Lomography experimental lens kit for MFT

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

Hi all,

I came across some very fun lenses for MFT mount cameras, the Lomoraphy lenses.

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The unique feature with those lenses is their internal shutter. If you set the camera in Bulb mode (or also Live Time for Olympus cameras), you can achieve more than two multiple exposures. Usually if you use the default multiple exposure function on say an Olympus Pen, you can merge only two shots and you get a 50-50 opacity blend. I know the GX7 lets you merged four different shots, but with the Lomo lenses you can theoritacllay merge as much as you want and also merge two shots with different shutter speed since you use the lens shutter in addition to the camera shutter.

They are very cheap, look like toy lenses and don't expect wonderful lens performance. But they can be very fun to use, once you know how to master them. They aren't very easy to use at the beginning, mainly because once you take the first exposure, you shoot "in the dark". The camera having its shutter open, it won't give you a preview. I tried them also with the Olympus Live Time function, but after the first/two exposures, you don't get a preview anymore.

Anyway, here are some photos took with the Pen E-P5. The kit has a 160° fisheye, a 12mm and a 24mm. All three of them have a unique f/8 aperture... not fast lenses!

I already find difficult to merge two exposures together, more than two is actually really challenging!

I also wrote an hands-on article about them with more photos:

http://www.bestmirrorlesscamerareviews.com/2013/11/12/experimenting-with-the-lomography-micro-four-thirds-lenses-a-real-optical-multiple-exposure-gallery/

Is anyone shooting or have used Lomo cameras?

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[edwardconde]

Hi all, I came across some very fun lenses for MFT mount cameras, the Lomoraphy lenses. The unique feature with those lenses is their internal shutter. If you set the camera in Bulb mode (or also Live Time for Olympus cameras), you can achieve more than two multiple exposures. Usually if you use the default multiple exposure function on say an Olympus Pen, you can merge only two shots and you get a 50-50 opacity blend. I know the GX7 lets you merged four different shots, but with the Lomo lenses you can theoritacllay merge as much as you want and also merge two shots with different shutter speed since you use the lens shutter in addition to the camera shutter. They are very cheap, look like toy lenses and don't expect wonderful lens performance. But they can be very fun to use, once you know how to master them. They aren't very easy to use at the beginning, mainly because once you take the first exposure, you shoot "in the dark". The camera having its shutter open, it won't give you a preview. I tried them also with the Olympus Live Time function, but after the first/two exposures, you don't get a preview anymore. Anyway, here are some photos took with the Pen E-P5. The kit has a 160° fisheye, a 12mm and a 24mm. All three of them have a unique f/8 aperture... not fast lenses! I already find difficult to merge two exposures together, more than two is actually really challenging! I also wrote an hands-on article about them with more photos: http://www.bestmirrorlesscamerareviews.com/2013/11/12/experimenting-with-the-lomography-micro-four-thirds-lenses-a-real-optical-multiple-exposure-gallery/ Is anyone shooting or have used Lomo cameras?

I have been curious about these lenses... They seem like a lot of fun.. Like the Cmounts...

 

[greenarcher02]

How does it compare to the GX7's built in Multiple Exposure function? I'm not sure if the built-in one works with RAW I haven't save anything that I've tried lol.

 

[agentlossing]

Nice write-up! I have been watching these and waiting for more word on them. The combination of focal range, color filters and creative shutter intrigues me.

Incidentally, yours is I believe the first mention of how they focus that I've seen anywhere on the web. Do they have a manual focus ring and behave like normal manual lenses? Given their toy-ness I wondered whether they might have some kind of pan-focus, almost like a pinhole lens. Granted they're f8, so that means massive depth of field, but can you at least get heavy blur between close-up and faraway elements?

 

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

How does it compare to the GX7's built in Multiple Exposure function? I'm not sure if the built-in one works with RAW I haven't save anything that I've tried lol.

Yes the built-in multiple exposure works with RAW on the GX7.

 

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

Do they have a manual focus ring and behave like normal manual lenses? Given their toy-ness I wondered whether they might have some kind of pan-focus, almost like a pinhole lens. Granted they're f8, so that means massive depth of field, but can you at least get heavy blur between close-up and faraway elements?

Yes they have a manual focus ring. The shortest focus distance isn't really short: the min for the 12mm is 20cm, for the 24mm is 60cm. So it is very hard to get any shallow DoF.

 

[Chrisnmn]

I have used lomos for quite a while, i was lucky enough to be a beta tester for their spinner 360 too!. Until i arrived to nz were shooting film is so expensive that its forbidden almost. the LCA is one of my life favorite cameras. hands down. this lenses definitely look fun!! great photos! keep em coming!!

 

[demiro]

I purchased this lens kit as well, but my non-technical review is that they are junk. I can get way better results from my iPhone with free apps if I want to shoot goofy shots.

Granted, I did not take the time necessary to master these lenses. It did not seem like a reasonable investment.

 

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

For me, the only real interesting feature is the lens shutter. Shooting "normal" photos with those lenses wouldn't make a lot of sense

 

[Cruzan80]

Isn't the shutter on this lens controlled by hand? If so, how are you going to fire it at 1/100sec like the blog indicates? Also, you have to hold down the shutter button for bulb the entire time you are waiting for the next exposure? Seems like a good idea that never made it out of the boardroom.

 

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

Isn't the shutter on this lens controlled by hand? If so, how are you going to fire it at 1/100sec like the blog indicates? Also, you have to hold down the shutter button for bulb the entire time you are waiting for the next exposure? Seems like a good idea that never made it out of the boardroom.

You have two options with the lens shutter: T and B.
T means 1/100, it doesn't matter how slow or fast you flick the shutter toggle, it will open for that short amount of time only.
In B mode, you control manually the lens shutter, so the longer you keep it open, the longer will be your exposure.

You need to set the camera in Bulb mode, so yes for most cameras you have to hold the shutter button on the camera, unless you have an Olympus camera and use the Live Time/Bulb function. In that case, you press it once to open the shutter and a second time to close it.

 

[speedandstyle]

I just got my kit along with the Diana 55mm, 110mm and Diana to Nikon adaptor{which is then fitted to a Nikon to m4/3 adaptor}. Since it is dark and raining I can only play with these inside. They are actually sharper than I figured but aren't the easiest to focus. Even with limiting factors they are fun to play with. Double exposures are easy and the fisheye is super funky. The experimental kit is very toy like but 100% better made than the Diana lenses, they are down right fragile! Once I have had a chance to really use them I will post up some examples.

 

[speedandstyle]

You need to set the camera in Bulb mode,

You don't have to set it to bulb. You just have to set it for a little longer than you need. For instance I have been setting my shutter to 1 or 4 seconds - 1 for single exposures and 4 for double exposures. The extra 3 seconds gives time to recompose for the second exposure{which you have to guess at!}. It is a bit tricky and most shots are off but when you get a good one it is so cool. The best I have taken so far is one of the cat on fire{cat and the fireplace{only the flames showed up}.

 

[Mat - MirrorLessons]

You don't have to set it to bulb. You just have to set it for a little longer than you need. For instance I have been setting my shutter to 1 or 4 seconds - 1 for single exposures and 4 for double exposures. The extra 3 seconds gives time to recompose for the second exposure{which you have to guess at!}. It is a bit tricky and most shots are off but when you get a good one it is so cool. The best I have taken so far is one of the cat on fire{cat and the fireplace{only the flames showed up}.

You're right but the Bulb mode gives you more time to takes different exposures without the need to hurry


Mat - MirrorL

 

[audiodrive]

anyone care to post some photos taken with the LOMO EXPERIMENTAL LENS...