Tomorrow Allison, Eva and I will be going with our friends Neil and Andrea on a lighthouse tour on Cape Cod. I wanted to have some special lenses to take with us for the day as well as with us next weekend when we go to a balloon festival. So I looked up lens rental online and found BorrowLenses.com. For $125.00 I was able to rent 2 great lenses. One is the LensBaby 3G and the other is Sigma 8mm Fisheye lens. To purchase these lenses would cost over $800.00 and by splitting the cost with Andrea we each get some time with the lenses to properly test them out for a fraction of the purchase price. And the great thing is that we got them for 2 weeks and the cost included shipping to and from BorrowLenses.com.
I tried out both lenses by taking some photos of Eva. The Photo-A-Day was taken with the LensBaby 3G. Notice how everything is soft and muted with a subtle focus on Eva’s eye. This lens allows you to manually pick your focus.
The Sigma 8mm Fisheye lens is different and gives you a nearly 180 degree view of the field of vision. This is going to be amazing while we photograph lighthouses and hot air balloons. But I practiced on Eva. Here is an example of a photo taken with that lens.
Thanks for posting about this. I was waiting to hear how your experience was and how much everything cost. I’m a cheapskate so I probably still won’t rent them. I’ll just stash money away until I have enough money to buy a new lens, which… looks like I’m gonna have to do anyway. I think I have a scratch. Grrrr.
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I don’t know that I like the lenbaby one, but the fisheye photo is awesome! Then again I like most of my photos to have a bit more sharp then that.
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Eddie,
A scratch? Oh man that stinks. I have some dust on my sensor and I hope that someone today has a blower bulb or something and can help me out. Only certain shots are getting and smudges however. I went out yesterday to find the local camera shop that had been in Falmouth for years, it is gone.
Chica,
I have to learn a lot more about that lensbaby lens. There is a lot that you can do with it and it came with a set of metal disks, not sure what they are for because no instructions came with it. I know that the lens can be a big creative tool however. I’ll be giving deeper impressions once I’ve done more than a couple of shots.
Drew- I received my Lensbaby today (I own one) and I almost cried it is so awesome. Oh, BTW I now own a D40 and I’m over the moon and awfully scared all at the same time!
Anyway, the disks are for changing the aperture. It is so freaking amazing.
Pictures to be posted later today (technically I still have some cleaning to finish before I am allowed on the computer, so you haven’t seen me.)
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No matter what kind of lens you use…that kid has the best expression!! Love those eyes!!! I can’t wait to see her in a few weeks:)
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Alli,
I looked up info on the LensBaby and figured out the aperture thing. I haven’t been that thrilled with this lens yet though. We will see as I use it more this week.
Mo,
Allison and Eva are thrilled about seeing you again too. Allison has really enjoyed all the text messages you sent yesterday. Me, not so much :-). Just kidding.
Haha! I just wanted to give you a laugh…and the PERFECT idea to gift your beloved wife:)
I’m psyched to see them…I cannot wait!!
Mo’s last blog post..Today in Aggravation…
Mo,
Yep, they are very very excited for the trip and you’ll get a huge kick out of Eva she is even more expressive now. Allison kept looking at my phone for some reason… It drives her nuts when I don’t react to those sort of messages. Makes her crazy.
All the pictures are showing her expressions…I’m psyched to see them in person:)
I think Allison just didn’t want you to miss out on the comedy…or the fantastical purchase you could make that would benefit all of you:) It’s like “My name is Earl”…do good deeds and you will be repaid with joy:) Seriously…I asked Leslie about my theory and she says it’s absolutely true!!
Mo’s last blog post..Today in Aggravation…
Mo,
I’m pretty jealous that I can’t be there that week. I thought I would traveling but turns out that I won’t be but instead will travel the week they get home. It sucks but can’t be avoided.
Yes, I see your logic. 🙂