Lensbaby’s new OMNI filter system isn’t like any kind of filter system you’ve seen before
Jun 18, 2019
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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Shooting through stuff like crystals and whatnot isn’t a new idea, but it’s not one that’s really been developed, commercially. Sure, you can go on Amazon and buy a crystal to shoot through, but it’s not easy to work with unless you want to build some kind of custom rig or just hold it yourself in front of your lens.
Lensbaby, though, has been working on this idea, and they’ve created the new OMNI Creative Filter System. At the moment, it’s essentially a ring that screws onto your lens with magnetic… divots, I suppose, into which you can mount one of several different “filters”.
The goal of the system is to help make experimenting with crystals and such in front of your lens a little less hit and miss, and into the realm of something resembling consistency. If you’re just manually handholding a crystal in front of your lens, even if the camera’s locked off on a tripod and nothing moves in front of the camera, you’re never going to get the same shot twice. And if you’re handholding the camera, and one hand is tied up holding a crystal, you’re not really using the best shooting technique, either.
The OMNI system consists of either a small (58mm) or large (77mm) ring which screws onto the end of your lens (either directly or with the help of step-up rings), which you use with three different magnetic “filters”…
- Crystal Seahorse – This is the one in the photo at the top of this page
- Stretch Glass – This sounds like it might offer something akin to anamorphic lens flare
- Rainbow Film – A diffraction panel that creates a rainbow haze over your shot
The magnetic divot and the ball on each of the “filters” means you can rotate and reposition the crystal to fit exactly where you need it to in the shot. And as long as you’re careful with how you carry your camera, it shouldn’t move around from shot to shot. There are a couple of arms that allow you to move whatever you’re using a little further out from the front element, too for a little more positional control.
There’s also an expansion pack to go along with the new OMNI, which includes three new “filters”…
- Crystal Spear – Lensbaby says this one offers “radiant specular highlights and kaleidoscopic reflections and dreamlike flare”
- Triangular Prism – This will likely give something similar to the prisms we’ve all seen before
- Scalloped Window – This offers scalloped edges with a clear centre for framing up your subject
Examples shot with all of these different filters are shown in the video up top and some of them look quite interesting. I don’t know that it’d work for the kind of photography I do, but it looks kinda fun. The crystal thing seems to have become quite popular for weddings and engagement shoots over the last few years, so if that’s something you do, maybe this will help make your life easier.
The OMNI and the expansion pack are available to pre-order now for $99.95 and $49.95 respectively. There’s no word yet on when they’ll actually ship, though.
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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30 responses to “Lensbaby’s new OMNI filter system isn’t like any kind of filter system you’ve seen before”
Really cool!
Not as cool as you, though ;]
Andrew Rendell
Neat gimmick
Expensive gimmick
? will somebody just use that to shoot list of high res picture in blank bg colour then sell as PS overlay layers? Actually my first impression is… what’s the point?
Junk to make your expensive gear work worse.
Or, tools for an artist to explore creative approaches. It’s all a matter of perspective and personal taste.
My personal opinion is that no artist would buy or use this and that the people that would buy and use this are not artists and never will be. Just my personal opinion mind you.
Somewhere in the world, a photographer has just seen your comments about ‘no artist would buy or use this’ and is buying a beer for you to hold.
Some people’s joy in creating is found in the purity of limiting and mastering a specific set of tools. Some people only care about the end result, and any tool they choose is fair game. To be an artist is to create, not to be told whether you are or are not a real artist based on the tools you choose.
It wasn’t long ago that you would not be considered an artist because you use digital gear. And before that, using Photoshop made you a laughing stock to some. I know plenty of large format shooters, and at least a handful of people who grind their own lenses, use only historical methods, and mixing their own chemicals, developing on glass and metal. One of whom is the lead curator for Kodak. Maybe he doesn’t think you’re an artist? Is he right?
No: you’re an artist because you create art.
Please don’t presume to think you get to decide who is and isn’t an artist based on the tools they choose.
I have not presumed anything whatsoever. My opinion is from my point view and does not take anyone else’s opinion into account at all. Art can only be from your personal point of view not from what someone else says is art or from what from what any society or institution defines as art. That’s my opinion. It doesn’t matter to anyone but me. It also shouldn’t matter to anyone else. You have to ask yourself why you dislike my personal opinion so much so that you would take the time and effort required to try to enlighten me as to what your personal opinion is. I’m sure you’re a decent person with many great qualities but I don’t know you. I don’t really have any interest in what your opinion is about anything. Nothing personal intended here. I still think it’s junk to make your expensive gear work worse. To me this gizmo is the artistic equivalent of a paint by number. You can disagree with opinion. That’s perfectly fine. I think what pushed my button about your first comment is that in my world I see so many people self declaring they are artists when they are not even technicians. People who have been perusing their vision for a year or two and don’t understand the basics. Not apprentices or craftsmen or journeymen. My personal thought is that an artist has mastered the craft and transcended into another realm. They have a persistence of vision. They are not motivated by financial reward or notoriety. They would be compelled to create their art whether or not anyone ever saw it or heard it etc. You may disagree with all of this but that doesn’t make either one of us right or wrong. It’s just my opinion. Only my opinion.
Robbie Keene You keep attempting to disclaim “my personal opinion” while telling other people they aren’t artists based on your definition. I took the effort because you posted in a public fashion, inviting public response. So I responded.
