When creating dreamlike images, the Obscura 50 from Lensbaby for Nikon Z camera bodies is an unusual 50mm fixed body Pinhole/Zone Plate/Pinhole Sieve pancake lens with a versatile range of selectable styles. It is a manual focus lens with three selectable pinhole styles that each provide a different, soft, and surreal rendering.

The Obscura isn't a lens, it is an extraordinary experience crafted in the origins of photography before complex lenses were available. It is suited to photographers and creators who connect with working with fewer choices and are looking for challenges to redefine what it means to create photographic art.

Compatible with Optic Swap System    Full-Frame Format    Manual Focus    Minimum Focus Distance: 0.04"    Photolithographically Etched Pinholes    Multicoated Glass

50mm lens for full-frame format cameras.

The pinhole is not technically a lens, it is a clear round hole photolithographically etched on a multicoated optical glass surface. It has an effective aperture of f/161.

A pinhole sieve is a field of 523 pinholes, with the center pinhole being the largest and increasingly smaller pinholes radiating away from the center. It has an effect aperture of f/64.

A zone plate is a series of 47 clear circular rings surrounding a center hole with each of the clear zones equaling the area of the pinhole in the center, resulting in increasingly thinner zones when moving away from the center of the zone plate. It has an effect aperture of f/32.

The zone plate has a curved field of focus, creating a center sweet spot with falloff in the corners. The pinhole and pinhole sieve have much more consistent resolving power at the corners of the image than they do in the center.

The zone plate and pinhole sieve options produce more detail than the pinhole option. Raising contrast and increasing vibrance and/or saturation setting in the camera can bring a zone plate or pinhole sieve image to life.

The Obscura's pinhole, zone plate, and pinhole sieve are made up of three layers of photolithographically-applied chrome with a total thickness of 0.00014mm deposited on 1.5mm thick glass element, with a resolution of 128K dpi. This photolithography process not only makes true zone plates with excellent light transmission, but it also produces perfectly round pinholes and precision circular zone plate zones.

The glass features anti-reflective coating and can be cleaned like any camera lens, without fear of destroying any of the three imaging options.

Minimum focus distance:

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Is this manual focus only, or will it work with the canon autofocus system?

A: All Lensbaby products are manual focus only. A slight learning curve, but you'll adapt. Be sure your diopter is set for your personal vision before you attempt to focus manually.

Q: 2. Does the lens support built-in metering?

A: I use it on a Nikon dF set to aperture control (manual focus) The rangefinder works well and no metering problems.

Q: 3. Compatible with Canon 40D?

A: Technically it is compatible but this optic is specifically designed for full-frame cameras. If you have a crop sensor camera, most of the effect will be cropped out. Some effect will be visible with the aperture wide open.

Q: 4. Does this work without an adaptor on the Sony a7r?

A: Correct, the Twist 60 for Sony E-mount will attach directly to your camera.

Q: 5. Does it take 4 x 5 Film Holders?

A: No it does not take 4X5 holders. So far I have used it to make paper negatives by cutting RC paper into 4X5 sheets. The camera separates into two halves with the paper layed into the bottom halve. When closed the paper is held securely in place. Now that Ilford is again making direct positive papers I plan to try them soon.

Q: 6. Thank you Emily. One more question. When the aperture is set on lens, does the camera recognize what aperture was selected. Thank you

A: There are no electronics in our Twist 60 so most likely your camera will not recognize which aperture you are on. You can check camera compatibility here: a href= http://store.lensbaby.com/camera-compatibility/ target= _blank http://store.lensbaby.com/camera-compatibility//a

Q: 7. Will the swirl effect from this lens be lost from the 1.5/1.6x crop from APS-C cameras?

A: The swirl effect from the Lensbaby Twist 60 Optic with Straight Body for Canon EF is on images from a cropped sensor camera.

Q: 8. Will this lens work with the Olympus D-M1 II?

A: Not without an adapter. Search B&H for "Twist 60 M43"

Q: 9. I am familiar with using RC paper in a dark room... but never used 4x5 film.. How is the film/paper removed and developed... do you need your own darkroom?

A: Hi Joe:Perhaps the easiest and most straightforward way to process 4x5 film is to process it exactly the same as you would RC paper with the following exceptions:1. Processing must be done in complete darkness (no safelight). 2. Have the same three trays: developer, stop bath, and fixer. Use a film developer instead of a paper developer.3. Mixing a quart of developer for an 8x10 tray should be ample.4. Use a timer with fluorescent glow to time development. Follow the instructions for time listed for your particular developer/film combination. A website containing The Massive Development Chart online (do a search) might be helpful here.5. Wearing protective gloves, gently push the film around in the developer for the allotted time and then transfer to the stop bath, and then to the fixer. Remember to keep the lights off and be in complete darkness until you complete the fixer stage.As a suggestion, you might want to place the 8 x 10 developer tray into a 16 x 20 tray filled with water at 68 degrees. That will help to maintain the temp in the developer tray throughout the length of the process.Hope that helps you get started. All the best to you!

Q: 10. Is the Twist 60 at all effective with a crop sensor camera, like the micro four thirds format?

A: The Twist 60 was designed for full-frame cameras. We don't recommend using it on a crop sensor camera because a lot of the twisty effect will be cropped out by your camera. Here is our Twist 60 comparison between a full-frame camera and a crop censor camera: a href= http://lensbaby.com/twist-60-full-frame-vs-crop-sensor/. target= _blank http://lensbaby.com/twist-60-full-frame-vs-crop-sensor/./a Here is a review of this optic on a crop sensor camera: a href= https://www.lifepixel.com/gear/lensbaby-twist-60. target= _blank https://www.lifepixel.com/gear/lensbaby-twist-60./a There would be even more of a crop when using a Micro 4/3 camera.