In case you didn’t know, PMA is going on in Vegas right now and I wish I were there. This weather is getting ridiculous. Anyway, Lensbaby announced their new 0.42x Super Wide Lens attachment that works with the recently announced Composer, Muse, and Control Freak fixed focus lenses. So what’s so special about this thing? Well, it converts Lensbaby optics from a 50mm focal length to a 21mm focal length, which is pretty cool. It’s available now for $80.
Las Vegas, NV (March 2, 2009) PMA Booth #M230 – Lensbaby announces today a new 0.42x
Super Wide Lens for use with their new line of selective focus lenses – The Composer™, The
Muse™, The Control Freak™ and their companion Lensbaby Optic Swap System™ consisting of
Double Glass, Single Glass, Plastic, and Pinhole/Zone plate interchangeable optics.Like the current line of Lensbaby accessory lenses (which includes a 1.6x telephoto, 0.6x wide angle,
and +4 and +10 macro filters), the 0.42x Super Wide Lens simply screws onto the front of any
Lensbaby lens via its standard 37mm screw thread. The 0.42x Super Wide Lens converts Lensbaby
optics from a 50mm focal length to an ultra-wide 21mm focal length.Lensbaby President and Co-Founder, Craig Strong, stated, “Many Lensbaby users are shooting with
cropped-sensor digital cameras, and are looking for a wider angle of view. With this new 0.42x Super
Wide Lens, we are offering the widest angle-of-view yet for selective focus lenses in one of the
lightest, most compact 0.42x conversion lenses available. The 0.42x Super Wide Lens can be used
with any Lensbaby lens and optic combination. My favorite use of this accessory lens is to combine
the 0.42x with the Lensbaby Pinhole/Zone Plate optic to provide expansive views and the widest
pinhole and zone plate photography currently possible with an SLR camera.”Product Pricing and Specs:
Converts Lensbaby optics from a 50mm to a 21mm focal length
• Compatible exclusively with all Lensbaby lenses using the Double Glass, Single Glass,
Plastic, and Pinhole/Zone Plate optics as well as Lensbaby 3G, Lensbaby 2.0, and the Original
Lensbaby
• Attaches via 37mm screw thread onto the front of any Lensbaby for ease of use
• In contrast with the Lensbaby 0.6x wide angle lens, the Sweet Spot of focus shrinks in size
and becomes very small and precise with enhanced blurring and prismatic color shifts on the
edges of the photo
• Measures 2” W x 1.75” H (5.1cm x 4.4cm)
• Weighs 2.4oz (68g)
• Lighter and more compact than industry-standard 0.42 wide angle accessory lenses
• Will vignette when not pointed straight ahead on a full frame cameraAll Lensbaby lenses provide photographers with a new way to control depth of field by bringing one
area of a photo into sharpest focus with that Sweet Spot™ surrounded by gradually increasing blur. By
bending the Lensbaby lens, the photographer moves the sharp area around the photo for customized
creative effects.Three new Lensbaby lenses – The Composer, The Muse and The Control Freak, – make up the new
line of products. Each features the new Lensbaby Optic Swap system. With the Composer, Lensbaby
introduced a completely new lens, based on a ball and socket configuration that delivers smooth
selective focus photography with unparalleled ease of use and greater precision. The new Composer
retains its position after being bent and is easy to use. The Composer stays in the desired bent position
without requiring a locking mechanism and is compatible with the new Lensbaby Optic Swap System.