Lensbaby sharpness?

Considering the edge 80 Optic.

I'm shooting products with a crappy zoom lens and tend to be shooting at diffraction producing apertures, plus, most of this is at web resolution, so sharpness is definitely a relative term here.

it's been a long time since I had my hands on a view camera, but my experience tells me just a little tilt is going to get me a lot of extra focus area. Imagine the product laying flat on a table and the camera looking down on it at a 30-40 degree angle.

I suspect I will still be able to shoot at f/11-16 (vs. 22-32) but I just haven't found anything that assures me the image will be sharp corner to corner ... often the product is long and skinny and must be oriented diagonally across the frame.

Anyone ever use this lens in a similar way? Does it do the job?

Just for a comparison, my TS-E90 has 8 degrees of tilt, but still can have issues getting the focus plane total across the subject. Figure the plane of focus is going to be no closer than 16" below the middle of the sensor. The closer you get to the subject, the harder to achieve that. I could find the max tilt on the Optic 80. What are you photographing?

My understanding is that Lensbaby has 15 degrees of tilt in any direction. I doubt I will need that much. The reason I want the 80 (their longest lens) is to help provide that needed distance.

I'm shooting many thousands of products with zero consistency in shape, size or material. Quite a challenge.

Before starting this thread I searched here and elsewhere for info and really found very little in the way of specifics. I'm guessing this lens' reputation as a gimmic or "artsy" lens has kept "real" photographers from putting it to use for serious work. Kinda makes me even more tempted to pick one up.

B&H and Adorama have such good return policies that I'd just buy one and see if it performs adequately.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #18251673
My understanding is that Lensbaby has 15 degrees of tilt in any direction. I doubt I will need that much. The reason I want the 80 (their longest lens) is to help provide that needed distance.

I'm shooting many thousands of products with zero consistency in shape, size or material. Quite a challenge.

Before starting this thread I searched here and elsewhere for info and really found very little in the way of specifics. I'm guessing this lens' reputation as a gimmic or "artsy" lens has kept "real" photographers from putting it to use for serious work. Kinda makes me even more tempted to pick one up.

Good and serious photographs don't give a **** about implied "artsy" or "gimmick" to a lens. They envision a picture and then they go make that picture reality with the appropriate gear. Ansel Adams isn't universally renown because he used the best gear in the world, he is universally renown because he knew how to make the most out of the gear he had.

vengence wrote in post #18251952
Good and serious photographs don't give a **** about implied "artsy" or "gimmick" to a lens. They envision a picture and then they go make that picture reality with the appropriate gear. Ansel Adams isn't universally renown because he used the best gear in the world, he is universally renown because he knew how to make the most out of the gear he had.

I put artsy and real in quotes to denote a touch of hyperbole, I know that doesn't always come through on the Internet.

I'm seriously considering the lens, so obviously I don't fall into that category of individuals who dismiss a piece of gear simply because public perception may not consider it worthy. On the other hand, there are clearly many out there who won't even click on this thread because Lensbaby is in the thread title.

I'd probably buy and try, but to tell the truth this is not for my Canon, it is for the Nikon at my "job". Unfortunately getting an answer on POTN Nikon boards is not easy and buying something through work and then returning it is something I don't want to get into at this point. And yeah, I put job in quotes above to indicate a hint of hyperbole, the place is a mess, but I'm doing my best to legitimize our efforts.

I've never used any of the LensBaby products (despite being tempted a few times). But I've done lots of tilt-lens photography.

One myth to keep in mind is the belief that a tilt lens will increase the depth-of-field. A tilt lens does not (ever) increase the depth-of-field. Rather, it allows you to customize its placement and/or orientation. Once you start thinking in terms of changing the position of that in-focus plane, it becomes easier to conceptualize and use. Also, the closer you are to a subject, the more important this custom focus plane can be (because close range means shallower depth-of-field).

With full control over that plane, you can have a (flat) object that is flat on the table (with your 30 or 40 degree angle) and still have the entire object in focus at f/5.6. You don't need to stop down to f/11, f/16 or smaller.

The key to using a tilt lens is understanding where the "hinge line" is and how to properly manipulate the controls (on the lens) to get focus. Without knowing the hinge line, it can become frustrating when focus seems to be random. Check around for videos or other resources on the "hinge rule".

dasmith232 wrote in post #18252287
I've never used any of the LensBaby products (despite being tempted a few times). But I've done lots of tilt-lens photography.

One myth to keep in mind is the belief that a tilt lens will increase the depth-of-field. A tilt lens does not (ever) increase the depth-of-field. Rather, it allows you to customize its placement and/or orientation. Once you start thinking in terms of changing the position of that in-focus plane, it becomes easier to conceptualize and use. Also, the closer you are to a subject, the more important this custom focus plane can be (because close range means shallower depth-of-field).

With full control over that plane, you can have a (flat) object that is flat on the table (with your 30 or 40 degree angle) and still have the entire object in focus at f/5.6. You don't need to stop down to f/11, f/16 or smaller.

The key to using a tilt lens is understanding where the "hinge line" is and how to properly manipulate the controls (on the lens) to get focus. Without knowing the hinge line, it can become frustrating when focus seems to be random. Check around for videos or other resources on the "hinge rule".

Yup
Even being in the ballpark with the hinge line makes it easier to dial in the focus.

dasmith232 wrote in post #18252287
I've never used any of the LensBaby products (despite being tempted a few times). But I've done lots of tilt-lens photography.

One myth to keep in mind is the belief that a tilt lens will increase the depth-of-field. A tilt lens does not (ever) increase the depth-of-field. Rather, it allows you to customize its placement and/or orientation. Once you start thinking in terms of changing the position of that in-focus plane, it becomes easier to conceptualize and use. Also, the closer you are to a subject, the more important this custom focus plane can be (because close range means shallower depth-of-field).

With full control over that plane, you can have a (flat) object that is flat on the table (with your 30 or 40 degree angle) and still have the entire object in focus at f/5.6. You don't need to stop down to f/11, f/16 or smaller.

The key to using a tilt lens is understanding where the "hinge line" is and how to properly manipulate the controls (on the lens) to get focus. Without knowing the hinge line, it can become frustrating when focus seems to be random. Check around for videos or other resources on the "hinge rule".

Having worked with plenty of 4x5 cameras, usually as an assistant, but occasionally on my own, i get it. I'm sure i could shoot plenty of these products at f/4 with a tilt lens, but there will still be plenty where i need to stop down considerably due to their shape.

Plus, my assumption is that like most other relatively cheap glass it is going to sharpen up even past 5.6.

LensRentals.com has no detailed write up on the lens, but it is only $42 for the optic and body for 7 days. Might run this by management later this week and see what they think.