I had a hard time choosing between The Coffee Corner and here, so hopefully nobody takes offense.
I just finished my review of Lensbaby 3G. Here's a small excerpt:
It can be read in the whole with some example imaginery here: http://henrik.paul.fi/articles.php?a=16
As always, comments, ideas and general discussion are much appreciated.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Thanks Henrik. A very well balanced review. I agree with all the points in your article. I just spent 6 days in the Yukon shooting exclusively with the LB 3G and a Canon 5D (I needed some care free, left brained photo fun). I had a blast. A few things that I didn't see in your review include:
1) The new locking mechanism allows one to use the LB on a tripod to produce HDR images and long exposures.
2) I find the front of the lens a bit "busy", with knobs and buttons and springs and usually had a hard time finding the fine focus knobs (I might just need more practice).
3) I did find it somewhat difficult to get the sweet spot and focusing dead-on thru the 5D's viewfinder. I did get better the more I practiced however.
4) An upside to the blurred LB style is that one can use high ISOs and not be too much concerned about the effects of noise and subsequent noise reduction (if any). The images even look "better" with some texture from noise.
5) Like your Nikon, I found the 5D's meter easily fooled by the LB (the same applies to my 24 TS-E lens too - no surprise there) so I tried to determine my exposure prior to selectively focusing (and then I would bracket exposures +1, -1)
6) I was surprised at the image quality of the sweet spot - not bad at all.
7) The most maddening design flaw with the LB is something you've already pointed out - the unmarked aperture disks. That's a very silly oversight on an otherwise ingeniously designed lens.
I've temporarily parked 11 Yukon (and 1 Juneau, Alaska) LB 3G photos photo here:
[a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmmphotography/sets/72157601907572901]http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmmphotograph...157601907572901[/url]
CHeers!