Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount
The Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens is part of the Lensbaby series of SLR lenses, and offers the same spectacular special-effect results. However, the Composer introduces a completely new design. Based on a ball and socket configuration, this version allows for smoother selective focus control.
The Composer will retain its position after being bent, which makes it easy to use even with one hand. Users also no longer have to squeeze the lens to focus. They can simply tilt the lens to a desired angle and then focus with a traditional barrel focusing ring.
A Lensbaby lens is a hybrid between a bellows camera and a tilt-shift camera. It allows for selective focusing with SLR cameras. It will bring one area of a photo into sharp focus, surrounded by gradually increasing blur. Effects like blurring, glowing highlights, and subtle, prismatic color distortions can all be achieved without software manipulations. The lens can be bent off-center in any direction for different results.
The Composer features the Optic Swap System. Lensbaby has developed a line of different "optics" that can be interchanged with the Muse and Composer versions. This provides artists with an almost unlimited variety of looks and styles to capture their unique visions.
The Composer comes supplied with the Double Glass Optic, which provides the sharpest focus in its range. It offers a tack sharp sweet spot, with minimal diffusion at all aperture settings. Also available optionally are the Plastic Optic for an ultra-soft and ethereal look, the Single Glass Optic for that vintage look, or the Pinhole/Zone Plate for softer, dreamier focus images that are equally sharp from edge to edge.
- No electronic communication is possible between the camera and the lens. All operation is strictly manual. Automatic light metering is possible by shooting in aperture priority mode for almost all digital and film SLR camera bodies except certain Nikon bodies including the D40, D50, D60, D70, D70S, D80, D90, D100, N50, N65, N70, N75, N80, plus Kodak 14N and ProN, and Fuji S1, S2, and S3.
- The lens aperture can be changed by inserting different size aperture discs.
- The Composer features a unique manual focus design which requires more rotation to move the optic as you approach infinity. This makes it easier to focus on objects at intermediate and distant depths than regular manual focus lenses.
| f/Stop Range | 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 & 22 |
| Focal Length | 50mm |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1.5' (46cm) |
| Filter Size | 37mm |
| Lens Elements/Groups | Double Glass Optic |
| Length | 2.5" (6.3cm) |
| Width | 2.5" (6.3cm) |
| Weight | 5.5 oz (156g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 45 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
95%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (36)
- Easily interchangeable (23)
- Nice bokeh (15)
- Consistent output (14)
- Durable (11)
Cons
- Slow focus (5)
- Poor in low light (4)
- Blurry focus (3)
Best Uses
- Landscape/scenery (21)
- Weddings (14)
- Macro photography (13)
- Special effects (10)
- Portraits (8)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Semi-pro photographer (14), Photo enthusiast (13), Pro photographer (5), Casual photographer (4), Enthusiast (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (14), Yes (9)
Most Liked Positive Review
Wonderful lens!
This is my first Lensbaby and I absolutely love it! It's very different from traditional lenses, but adds an artistic touch to any photo.
It's very easy to focus, but t...Read complete review
This is my first Lensbaby and I absolutely love it! It's very different from traditional lenses, but adds an artistic touch to any photo.
It's very easy to focus, but takes a bit of practice to doing it quickly if you are used to using auto-focus.
The aperture is easy to change, but they are not adjustable within the camera. The lens comes with a set of several aperture disks that you drop into the lens. They are held in place magnetically. If you are really into artsy photos, I would recommend the "Creative Aperture Kit". It allows you to change the shape of your bokeh.
I guess the only con would be something that really doesn't have to do with the lens, but with the camera. With my camera (Nikon D200) it can be difficult to focus because I don't have a traditional focusing screen like on a manual camera.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
The audacity of hope.
I really wanted to think this was more than a gimmick. Yes, you can achieve interesting things with this, but it's not very well designed as a "system". The wide ...Read complete review
I really wanted to think this was more than a gimmick. Yes, you can achieve interesting things with this, but it's not very well designed as a "system". The wide angle and tele adapters don't work with the close-up lenses or the lens shade. The aperture changes require removing whatever is attached first and the focus changes when you tighten the shift locking mechanism.
