The original Lensbaby was a Spartan affair; the 50mm optic had a sweet spot and a selective focus apparatus that could be controlled by simply pressing one part or another of the lens towards or away from the camera. Succeeding Lensbaby lenses, all of which are available at the Lensbaby store at Adorama, such as these, became increasingly sophisticated and interesting. Now, applying lessons learned in the interim, the Lensbaby Spark will try to capture that fun, creative out-of-the-box spirit that the original Lensbabies embodied.
The Lensbaby Spark is a 50mm lens with a fixed f/5.6 aperture, two multi-coated glass elements and manual focus via squeezing the lens in towards the camera. Available for Canon and Nikon DSLR mounts, it focuses down to 13 inches, and is compatible with the Lensbaby Optic Swap system and all Lensbaby 37mm threaded accessory lenses.
Lensbaby’s founder, Craig Strong, hopes the Spark’s simplicity of design will appeal to a new generation of young, fun, creative photographers looking for new ways to express themselves. “We crafted Spark for photographers who look to go beyond their predictable kit lens and experiment with visual spontaneity in-camera.”
The Lensbaby Spark is expected to be available this month, and will sell at Adorama for approximately $80.
For details, read the Lensbaby press release:
Lensbaby Ignites Creativity with SparkTM – a Fun & Affordable Selective Focus Lens
Lensbaby Spark is a perfect entry point into the Lensbaby system for photo enthusiasts who want a fun way to break out of the box
Portland, OR – September 18, 2012 – Lensbaby, today at Photokina, announces the release of Spark, a fun and affordable addition to the Lensbaby lens family. Spark is geared toward young photo enthusiasts who are looking for a creative spark to help break out of the box of traditional photography. It retails for $80 and is available for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.
Spark lets photographers capture creative images in-camera that have a sweet spot of focus surrounded by beautiful artistic blur. It is a manual focus lens that provides a fun, tactile shooting experience. Photographers squeeze to focus, and tilt to move the “sweet spot” of focus around the image.
“Spark sprouted from Lensbaby’s fun and creative roots,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder. “We crafted Spark for photographers who look to go beyond their predictable kit lens and experiment with visual spontaneity in-camera.”
This new Lensbaby speaks to youthful, adventurous photographers looking for fun, creative tools to help tell their unique story. Indomitable photographers who harness energy and inspiration by capturing the magic of fleeting moments through their camera lenses will find a kindred spirit in Spark. Whether documenting their experiences on vacation or their daily escapades in their own hometown, Spark is designed to help young, creative photographers express themselves.
Spark is a lightweight lens with a unique 50mm selective focus multi-coated glass doublet optic. The optic features an f/5.6 fixed aperture providing ease of use for new Lensbaby enthusiasts.
Lensbaby Spark Product Specs:
• Focal Length: 50mm
• Aperture: fixed f/5.6
• Optic: multi-coated glass doublet
• Focus type: manual
• Sweet spot, selective focus lens (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradually increasing blur)
• Available for Canon and Nikon mount DSLRs
• Focusing range: approximately 13” (33 cm) to infinity
• Compatible with Lensbaby Optic Swap System and all Lensbaby 37mm threaded accessory lenses
Spark will be available starting September 18, 2012.
