiveling lens body. The Composer Pro is compatible with the complete range of creative optics in the Lensbaby Optic Swap System including the Fisheye, Soft Focus, Pinhole/Zone plate, Single Glass, and Plastic. Each optic can be swapped into the Composer Pro to deliver a different creative effect.
The Composer Pro joins Lensbaby's growing family of lenses, which now includes the Lensbaby Composer, Scout, Muse, and Control Freak. The Composer Pro will retail for $300 with the Double Glass Optic installed or for $400 with the Sweet 35 Optic installed. The entry-level Lensbaby Composer will remain in Lensbaby's product line but at a lower MSRP of $250.
"The Composer Pro builds on the strengths of its siblings in the Lensbaby family. In addition to being a core element in the Lensbaby Optic Swap system, it is smooth, fluid and precise to meet the needs of our community of photographer who want to see their unique visions through a precision piece of photographic equipment. Professional photographers continue to be at the core of our customer base." said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. "The Composer pro is for them."
Composer Pro Specs:
* Refined metal ball design delivers ultra-smooth focus and tilt control
* Ships with either the Sweet 35 Optic or Double Glass Optic installed
* Compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap System
* Focus Type: Manual
* Size/Weight: 2.25" (5.71cm) high x 2.5" (6.35cm) wide / 4 oz (113.4g)
* Tilts from zero to 17.5 degrees
Sweet 35 Optic Product Specs:
* Focal Length: 35mm
* 12 blade internal aperture, controlled by a dial on the front of the optic
* Aperture range from f/2.5 through f/22 (sweet spot size ranges from 15%, at f/2.5, to 40%, at f/22, of total image area on APS-C sensor cameras)
* Selective focus optic (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradual blur)
* Compatible with Lensbaby Composer, Scout, Muse, and Control Freak lens bodies*
* Focus distance when used with Composer Pro: 7.5" to infinity
* 4 multi-coated glass elements, in three groups
* 46mm front threads**
*The Sweet 35 Optic is not compatible with the Composer with Tilt Transformer for Micro 4/3rds and Sony NEX Cameras.
**The Sweet 35 Optic is not compatible with current 37mm Lensbaby accessories.
Double Glass Optic Product Specs:
* Focal Length: 50mm
* Low dispersion, high refractive index, multi-coated optical glass doublet
* Aperture Type: Interchangeable, magnetic aperture disks
* Apertures: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22
* Selective focus optic (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradual blur)
* Focus distance when used with Composer Pro: 18" to infinity
* 37mm front threads accept all Lensbaby accessory lenses
Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic is available now from Lensbaby-authorized photo specialty stores worldwide, and from adorama.com, amazon.com, bhphotovideo.com and lensbaby.com. Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic will be available soon. Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic retails for $300 MSRP and Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic retails for $400 MSRP.
[via Engadget]