I wish the system was as refined as the LB website. I also doubt these products will have the longevity of any other Nikon mount lens I've used, a lot of plastic that's already balky on focus doesn't bode well for the future.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 45 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
I really enjoy this lens, I previously owned the lensbaby 2.0, and while it was fun, maintaining the sweet spot of focus was really hard because the slightest movement would change something. This lens is a huge improvement on that. You still get all the flexibility of the 2.0 but with the stability of a ball bering type mechanism that controls the tilt. I really like the optics that you can add on, that makes changing aperture much easier, also gives you the option of a wider range of effects for a fraction of the cost of individual effects lenses. For a hobbyist like myself, it's the perfect way to experiment with different looks and styles of photography without a huge financial investment.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Artsy
- Completely different
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Manual Focus
- No light metering
- Slow to use
Best Uses
- Artistic
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Night Photography
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
This lens allows the user to create an effect completely different than a narrow dof. You use the focus ring to put the subject in focus then frame the shot while angling the composer toward the originally focused subject. Some prefer to frame the shot then angle the composer and focus, it's personal preference.
The construction is okay, but like any piece of precision equipment you must treat it with care.
My biggest complaint is you must operate in manual mode on Nikon cameras. The problem here is not so much the manual aspect but rather the fact you don't get a light meter along the bottom as usual. Shutter speed is trial and error. This lens was a gift.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Night Photography
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
So much fun! Having a great time with this lens!! Portraits, flowers, landscapes all great!
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
Lensbaby is light, easy to carry and easy to use. Not to mention the amazingly beautiful effects i got on my pictures so far. Have not tried the Macro lens yet (comes on the kit I bought) but if it's as good as the other one, it will be good quality.
I highly recommend it
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
I have been using this for everything and love the effects. I use it for close-ups on flowers, portraits of the children and pets, and even shot some of my daughter's dance recital. Great effects!
It is very easy to use and I have had no problems using my Nikon D7000 with it. I especially like how easy it is to change the peratures. Using the magnet makes it quick and easy to change.
I recommend this to anyone trying to pursue a different routes of creativity.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Plastic
- Slow
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
has brought out the fun in shooting again. its kind of particular with it's spot focus, some fidgeting/tweaking, BUUUTT! i'm really enjoying mucking about with this lens. it's plastic-y....., which makes me wonder how handling will affect it's shelf life. so far, it's been good. it doesn't feel as cheap as i initially thought it was, but keeping in mind, it's still plastic. on another positive note, it's incredibly light, so it's a nice change from all my hefty lenses. great for something creative/different, i guess you could create the dreamy blur on post production with photoshop, but the lens satisfies the immediacy in viewing what you shoot right after. isn't that half the fun? overall the composer for under $300, i thought it was kind of expensive for a piece of plastic, but it's re-inspired me to shoot again, so having said that, it's been a great addition to my family of lenses. (comes with a cloth drawstring bag to store lens)i recommend also purchasing the creative apertures. they make this lens even more fun! i thought i could make them myself, but the aperture pieces seem to be magnetic, so saving myself the trouble and for about $20, i just got some precut shapes, along with some blanks that i can create in the future. i guess a con of the apertures is that you have to take the 30 seconds to change them. like the f-stops that come with the composer, you physically have to interchange them. so it's not as simple as turning the barrel of the lens to change apertures.....better be careful if ur clumseyoh one last thing, i don't have any of the optics for my composer, but prior to purchasing mine, the sales associate was trying to show me how to switch out the optics with the optic changer.it seemed that the optic in the display model was jammed inside the composer, it was almost like the optic was mis-aligned within the housing part of the composer, like a misaligned zipper, or picture a plastic jar with a plastic lid that was screwed on wrong. i don't know if the associate got it fixed without snapping the housing, but maybe something to be aware of if you buy these items because it's a plastic housing and it didn't look like it would withstand a lot of twisting and turning especially if the optic was jarred inside the housing piece.overall, i recommend, the website is a nice introduction to the lensbaby concept and product line.[@]
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Weak Casing
Best Uses
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
I bought the Composer with the Macro, Wide Angle and Tele Kit and the Step-Up/Shade. Unfortunately, the Macro Kit and Set-Up/Shade don't work with the Tele or Wide angle kit. It's not as mix and match as you'd expect. You also have to remove Tele/Wide or Step-Up with Filter in order to change the aperture. Balky focusing and focus shift when locking tilt doesn't make things easier. The lightweight construction doesn't lead me to believe the product will last.
