When creating dreamlike images, the Obscura 50 from Lensbaby for Pentax K 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    Filter Diameter: 46mm

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 as 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. Can I remove the Obscura optic from this Obscura 50 Fixed Body and replace it with the Sweet 35 optic?

A: As the Lensbaby Obscura 50 with Fixed Body is a part of Lensbaby's Optic Swap System and it is Optic Swap-compatible, you would be able to use the Sweet 35 optic with the above lens. However, do note that has this is a fixed body lens, you would not be able to bend/tilt the Sweet 35 Optic when using it with this lens.

Q: 2. 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: 3. Will this Lens work on the Leica CL?

A: Yes this Leica L mount lens is compatible with the Leica CL.

Q: 4. Wouldn't I be able to get the same effect using a filter on my 28mm lens?

A: It might be possible to find a similar filter but it would be hard. Specially an effect where the subject looks soft and the background highlights look rounded and bloomed.

Q: 5. Can you use screw-in filters with this 50mm Lensbaby Obscura?

A: Yes, it does have a 46mm front thread for filters.

Q: 6. 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: 7. Does this lens transmit lens focal length and f-stop to z bodies?

A: The Lensbaby Velvet 28mm f/2.5 does not have electrical contacts so it will not transmit exposure information to the camera. The camera would need to be set to Aperture or Manual exposure modes.

Q: 8. Where are lensbaby lenses made or assembled? Thanks, in advance for your reply.

A: The Lensbaby lenses are made in China.

Q: 9. Will it work with a D500?

A: Yes, the Lensbaby Velvet 28mm f/2.5 Lens for Nikon F would be compatible for use on the Nikon D500 DSLR camera. Do note that this is a fully manual lens with no electronic contacts to communicate with the camera, so you will have to focus the lens manually and set the aperture using the aperture ring built onto the camera.

Q: 10. How is the aperture set? Is it done so using the camera itself? Many thanks.

A: The aperture is set by twisting the optic itself (it has a built in aperture).