View Toward Entrance, Explosion Museum. Zone Plate Optic f/19, Lensbaby Composer.

View Toward Entrance, Explosion Museum. Zone Plate Optic f/19, Lensbaby Composer., originally uploaded by scalespeeder.

Ah yes, the final part of the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, the Zone Plate. Using symmetric rings instead of a hole, or glass lens, to focus light, the Zone Plate offers yet another artistic option for the photographer.



The Zone Plate Optic is part of the Pinhole Optic - both are in the same lens, you simply slide a switch inside the housing to change between the two. Both give similar looking fuzzy images, but the zone-plate lets much more light in, so shorter exposures can be used.

This wasn't the best day for photography, Zone-Plate or not, being very overcast and grey, but I had half an hour to spare, so Oli and I headed down to the Explosion! Museum to grab some shots.



All these photographs were taken hand-held, then processed in Adobe Camera RAW, Nik Silver Efex Pro and Photoshop.

I've found the Lensbaby Composer, along with the Optic Swap System, a revelation. It's more than just another lens - it's a whole new way of seeing with your camera.



I'm not saying that I'll have the Composer on the front of my Canon Eos 350d / Rebel XT digital slr camera all the time, but it's definitely going to be in my camera bag, and it has opened my eyes to different interpretations of the same scene.

The variations and options to hand are astounding. In the first couple of weeks I've had the Composer I've just scratched the surface of what may be possible - and I can't wait to discover more.



Cheers, Rob.