Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens Review: Dramatic Dreamy Bokeh Effects Made Easy

Gear Diary is independently owned and operated. We receive compensation through advertising and from the companies whose products we review, usually in the form of the reviewed product. We test the products supplied to us, and the opinions expressed are our own.

Gear Diary is also reader-supported. When you buy through links posted on our site, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

You can learn more by clicking here.

The Lowdown

The Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens is a great option for photographers who want to experiment with their photography and create unique and creative images. It requires a bit of practice and patience to use, but the results are worth it.

Overall
4.5

Pros

  • Versatility
  • Creative control
  • Compact size and lightweight
  • Fun to use

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • Manual focus only
  • Limited range
  • The price

The Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens is a versatile and innovative lens system offering photographers a unique shooting experience. The Composer II is a base that connects to your camera, into which different lenses are connected, and the Sweet 50 lens is a great option for those who want to add creative effects and personality to their photographs.

Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens

For this review, we are using the Sweet 50 lens, but other effects are available, like Velvet, Edge, Swirl, Obscura, and the new Double Glass 2.

The build quality of the Lensbaby Composer Pro II is very good; itIt’sade with high-quality materials, and it’s clear that attention has been paid to every detail of the lens. The lens feels solid and sturdy in your hands, and the locking mechanism allows you to easily lock your focus point in place. While the Lensbaby Composer II is available for most current camera mounts, you can check with the Lensbaby website to confirm compatibility.

The Sweet 50 lens is the perfect addition to the Composer Pro II. Its 50mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.5 allows for a nice shallow depth of field. Shallow depth of field is achieved by shooting photographs with a low f-number, or f-stop — from 1.4 to about 5.6 — to let in more light. This puts your plane of focus between a few inches and a few feet. Depending on your subject and area of focus point, you can blur the foreground or background of your image.

It features a 12-blade aperture that creates a circular, dreamy effect when shooting wide open. The lens is manual focus, which can be a bit challenging for those who are used to autofocus lenses.

The aperture ring clicks smoothly into place, making it easy to set the aperture to the desired setting.

The lens has a sleek and modern design with a smooth matte finish. The lens body is compact and lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around and use in different shooting situations.

When it comes to image quality, the Sweet 50 lens produces images with a unique, ethereal quality that is difficult to replicate with other lenses. The lens creates a “sweet spot” focus that is surrounded by a gradual blur, giving the images a dreamy and surreal feel. The lens is sharp where it needs to be and produces pleasing bokeh in the out-of-focus areas.

One of the great things about the Lensbaby Composer Pro II is that it allows tilt and shift of the lens to create different effects.

The tilt function allows you to move the lens in different directions, which can create interesting and unusual bokeh effects. The shift function will enable you to move the lens up, down, left, or right, which can be useful when you need to adjust the framing of your shot.

One of the things I love about this lens is how versatile it is. You can use it to create portraits with a soft, dreamy look or capture landscapes with a surreal, otherworldly feel. ItIt’slso great for adding a creative touch to still life and macro photography.

The dramatic visual effects achieved with this lens work just as well when shooting video.

Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens Specs and Details:

Focal Length: 50mm
Aperture: f/2.5 – f/22
Minimum Focusing Distance: 15″
Format Compatibility: APS-C and Full Frame
Focus Type: Manual
Angle of Tilt: 15°
Filter Threads: 46mm
Diaphragm Blades: 12
Elements/ Groups:2 Elements/ 1 Group
Dimensions: 2″ (5.08cm) high x 2.5″ (6.35cm) wide
Weight: 6.5oz

To sum up the benefits of the Composer 2 with Sweet 50, the Composer 2 allows for tilt and swivel movements, which can help you achieve a variety of effects and looks. The Sweet 50 optic has a unique, selective focus effect that can be manipulated with aperture and focus adjustments. This allows you to control what parts of the image are in focus and to create interesting bokeh. The Lensbaby Composer 2 with Sweet 50 is relatively small and lightweight, making it easy to carry around and use in a variety of settings. Using a Lensbaby lens can be a fun and creative challenge and can help you break out of your usual photography routine.

The Composer 2 with Sweet 50 is a manual focus lens, which can be a challenge for some photographers, especially those used to autofocus lenses. Some potential limitations of the Composer 2 with Sweet 50 include using a Lensbaby lens can take some practice and experimentation to get the hang of the selective focus effect and the tilting/swiveling movements. The Sweet 50 optic has a fixed focal length, which can be limiting if you’re used to zoom lenses or other lenses with a wider range of focal lengths. The Lensbaby Composer 2 with Sweet 50 is not the cheapest lens on the market, which may be a consideration for some photographers.

The Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens is a great option for photographers who want to experiment with their photography and create unique and creative images. It requires a bit of practice and patience to use, but the results are worth it. While it’s not a lens for every occasion, when used appropriately, the Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens can produce stunning results. If you’re a photographer or videographer who enjoys experimenting with different creative techniques, the Lensbaby Composer Pro II with the Sweet 50 lens is definitely worth considering.

The combination of the Lensbaby Composer Pro II with Sweet 50 Lens sells for $299.95; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including B&H Photo, Amazon, and Adorama.

Source: Personal purchase

What I Like: Versatility; Creative control; Compact size and lightweight; Fun to use

What Needs Improvement: Learning curve; Manual focus only; Limited range; The price

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!


About the Author

Charles Kliment
A lifelong gearhead, as a teenager Charles was obsessed with high-end audio and musical instruments and through the years has focused on computers, mobile devices, 3d printing and drones. Both in his career and hobby, he employs a wide range of video, still and VR cameras. An avid gamer, dog lover and father of three adult sons, Charles is married to Jane Randel and lives in New Jersey.