LENSBABY TWIST 60 REVIEW

I don't recall when or where I first learned about Lensbaby, but the Composer with the double glass optic was one of the first lenses I bought when I got my first DSLR. At the time, my basic photography skills really weren't up to the task of using a manual lens on an entry level body that didn't even meter with it on. That didn't stop me from wanting...ok, NEEDING the Edge 80 when it came out, and the Fisheye Optic, and the Soft Optic. I was hooked, but was never really happy with most of the results I was getting until I got my hands on the Velvet 56 last year. As much as I love that lens, It's been pushed aside in favour of the new game in town. The Lensbaby Twist 60 is my absolute favourite of their lenses yet, read the review I wrote for Improve Photography to see why.

SEE IN A NEW, TWISTED WAY!

Things are about to get pretty twisty and twirly, so take some Gravol and fasten your seat belt for my review of the Lensbaby Twist 60.

I love blur, always have. I resist hard lines and certainties both in life and in art, preferring softer, more malleable edges. You can keep your formulas and rules, I'll stick with things that I can bend and twist to suit my need (or my whim). It's probably the reason that I prefer viewing the world through a glass of wine or three and it's definitely the reason that I've always found Lensbabies so compelling…they soften the edges on those occasions when drinking wine is frowned upon.

I own most of the Lensbaby lineup and last year I fell head over heels for their soft focus lens, the Velvet 56, (you can see my review here), so when I received an email alerting me to their newest release, I was super excited. They graciously sent me a copy to review, but the joke's on them because I totally would have bought the Twist 60, anyway. Of all the blurs, the spinning kind is my favourite and yes, I always ride the Tilt-A-Whirl at the fair. If Lensbaby had called and asked me what kind of lens to make next (which, for some reason, they always forget to do), this is what I would have asked for – a lens that is tack sharp in the centre with a wicked cool spin blur on the background bokeh. So, what's the verdict? The Twist 60 is hands down, my favourite Lensbaby lens and I predict that it will have a permanent place in my bag for a long time to come.