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Blurry Focus
- Weak Casing
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
I really wanted to think this was more than a gimmick. Yes, you can achieve interesting things with this, but it's not very well designed as a "system". The wide angle and tele adapters don't work with the close-up lenses or the lens shade. The aperture changes require removing whatever is attached first and the focus changes when you tighten the shift locking mechanism.
I wish the system was as refined as the LB website. I also doubt these products will have the longevity of any other Nikon mount lens I've used, a lot of plastic that's already balky on focus doesn't bode well for the future.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
I really like this, I was a little hesitant because of the price, and learning how to use it. I think it took a week or so before I got the hang of it, but this is really fun to use and has amazing effects!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
The lensbaby is not the easiest lens to use but its built great and shoots very crisp,artistic images. I like it A LOT!
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Blurry Focus
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Portraits
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
the lensbaby composer has been a fantastic purchase, a very complicated but fun lens allows me to create interesting perspective.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Change the diaphragm
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
It's a good equipament, very fun to use it but a little hard at first.
The worst problem is that in eletronic cameras the photometer doesn't work, becouse there isn't comunication between the lens and the camera.
And changing the aperture is a little annoying.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
This really helps bring out my creativity and my desire to get out there and shoot.
The aperture rings seemed daunting, but they're actually really easy to use.
Focusing is a bit hard, but I think it will come with more practice.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
This product will enable you to come up peculiar in camera effects, that are pretty neat! The lock in place feature is a plus because you can replicate various times the same image, with various exposures. Be patient and experiment a lot!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Does a Great Job
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
This lens adds a new dimension to my wedding photography. It allows me to specify the focal point loud and clear. The soft background allows the speculator highlights to glow and I love that. This lens does everything it says it can and more. Thanks B&H[...]
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Affordable
- Creative and fun
- Very easy to use
- Well-built
Cons
- Manual focus only
Best Uses
- Creative look to images
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
My wife bought me this for Christmas and I shot all over Disneyland with the star-shaped aperture and came out with some AMAZING shots!!!
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Versatility
Cons
- No TTL metering
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Portraits
- Special Effects
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
The Composer with Double Glass Optic provides a sharp sweet spot with amazing control over the amount and location of Bokeh. The provided aperture disks are quickly and easily swapped. I am looking forward to getting the complete Lensbaby Accessory Kit (Wide Angle, Macro, Telephoto, and Creative Aperture Kit). This lens nicely compliments my 18-105 and 70-300 lenses. I have already recommended it to a couple of friends, and I have only had it about a week. The only cons are lack of on camera flash and TTL light metering with D90, and that the case does feel a little on the weak side, but then it is a lens, not a hiking stick.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Art
- Fashion
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
Great product from Lensbaby....easier to use than the previous model and well worth the extra money. Allows for some really creative shooting and experimenting with spectacular results, even for those who are accustomed to fast shallow depth of field lenses. This new Lensbaby is easy to use right out of the box, but complete newbies might be frustrated trying to focus.....for those of us who have shot for years it is the coolest new tool I have found. Highly recommended!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
Best Uses
- Macro Photography
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
Great price. The blur produced is fantastic and provides a new dimension to the pictures you take.
You will need to tune your manual focus and metering but that's really half the fun.
Recommend getting Macro filter accessory.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Artistic
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Slow learn
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Macro Photography
Comments about Lensbaby Composer Special Effects SLR Lens - for Nikon F Mount:
would request that some more extensive instructions and examples be included in the box. Neat effects once you get the gist!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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What's in the Box
- Front & Rear Lens Caps
- Case with Aperture Discs
- Storage Bag
- 1-Year Warranty
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