Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Swirly bokeh: Lensbaby announces Twist 60 lens

Lensbaby has announced the Twist 60, a new lens for creative photography. From what we can see, the Twist 60 is all about bokeh. The 12 aperture blades and a maximum aperture of f/2.5 should give a soft, well-rounded bokeh with good separation of the subject from the background, but the real ‘twist’ is just that – the twist. Specifically the twisty, swirly bokeh. Lensbaby claims the lens is modeled after Joseph Petzval’s Classic 19th-century design, giving photographers the ability to introduce and control that distinctive circular bokeh that is unique to Petzval-type lenses.  

We are interested to see how this lens performs, as it is almost half the price of similar lenses recently announced and it is available (via the Lensbaby Optic Swap System) in a wide variety of mounts.

The Twist 60 is available for pre-order starting April 12, 2016 and is currently offered in Canon, Nikon, and Sony E mounts. It is priced at $ 279.95/£196 for the full lens or $ 179.95/£126 for the Twist 60 Optic (for use with other Lensbaby Optic Swap System lenses).


Press release:

Lensbaby’s New Twist 60 Lens Exudes Pure Magic of Vintage Photography

Company’s love of old lenses inspires new creativity with classic image elements optimized for full frame photographers
 
Portland, OR – April 12th, 2016 – Lensbaby, makers of award-winning creative effects lenses, optics and accessories, today announced the availability of the Twist 60 lens. Twist 60 helps creative photographers find their visual voice by seeing the world differently.
 
This metal-bodied 60mm f/2.5 lens with gold anodized accents creates powerful portraits, spotlighting subjects by freeing them from their background and surrounding them with swirly blur and enhanced vignette. The brighter the aperture, the greater the swirl and the greater the vignette.
 
“Twist 60 embodies our love of old lenses and their unique ways of helping photographers discover creative possibilities,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer. “True to an 1840 design by Joseph Petzval, this lens reveals striking separation between subjects and their background, a quality that modern lens designs lack.”
 
Twist 60 Lens specs:
● 12 blade f/2.5-22 aperture
● 60mm focal length
● Twisty, swirly blur
● Recommended for use on full frame cameras
● Available in Canon EF, Nikon F, and Sony E mounts
● 4 elements in 3 groups
● Filter threads: 46mm
● Black anodized body with gold anodized aperture ring
● Minimum focus distance – 18”
 
Availability
Twist 60 lens retails for $ 279.95 and is available via pre-order beginning April 12, 2016 (shipping May 5th, 2016). Twist 60 Optic will also be sold separately for use with other Lensbaby Optic Swap System-compatible lenses. It retails for $ 179.95. For best results, when using it in a tilting Lensbaby such as the Composer Pro, photographers should shoot with Twist 60 pointed straight ahead. Lensbaby products are available at lensbaby.com, B&H, Adorama, and from select specialty photo stores worldwide.
 
About Lensbaby
For over a decade, photographers have relied on Portland, Oregon based Lensbaby to help them break free of routine, tinker, and open themselves up to unexpected results – dancing, playing and delighting in what’s possible with a creative lens and their imagination.

Lensbaby makes award-winning creative effects lenses, optics and accessories that follow this philosophy, including the Velvet 56, a versatile portrait and macro lens; their unique Optic Swap System, which lets photographers swap their optic and tilt their lens for limitless effects; and mobile lenses that transform everyday smartphone photography. Lensbaby products are sold and distributed worldwide. For more information, visit www.lensbaby.com

Lensbaby Twist 60 specifications

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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