Customer Reviews

Lensbaby Macro Kit (AMACK)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So I have heard many things about the lensbaby lenses and finally, I pulled the trigger, the price was right and I was looking for something more for my work. The lensbaby lenses are not you out of the box instant perfection kind of lens, you need to learn the feel and focus of these things, adjust your camera settings and lighting and get creative. The first time I put my lensbaby on, I was very discouraged, but after about an hour, I adjusted some settings and feel in love. You really can take some beautiful shots with this thing.

Two accessories which I purchased are the aperture kit, this is pretty sweet, if the lighting is right. each aperture

ring refracts and reflects light throughout your shot and cast a corresponding shape in your image. This can be a very cool treatment, however as digital photographer and a fan of photoshop, I am hesitant to lock myself into having some of my photos permanently tweaked. This is an effect I can easily re-create in post and really need to be in a creative mode when I slap on some of these treatments. That being said, 10 bucks, it's worth it, even just to mess around.

Next up, the lensbaby Macro filter set. Sweet, these 2 filters, 4x and 10x actually work, which may seem like nothign special but having wasted money in the past on useless macro filters, I was shocked to get this result, pleasantly surprised perhaps. Add the lenbaby price with this addition and you are still way under the cost of a dedicated macro lens. So worth the coin.

I am very happy with my lensbaby gear and I can honestly say it is making me a better photgrapher, manually having to focus, zooming with my feet, getting creative with lighting, these lenses make you work hard but the results are always something you can be proud of.

I received the Lensbaby Composer as a birthday gift back in June and I was immediately hooked. The creative possibilities with this selective focus lens are incredible. I have since bought most of the accessories and alternative optics for the system to expand my repetoire. The entire system is so reasonably priced that it's hard not to buy all of the options. The macro kit does exactly what its name implies and allows you to get in tight on your subject while maintaining full control over the focus point within the frame. I have rated all of my other Lensbaby optics add ons a five but this one only a four because these are little bit more difficult to mount than the other add on optics. This is due to the fact that the threads on the Composer are recessed a bit and these are pretty thin optics and it can be challenging to maintain your grip. But once they are on they work very well. I highly recommend the Composer over the 3G or classic model as it is easier to lock in your effect. These add on optics then very easily just screw into the barrel end of the Lensbaby.

The Lensbaby does not focus very closely. Without the macro kit, you'll likely find shooting situations where you just can't get close enough to the subject to capture your vision. This kit resolves that problem and opens up the whole macro world for you.

I had no idea that the Lensbaby would be a prospective tool for macro photography. To my pleasant surprise, some of my favorite Lensbaby shots are taken with the macro kit. The provided filters are optically sharp. One is a +10 diopter and the other is a +4. They can be stacked, but be sure to first attach the +10, then screw the +4 onto it.

Quality control, as with all the Lensbaby accessories and optics I have purchased, is iffy. When I stack my filters, it is difficult to screw the one filter into the other. The threads are not machined very well.

As other reviewers have mentioned, it also is tricky to screw the filter into the Lensbaby itself.

A handy filter holder is included.

If you have a Lensbaby, this macro kit is a must.

I was using the macro part of the wide angle/macro lens for my macro shots, and I while I like being able to get that close, I didn't want to always have to. So, I got this little kit. The +4 does very nice for shortening up your focal length, with the +10 really taking you into macro territory. Obviously the two stacked brings you back within 2-3" of your subject. I don't need to applaud how this can help expand your creative horizons, because if you're checking this out you already know :) My only qualm, which seems to be common, is the build quality. The threading can be a bit challenging, and even the lettering seems a bit...eh. Also, compared the the rather hefty +14 attachment that I was used to, these two are almost too light. Even stacked they're lighter...they just lack a more solid metal body.

I had the Lensbaby Composer for a week before getting the macro kit. The Composer... Awesome. The Composer with the macro lens(s) is just unreal. You can expect crystal clear images with the 4x from 10"-16", the 10x lens will get you excellent shots from ~5-10 inches. Plus you can stack the two to get clear images from a couple inches. I'm absolutely thrilled.

i was looking for a lens that i could do close ups with and lensbaby appealed to me. i saw some shots taken with them on shuttercal.com and went to the lensbaby site. pretty cool. i bought the muse and the focusing took a little getting use to but when you nail a shot it's pretty dang cool. i will save some money and probably invest in the composer which looks like it will hold the focus. get it and add fun and interest to your photos.

I already had a lensbaby composer and wanted to get an introduction to some abstract macro photography. This has allowed me to. The bokeh as amazing as usual with the lens. Focusing can be tedious at +10, but I feel you should expect that with macro photography. Came in a nice pouch to hold both of them. I think it was supposed to come with an aperture change tool but it didn't, but it doesn't bother me since I got one with the lens initially. Solid construction, looks and feels great. Nicely machined threads. Only problem is it is kind of a pain to screw them on because they don't have much to hold onto while screwing it into the lens. Overall, I'm pleased.

I read about lensbaby products in a photography magazine my wife gets. Thinking it might be cool, I ordered her one, with some of the accessories, like this macro kit. If you own or buy a lensbaby, get this kit! She has a 5d mk ii with the usual L lenses, and this is her favorite lense that didn't cost 2500.00. I was suprised at how small the macro lenses are, but they are effective. And you get a cool little case for them. As far as photography accessories go, this is a steal. Probably the least expensive accessory I have purchased for her. 5 stars for both product and service. That free shipping thing cannot be beat!

I use a Lensbaby Composer and it is not a lens I use often for serious photography. It is more of a photographers toy, but this simple cheap piece of glass really works well for what it does. Turn on the flash put a small aperture take a photo with one of these guys and they are really great shots. With the small aperture you can get a large field of view in focus which I have not seen with many macro shots. Do not get me wrong, this is not a pro piece of equipment but if you all ready have a lensbaby, 40$ is a no brainer for a macro lens. Only complaint is the same things everyone says about lensbabies, changing optics, apertures, and now macro lenses is a pain, but it is tons of fun.

In my house we have 2 sets of Lensbaby Macro Kits, the old style and the new. The new (AMACK) is ok but the old style is better made. Pictures seem to be same quality.