Inspired by Chevalier's original convertible lens system from the 1830s, this Nikon F-mount, silver Neptune Convertible Art Lens System from Lomography is a uniquely flexible lens set comprising three useful focal lengths. Compared to a traditional lens, this convertible system is made up of a lens base and then three swappable front lens cells that correspond to different focal lengths: 35mm f/3.5, 50mm f/2.8, and 80mm f/4. The lens base incorporates a focusing helicoid for precise manual focus control, and also has a built-in multi-scale diaphragm for exposure adjustment. In addition to the standard adjustable diaphragm, the lens base can also accommodate drop-in aperture plates for producing creatively-shaped bokeh effects.
Convertible Lens System
Comprising a lens base and three interchangeable front lens cells, this convertible system allows you to easily switch between three prime focal lengths: 35mm f/3.5, 50mm f/2.8, and 80mm f/4. The lens base features a Nikon F mount and incorporates a multi-scaled diaphragm for adjusting exposure and a manual focus helicoid. Additionally, the lens base can also accept special drop-in aperture plates for producing creative bokeh effects, and six plates are included: soft focus, five-pointed star, diamond, X-shape, teardrop, and four-pointed star.
Front Lens Cells
Named after Neptune's moons and designed to produce image quality inspired by the vividness of the blue planet itself, three front lens cells are included and each corresponds to a specific focal length:
Each of the lens cells feature a multi-coated glass construction and an aluminum-alloy lens barrel. The optimum maximum aperture for each cell corresponds to where the cell will perform best, however, in the case of the 35mm and 80mm cells, you can use a brighter aperture setting to achieve creative effects. Additionally, a macro adapter is also included and shortens the minimum focusing distance to 7.1" for the 35mm, 8.7" for the 50mm, and 1.6' for the 80mm.
- Thalassa 35mm f/3.5: This general wide-angle focal length is well-suited for everyday shooting, reportage, and street photography. It has an optimum maximum aperture of f/3.5 along with a minimum focusing distance of 9.8".
- Despina 50mm f/2.8: This normal-length focal length is also ideal for everyday shooting, with a narrower field of view than the 35mm. It is also well-suited to portraiture and editorial application and characterized by its low distortion rendering. Its f/2.8 maximum aperture also benefits producing shallow depth of field imagery, and it has a minimum focusing distance of 1.3'.
- Proteus 80mm f/4: This portrait-length prime is designed for isolating subject matter with shallow depth of field and is especially well-suited to portraiture and creative still life photography. It has an optimum maximum aperture of f/4 and a minimum focusing distance of 2.6'.
Each of the lens cells feature a multi-coated glass construction and an aluminum-alloy lens barrel. The optimum maximum aperture for each cell corresponds to where the cell will perform best, however, in the case of the 35mm and 80mm cells, you can use a brighter aperture setting to achieve creative effects. Additionally, a macro adapter is also included and shortens the minimum focusing distance to 7.1" for the 35mm, 8.7" for the 50mm, and 1.6' for the 80mm.