Lensbaby Twist 60 Optic 60mm f/2.5 Prime Lens for Micro Four Thirds, Gold

Against my better judgement, I bought this quirky little lens optic to use with a recently purchased Lensbaby Scout lens base (which is perfectly straight and does not do the whole pseudo-tilt/shift thing that the Composer models do). A lot of Lensbaby gear has a reputation of being so oddball and soft-focus as to be rarely useful for all but the most hipster of purposes. I am glad to say that this is not the case with the Twist 60 Optic.The swirly background effects that make this lens really cool are most apparent with the aperture at maximum (f/2.5). This effect, which looks a lot like a selective "radial motion blur" in Photoshop, drops off rather quickly as the lens is stopped down from wide open. By about f/5.6, it's almost gone, in fact. Shooting this lens at f/8 or greater produces surprisingly sharp (in the center) images; much sharper than I was expecting. So the Twist 60 can serve as something approaching a standard short telephoto if there is enough light to stop it down. Bonus!To get the maximum radial blur effect, you really have to set up your shot. Patterned and/or complex backgrounds that cover nearly the entire frame behind the subject produce the most obvious and pronounced results. As with most things, experimentation is the key to getting good results.

It took some getting used to using a manual lens to focus. The swirly bokeh though looks awesome especially when you have a textured background.

I learned of the Petzval Lens on Amazon for around $600 that had drop in aperture blades. The only problem, was one photographer complained the drop in aperture blades fell out and could easily be lost. This Lensbaby Twist 60 popped up as a recommended alternative at half the price on Amazon. It didn't need the drop in aperture blades. For a small town event that happens once a month, I decided to try Wild West photos, complete with a faux box camera. The gold ring matches the brass accents nicely, and the swirl effect in the photos really helps with the vintage feel. The sepia tone came straight from the Canon that I have. One photographer friend of mine said that the Lensbaby isn't necessarily sharp, which lends itself to what I am trying to accomplish with Wild West costume and fake revolver shown here.

I have almost all of the lenses and optics that Lensbaby as to offer in the Canon line, except the Velvet 52 which I have played with and did not like. This optic however is a superstar! Center your subject and open and close the aperture to achieve your desired amount of the "twist" effect. This adds, right in the camera, some stunning effects that will wow your clients or friends. The twisted background really makes your subject pop out of the background. I love it! I am in serious danger of overusing this lens!

Its a novelty lens and a fun one at that. I like it for a couple of shots. It brings out something unique and puts a lot of focus on the subject. Fits right into my composer pro II perfectly. The color shift from nikon Lenses is more towards the green side. Its ok though, easy fix.

Big Disappointment! I thought if I spend more money on a Lensbaby than their entry level products, I would get acceptable results. The lens just makes photos look like they were shot with a cheap point and shoot-- there is nothing redeeming about this lens. For this price, you are wasting your money. Tolerance of bayonet mount was loose, as was the main element-- it actually rattled when I walked around with camera. This is not worth the money!

Beautiful optic for composer pro. Very unique looking results. Packaging was not secure at all and coming out of the small box. No damage to item though. Get this optic.

Love the lensbaby. Good build and good picture.

Harduse

Muy mal. El objetivo no funciona en mi Canon 5D. Me llamó la atención que el interior de la caja estaba como roto, usado. No trae el paño para limpiar la lente ni la cuerda para sujetar la tapa. Creo que es de segunda mano y he pagado por uno nueva. Muy decepcionada tenía muchas ganas de tenerlo y me ha defraudado que me manden un producto usado. Lo voy a devolver y comprarlo directamente en la web de Lensbaby.

Molto creativo

The lens is up to modern lens sharpness centrally, but the swirl effect and field curvature make for soft edges, but afterall, this is what you're buying it for!Focus is smooth and easy with my Sony A7rII using magnify.Do not buy this lens for APS-C cameras, the cropping removes nearly all of the Petzval swirl that you buy it for.Background and subject distance is critical to get maximum swirl, you also need backgrounds with a lot of small detail or specular highlights. Smooth backgrounds will show little if any swirl, even at the correct distances.One of only two Petzval lenses you can buy new.

I am still getting used to it so find it difficult to get sharp focus all the time. However, I love the twisty effects it gives and will use it primarily for a fun take on a photo.