New Selective Focus Lens Now Available for Movie Cameras and Video Cameras

Los Angeles, CA (June 5, 2009) Cine Gear Expo Booth #T7 – Lensbaby announces today the new PL mount version of its selective focus (SLR) lens, the Muse. The new Muse PL features the Lensbaby Optic Swap System™ and is specially designed for use with PL mount motion image capture cameras.  The new Muse PL will compliment Lensbaby’s existing motion picture camera lens, Lensbaby 3GPL, which will remain in Lensbaby’s product line. 

The Muse PL allows for highly creative focusing effects on any 16mm or 35mm PL mount movie camera, as well as several PL to video camera adapters such as the P+S Technik, Redrockmicro M2,  Brevis35, Letus35, and SGpro.

Like its still camera counterparts, the Muse PL allows filmmakers to bring one part of their frame into sharp focus; a ‘Sweet Spot’ surrounded by gradually increasing blur. Photographers can move the sweet spot of sharp focus anywhere in the photo by bending and compressing the flexible body of the Muse PL. The Muse PL creates the sweet spot of focus by using optics that feature a curved field of focus, giving cinematographers a unique way to control depth of field that is different from what is possible with existing tilt-shift lenses. Cinematographers can control the width and depth of field by changing the aperture disk installed in the lens.

“With the Muse PL, a cinematographer is able to control depth of field in novel ways,  moving a circular area of sharp focus around the image with a spontaneous and very creative ‘focus-and-tilt-on-the-fly’ technique,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby president and co-founder.

The Muse PL features the Lensbaby interchangeable Optic Swap System, and ships with the tack sharp Double Glass optic installed. For even greater creative freedom, additional optics are available as optional accessories.  When a photographer or videographer wants to change the optic in their Lensbaby Muse, they simply pop the optic out and drop in a different optic using an Optic Swap Tool supplied with the new optic. Each optic has different features and image qualities, allowing photographers to choose the look that fits their creative style. 

Lensbaby Muse PL sample clips that demonstrate the different optical effects of the Optic Swap System optics are available now at http://lensbaby.com/movielenses-musepl.php#video. 

“With the new Muse PL mount lens and the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, photographers and videographers are now able to choose a specific optic that expresses their individual artistic vision and create truly unique imagery,” said Strong.

The Lensbaby Optic Swap System includes three interchangeable optic options which are compatible with the Muse PL:

• Double Glass: A tack-sharp 50mm multi-coated optical glass doublet that is the same optic that is installed in the Lensbaby Composer lens for SLR cameras.  This optic is included with the Muse PL.

• Single Glass: a 50mm, uncoated optical glass singlet similar to a vintage camera optic that creates a soft and diffused image.  Retail Price: U.S. $35.00

• Plastic: a 50mm f/2 plastic singlet that maximizes blur and diffusion in a dreamy way that Holga™ and Diana™ camera lovers will especially appreciate. Retail price: U.S. $35.00

The three optics listed above are all 50mm fixed focal length. They all feature magnetically levitating interchangeable aperture disks that allow aperture settings from f/2 to f/8. 

Photographers can also mount onto the front of their Muse PL a variety of 37mm threaded accessories, such as .42x Super Wide angle lens, the Lensbaby 0.6x Wide Angle / 1.6x Telephoto Conversion Lens Kit, and the Lensbaby Macro Kit.

Lensbaby Muse PL mount lens plus Optic Swap lenses. Photo provided by Lensbaby Inc.

Product Pricing and Specs:

• Retail Price: $300

• Flexible, tube based, manual compression focusing system with fluid and continuous tilt to move the sharp area of focus

• Interchangeable optics feature a curved field of focus, giving cinematographers a unique way to control depth of field 

• Images have one circular sharp area with surrounding areas dropping off into a beautiful blur

• Native PL mount for use with motion picture cameras

• Great for a fast and loose shooting style

• Features the Lensbaby Optic Swap System, allowing users to change to several different optics each of which provides a different image quality

• Ships with the Double Glass optic installed 

• Plastic Optic and Single Glass optic also available

• Focal Length: right around 50mm

• Focus Type: Manual Compression

• Aperture Type: Interchangeable levitating aperture disks

• Aperture: f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8

• Minimum Focus: about 18” (45.7cm) without expansion;  about 9” (23cm) when collar is pushed away from the lens

• Maximum Focus: Infinity

• Size: 2.75” w x 2” h

• Weight: 3.6oz (7cm x 5cm / 102g)

About Lensbaby
Lensbaby is a Portland, Oregon based manufacturer and marketer of award-winning selective focus SLR camera lenses.  Lensbaby was launched in February 2004 by Craig Strong, a professional photographer and the inventor of the patented Lensbaby selective focus SLR lens.  Lensbaby sells to photographers all over the world through its website, www.lensbaby.com, by calling 877-536-7222 / 971-223-5662, at tradeshows, in leading photo retailers and through a growing global network of international distributors.

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