Freelensing

[reznap]

Came across something on flickr and decided to try it. You basically hold your detached lens up to the camera body, a little tilted, play with it a bit. It's not easy to get the focus right, but you can get really interesting and super-shallow depth of field combined with some interesting effects and sometimes some light bleed - from light getting around the lens.

Also, you can skew the plane of focus, almost like a tilt-shift lens... which is extremely fun - but tricky - BUT FREE.

Anyway, it's fun.. here's 2 results with my 50mm held up to the body, it's wide open.

Here's the flickr freelensing group/pool if you want to see more: Flickr: The Freelensing Pool

 

[KmH]

Nice play (both) and a fun technique to use.

 

[ifi]

Or we can break or scratch the mirror as well
Your photos are really nice :thumbup:

 

[reznap]

Or we can break or scratch the mirror as well
Your photos are really nice :thumbup:

It's a good way to get dust in the sensor too... You'd think. I'm not very worried, I try to be pretty careful with my camera.

Thanks for the compliment

I'm not sure how many people have heard of this method, but I just learned and wanted to share

 

[myfotoguy]

Cool. I like the effect. :thumbup:

 

[Derrel]

Hey, pretty cool stuff! Thanks for passing that info along.

 

[Scatterbrained]

Pretty neat, but I can just hear my wife's reaction now when she catches me chasing our daughter around with the lens in one hand and the camera in the other. . . . .

 

[guitstik]

Are there not other ways to achieve the same effect without taking your lens off?

 

[Scatterbrained]

Are there not other ways to achieve the same effect without taking your lens off?

You could buy an extension tube or a tilt shift lens.

 

[reznap]

Are there not other ways to achieve the same effect without taking your lens off?

You could buy an extension tube or a tilt shift lens.

Exactly... keyword: BUY. This is free and fun.

You could also buy a lensbaby. I want one so bad - but the one with glass optics (they make one with plastic optics..) is $200 I think

Pretty neat, but I can just hear my wife's reaction now when she catches me chasing our daughter around with the lens in one hand and the camera in the other. . . . .

lol.. I don't have anyone to nag me (which is a double-edged sword) at the time, but the credit card company owns my gear, I'm sure they wouldn't be thrilled.

 

[Robin Usagani]

at first I thought you were trying to spell Freelancing but failed LOL

 

[KmH]

Are there not other ways to achieve the same effect without taking your lens off?

Yes.

Here is a nice Nikon solution:

PC-E NIKKOR 24mm f/3.5D ED from Nikon

Only $2200.00 USD and manual focus only.

 

[MattxMosh]

You could also buy a lensbaby. I want one so bad - but the one with glass optics (they make one with plastic optics..) is $200 I think

The Muse is $100, all the new ones have an "optic swap" system. You can buy what yau want.