Lensbaby Omni: a toy we couldn’t resist.


We have played with Lensbaby since they first began, in fact, my first one was version 2.0, where you had to insert a disc for the aperture to be used and bend the optic with your fingers to obtain focus or bokeh.

They have come a long way and so have we.

Lensbaby meets peacock
Shot with Lensbaby 2.0, ring f/5.6 Canon 5D

A few (who is counting) years later, we got the Velvet 56mm, a soft image stand alone lens that comes in all mounts to fit your camera system. It was used extensively and then briefly on hold, since our light was shinning somewhere else.

By serendipity, we found the OMNI, not a lens but a series of “toys” like crystal wands and color gels that attach to your lens in an ingenious way and playtime has really arrived. It’s not gonna work to its best on the first day, but the good thing is that while you advance, your technique improves and you discover new ways to make it work to match your vision.

Fountain and reflection.
Velvet 56mm with one of the crystal wand creating the tree reflection.
Birthday girl.
Posing by the fountain, cropped to eliminate photographer and cars. Lensbaby Velvet 56.
Bending the light
Using one of the wands of the Omni System by Lensbaby you could get diverse effects, like the diagonal lines and reflections pn the left of the image.
Reflections on the well.
Velvet 56mm wide open with selective focus and the wand creating a reflection.
Sunshine
Again, Velvet 56mm with one of th Omni system wands for special effects.
A girls dream.
The transition into her imaginary world.

We were very pleased with these tools and are looking forward for new ideas on how to make them work for us.

In the mean time, enjoy life to the fullest, be kind and see you soon!

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By fabsforns

Photography instructor and nature lover.

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