Photographers with an artistic eye, as well as wedding and portrait specialists, have likely at least heard of Lensbaby over the years. After all, the company has been making its eponymous line of creative manual focus lenses for the better part of two decades, and we've been testing them since the beginning. Its catalog covers a range of effects, everything from pinhole to soft focus to the sweet-spot-of-focus Lensbaby look that has become synonymous with the brand.
The company's marquee Optic Swap system comprises a set of lens bodies (or housings), along with optic modules that go inside them. You can mix and match elements to your heart's content, but with three lens bodies and nearly a dozen optics to pair with them, you might have questions. We break down your options below to help you decide on the right combination for your needs.
Editors' Note, Jan. 14, 2026: With this update, we have removed the Obscura 50, as it has been discontinued. Our other selections have been vetted for currency and availability. Lensbaby has not released any new Optic Swap lenses since our last update.
Composer Pro II
The Composer Pro II uses a lockable ball-and-socket mechanism to set tilt and a ring for manual focus. The second-generation version has better build quality than the original and shouldn't have any problems handling heavyweight optics like the Edge 80. You can lock the degree and direction of tilt with this lens and focus precisely, so it makes for a more traditional photo experience than the push-pull design of the Spark 2.0. This is the housing to get if you're a newcomer to Lensbaby.
Spark 2.0
The Spark 2.0 is for photographers who want to live in the moment; it's essentially a light-proof tube with some flex. Pull the tube toward the body to focus far away, push it out to focus close, and move it to any one side to shift the sweet spot of focus. If you primarily plan to use Sweet lenses and like the Spark 2.0's simpler operations, don't hesitate to get it. Just know that Edge optics are heavy enough to cause the housing to droop.
Double Glass II
Effects: Bokeh shapes, sweet spot of focus
Best With: Composer Pro II, Spark 2.0
The Double Glass II takes the optics from the cheaper, plastic Sweet 50 and puts them in an aluminum housing that adds support for magnetic aperture discs. Those discs let you change the shape of background highlights. The two-element 50mm lens captures a sharp center spot of focus without distracting false color, and this latest version even includes an internal aperture that adjusts the size of the sweet spot.
Edge 35
Effects: Edge-to-edge focus
Best With: Composer Pro II
The Edge 35 has a moderately wide 35mm focal length and an internal aperture. Its F3.5 optics offer plenty of background blur at close focus distances (the Edge does 1:2 macros), and its angle of view suits the miniature effect for cityscapes and landscapes.
Edge 50
Effects: Edge-to-edge focus
Best With: Composer Pro II
The Edge 50 offers a versatile 50mm field of view, a good fit for everyday photography, selective-focus landscapes, and macros. It works best with a Composer body and is especially suitable for portrait work in combination with a crop-sensor camera.
Edge 80
Effects: Edge-to-edge focus
Best With: Composer Pro II
The Edge 80 is the biggest, most expensive lens you can get for the Optic Swap system. As such, you should use it only with Composer housings; it's just too much for a Muse or Spark to handle. Full-frame photographers should appreciate its 80mm focal length for portraiture, while its 17-inch minimum focus distance makes it a good pick for macro work, too.
Soft Focus II
Effects: Bokeh shapes, soft focus
Best With: Composer Pro II, Spark 2.0, Straight Body
The Soft Focus II draws images with a soft glow, a desirable trait for portraits and flower macros. This latest iteration has the same optical character as the original but adds an internal aperture so you can control just how soft photos look. It also supports drop-in apertures, so you can add funky shapes to bokeh highlights. Lensbaby sells it with a Straight Body, but this one works just as well with the Composer or Spark housings.
Sweet 35
Effects: Sweet spot of focus
Best With: Composer Pro II, Spark 2.0
The Sweet 35 is the widest-angle Lensbaby with the iconic sweet-spot-of-focus look. Like the other Sweet lenses, it trades support for drop-in bokeh discs for an in-lens aperture and does best with a lens body that offers tilt support. We especially like the Sweet 35 for APS-C camera systems because its angle shows more blur around in-focus portions of your photo than you get with the Sweet 50 or 80.
Sweet 50
Effects: Sweet spot of focus
Best With: Composer Pro II, Spark 2.0
The Sweet 50 is the de facto standard Lensbaby optic for photographers with full-frame cameras. Its standard angle of view works well for everyday snaps, portraits, and close-ups, and it accomplishes the sweet spot of focus most people buying into the Lensbaby system desire. The lens includes aperture controls, but you can't use creative bokeh plates. Step up to the Double Glass II if that's important to you.
Sweet 80
Effects: Sweet spot of focus
Best With: Composer Pro II, Spark 2.0
Portrait specialists should try the Sweet 80 because its moderately telephoto focal length leads to more pleasing compression for head-and-shoulders framing. The sweet spot of focus effect simply adds some creative flair. This is also the best of the Sweet lenses for macros; it focuses as close as 22 inches for dramatic detail shots.
Twist 60
Effects: Swirly bokeh
Best With: Straight Body
The Twist 60 came out at the height of the Petzval lens craze. Like others, it takes inspiration from an optical formula Joseph Petzval created in the 19th century and produces images with swirly bokeh. The Twist 60 pairs well with full-frame cameras and works best without any tilt effects.