Customer Reviews

Lensbaby Muse for Pentax K-mount Digital SLR Cameras (Plastic)

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

 

 

If you're really looking to expand your creative possibilities, look no further (except maybe to the Lensbaby Composer). For the money and the creativity you can't find a better item. These are one of a kind and pure fun. I also bought the single-glass optic to swap out and i do like that more than the plastic..however as Lensbaby is not selling one with a single-glass optic in it, I had to buy it seperately. But now I have the plastic one in this product and the extra single-glass to have fun with.

This is a really fun lens but has a strong learning curve. You can't use zone plate optic because you can't really shoot long exposures with this lens. You have to manipulate the lens with your hands to focus and your hands must remain static. Otherwise, this is pretty awesome!

I bought the Muse with plastic optic. Very fun to use. Quick and easy to change aperture disks. I like the dreamy soft effect. I find it easier to use than I thought it would be. I will certainly purchase other optics.
I took a bunch of shots with my Nikon D80. At first I guessed exposure, then grabbed the light meter. I made a number of handheld shots and liked the results on the camera screen. When printed the shots looked sweet.
A well-made product I recommend.

(Note: I have the double-glass optic version, not the plastic one, so my review is in regards to that version of the Composer.)

I had an impression of the whole Lensbaby thing as a gimmick, until I actually bought the Muse and tried it. Shooting at the local botanical garden was a lot of fun, much more so than if I'd simply taken my trusty 28-200mm zoom. The reason I bought the Muse was because it was the least expensive, so if it didn't get much use I wouldn't be out much money. That said, the Muse does require some skill to use properly as it cannot be positioned and locked in place like the more expensive versions. If you have short fingers, you may have trouble using it as focusing requires squeezing it toward the camera body (not to mention being able to tilt it at the same time if you want the tilt-shift effect). I use the index and middle fingers of both hands to work the lens and have no trouble doing it that way. To me, this quirky operation is part of what makes the Muse interesting to shoot with as it does require more skill than the others to operate. I'd also say that the squeeze/tilt/shoot method the Muse requires may make it faster to work with vs. the other Lensbabys once you get used to it. If the Muse sounds like too much of a hassle to you, then I'd recommend the next model up (the Composer). If you want to try something different with your photography and put some fun back into it, then a Lensbaby may do the trick.

Bought this cuz it looked like a cool lens to add to my camera bag, it has a really cool use and purpose, i love it

I have come up with some interesting images with this lens. I am still learning what I can do with it.

This lens is really fun, but takes a while to figure out how to get good pictures. Unless you have a separate light meter, you have to guess and check on the shutter setting by taking lots of pictures. That is the hardest part for me; the focusing is pretty intuitive. I love the dreamy feel that the plastic optic gives, but if you prefer a sharp 'sweet spot' go for the glass optic. Overall, a unique, relatively cheap lens to add to your collection.

If you want to take a photograph where technical shortcomings are the main aspect of your photos.
then this device is for you.
A very few photographers take this approach, such as with the Holga camera, and now with Lensbaby,
and they defend this choice quite vigorously.

Lensbaby has poor optics, shallow depth of field, lots of blur and out-of-focus, and lots of chromatic aberration,
so the results are controlled by your equipment, and you have only a little control on the outcome.
The handful of folks who use it think this is great. The rest of us, not so much.

And instead of costing tens of dollars, lensbaby products hundred(s) of dollars. Ever heard of the Emperor's New Clothes?

So if you want a lensbaby, go see how many used ones are for sale on Craigslist.
The novelty usually wears off pretty soon.

And notice how few reviews of this device are on Amazon. There are hundreds of reviews for real lenses,
so how many people actually buy this thing?

For the same price, you can get a real name-brand lens with real optics, and you'll use it for years.

I was very disappointed with this purchase. I bought it as a gift for my brother who has taken up photography recently and thought it would be a "cool toy" to take some really creative shots. Couldn't get a clear image for the life of him. Did not meet expectations at all. Item was returned.

Product was shipped quickly and received in a few days after ordering. Will take some time to master the technique of how to use it. Several people I know have this same product and are pleased with the results.