unusual Kenko soft focus lens

[stingOM]

Click here to see on Ebay

[Pancolart]

For that price it might have been only one (re)made .

[kds315*]

Very rare that focal length. 2nd rare is 45mm, not so rare the 85mm version.
I have them all, but took years to find the 35mm version.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kds315/sets/72157625383753654/

[woodrim]

Can't the same be accomplished by shooting wide open with a diffusion filter?

[kds315*]

Sorry, but that only shows the lack of understanding of soft focus photography;
but I have to admit, it is not easy to see the differences...

Sure, some use stockings, some vaseline, some simply photoshop,
but it ain't the same

[woodrim]

I certainly understand it from my own perspective; soft focus provides haze, ghosting, and OOF characteristics that we might criticize about with other lenses.

[kds315*]

That explains it well enough It's a different form of art, no to everyone's taste.

Here is one done by my friend Jonathan Brewer, a master of that art

"Kwazulu Dreams"


http://www.imageandartifact.bz/

[woodrim]

Klaus: That photo is wonderful anyway and would work even without soft focus. Actually, I can't detect the softness as much with that photo as with the posted example in this thread. Not to be misunderstood, I do like some of the soft focus pictures I've seen and those are typically very obvious that the softness or glow are part of the image and artistic intent. However, if not done artfully, it becomes merely an image that is fuzzy and out of focus.

Many years ago I used a diffusion filter on rare occasion. I probably still have it somewhere and maybe shoud find it and give it a go now with digital. Maybe the best, or maybe the only picture where I really liked the effect was one taken of my bride while on honeymoon in 1977...

[Attila]

Soft focusing always show me some wrong image, I had two times soft focus lenses I sold them immeditelly. I can't see anything good in it. Never mind several other subjects are same to me and ..... I didn't like B&W or film too at the beginning ... and now

[kds315*]

Soft focus is an "acquired taste", like bitter. It takes a while before you like it. Maybe it is age related...

[Attila]