If this gizmo is equivalent to paint by numbers, then your camera does all the work for you and so you are not an artist – you’re just a guy who sometimes gets lucky pushing a button. Do you think I’d honestly accuse you of that because of the kind of system you use? No.
I’m fine with your description about mastering a craft to become an artist, and I absolutely agree with having a vision as a central requirement. But art is not about what tools you use, is it? Can a master of the craft make good photographs using a disposable camera? Or a phone? Absolutely.
It’s the artist that makes the tool useful, not the other way around. What pushed *my* button is making a proclamation that someone’s ability to be an artist is defined by the tools they choose. You choose your camera settings, you choose the time to press the button, you choose how to frame the scene, you choose which pictures you keep and which you throw away. You are in charge of how your work looks and what subjects you shoot.
This is no different – don’t tell people they can’t be considered artists because you don’t approve of their tools.
This is getting tedious. I’m not saying your opinion is invalid. I’m not telling anyone that they can’t be considered an artist by anyone because I don’t approve of their tools. I said it was junk to make your expensive gear work worse. That’s my opinion. You don’t like my opinion. Fine. You have read so much into this. You are the one that brought artists into this whole conversation with “Or, tools for an artist to explore creative approaches.”. I don’t agree with that statement at all. My opinion is that an artist wouldn’t use this. I think people that want to believe they are artists buy and use this. It is all marketing at the end of the day. I am only still posting out of respect for you and your opinion as your opinions appear to be held in high esteem by you and it would appear they have a great deal of thought and passion behind them. I absolutely respect that. However, I am not changing my mind about my opinion and I do not care what your opinion of my opinion is. I agree that we disagree. Let’s be done with this discussion until such time as we can respectfully disagree over a beer or coffee. Cheers mate!
We have been respectfully disagreeing; I have fought for over twenty years to get people away from the idea of dismissing something out of hand because it doesn’t fit their notion of purity. You know how people hate the lens flare filter? It’s because it was overused, and used poorly for so long by people who just slapped it on a picture (or every three seconds of a movie) and called it good. Then there are people who turned the filter into a tool for simulating highly specular surfaces in 3D, translucent textures, and water simulations.
I’m not trying to get you to buy one, or even accept its use. My response to you is for the benefit of other people who might feel ashamed of buying this because someone who produces great photos has said it’s junk and implied its use means they aren’t an artist. Like it or not, there are people just getting started who haven’t formed solid opinions about their own work, yet. They look at things like this, they read your opinion, and they see your work – they respect it so they tell themselves “Well, there’s a guy who clearly knows his stuff saying this thing isn’t used by real artists.”
What if someone gets it just because it’s cheap and fun, and it gets them out shooting more just as an excuse to use it? What if they play with it, decide it’s not for them, but end up learning how to be a great photographer because it encouraged them to play and learn? You may never actually see it in their work, but it gave them a chance and a reason to experiment.
We certainly can be done, but I want to impress upon you that what we say here influences others. You and I have given others something to think about by presenting opposing ideas, so I’d call that a win.
I would also call it a win. And kudos to you for not letting this sink to the level of most internet disagreements. People can have intelligent arguments without resorting to name calling and dismissive statements. I’m sure that those that may be interested in this product will buy or not buy based on their own desires and finances.
hmmm…seems a bit hipster….but yeah, can see the effects could be used by fashion togs.
For years, I’ve used a gooseneck holder for similar effects, but I really like the simplicity and stability of this design. I don’t use the effects very often at all, but they’re a real treat to dig out now and then. At this price, it’s worth stashing in the bag just to play with when the mood strikes, but could end up with some awesomely chaotic results.
So cool!
I think everyone that posts snarky, snotty comments on this blog should be required to post a link to their portfolio as well, so we can see just how relevant their opinion really is.
This would be a premium DIY article! HINT ?
Oh hey Prism Lens FX rip off
Lens manufacturers works to make lenses free of distorsion, chromatic aberration, flare, they try to make them as sharp as they can. Then comes Lensbaby…
I suppose if the lens itself is free of those things, then it’s easier to get the exact effect that you want by adding an external source of distortion. Plus if you don’t like the effect, you can just remove it and have the clear image. :P
What about shoot a clean image, then add ANY effect in PS?
Photoshop and other editing software can look a bit sterile and samey, like how everyone uses the same Instagram filters.
It’s just another tool to achieve an effect.
It’s true, if you use the presets out of the box, it will be the same with other’s images made with the same preset. Or be creative and make your own effects. There’s no limits, you can do anything you imagine with PS. I know, it needs time, creativity, work…
If you’re imaginative, there’s no limits to in-camera effects either. And not everyone has access to Photoshop, or wants to use it for anything other than minor adjustments. Plus it’s fun! (I know, that involves having fun and creativity and sometimes work…)
It’s a tool. It’s not for you. It’s not for me either.
On the flip side… What if I don’t want to use Photoshop? What if I want to do it all in camera? I enjoy using Lensbaby gear for the chaos factor. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it. I can rarely get the sort of effect in Photoshop that matches the randomness of it – Photoshop tends to be too clean. Not all of us need or want to be tied to a computer for every creative shot we might want to take. Flipping that coin again, I also like the challenge of working with what Lensbaby yields me in Photoshop. Different strokes. No wrong answers. :)
Looks like shit