A random title, I know. Just seemed like a "trippy" photo, so it might suit it? This is a shot taken with the "zone plate" optic installed in my lensbaby. I've hardly used it yet (successfully), mostly because it requires slow shutter speed which means I need to use my tripod. Considering I don't know what sort of shots I want to use it for yet, that means I've been pretty limited with my experimenting thus far. The other problem with it is that I have to make sure I have my backup battery with me--having the shutter open for a long time depletes the battery *very* rapidly. The last time I had everything set up, I was also using the "pinhole" option (same optic as zone plate, but with an aperture setting changed), which requires *SLOW* shutter--i.e. like 30-45 seconds if the light is fairly bright. So, between the two I got six photos taken before the battery I had in my camera died (I had already been using it the past week, so it wasn't fully charged any longer). So, I called it quits for the day.
Long story shorter: the zone plate optic acts a little like a pinhole. That is, it uses a very small aperture, which means depth of field is very big (close to infinity focus). Because of this, and the long shutter time, photos have a softness to them. They're in focus but shifted (unless the subject is moving at all, in which case it/they will be blurred), hazy. With the zone plate, it amplifies that haziness and bleeds light and color, creating a very atmospheric and moody image.
Put it simply: if pinhole photography were contemporary classical (think film) music, zone plate photography would be a Pure Moods CD. Okay, kind of a dodgy analogy, but I think you get the picture? ;)
I am really interested in the possibilities this will open up and I already have a few things in mind. I just have to get the setting right and figure out how best to do them. =)
