When I reviewed the Composer Pro II ($399.95 at Amazon) late last year, my major gripe was that the bundled optic, the Edge 50 ($224.95), wasn't available for owners of existing Lensbaby products to purchase on its own. That's no longer the case—you can now purchase it apart from the Composer Pro II, a big plus for photographers who prefer it to a lens with a standard-angle field of view, but are turned off by the Sweet 50's ($119.95 at Amazon) curved field of focus. It's a solid (though pricey) addition to any Lensbaby kit.

Design
The Edge 50 ($224.95 at Amazon)  is the second optic in the Edge series, joining the Edge 80 ( at Amazon) . Its 50mm focal length is a bit wider than the 80mm offered by its sibling, but the lenses are very similar otherwise. Both offer a flat field of focus, which can be tilted when mounted in a Composer Pro ($340.76 at Amazon) or Muse ( at Amazon) , and both feature an internal 9-blade aperture and macro focus capability.

The module weighs about 5.5 ounces, so you can use it with most Lensbabies that support the Optic Swap system, but not the low-cost Spark, which isn't designed to hold its weight. It measures in at 2.1 by 1.9 inches (HD), uses 46mm front filters, and includes a small plastic carrying case for storage. The base of the case has notches to remove or lock older modules like the Soft Focus Optic . But you won't need that with the Edge 50, as it protrudes far enough to grip and turn with your hand.

When mounted on a full-frame camera, the Edge 50 delivers a traditional standard-angle field of view. But it can also be used with cameras with smaller image sensors, including APS-C and Micro Four Thirds models, where the tightened field of view makes it well-suited for portrait work. Portrait photographers using cropped image sensors should look at the Edge 50 as an option if they prefer a shorter working distance between lens and subject.

The maximum aperture is f/3.2, and you can focus as close as 8 inches from the front lens element. That gives it a pretty decent macro capability, and the ability to tilt the plane of focus using a Lensbaby Composer or Muse certainly gives an edge to artistic photographers who want to play with focus. When shot at a distance, the effect can be used to give landscape scenes a look similar to photographing a diorama. Many cameras mimic this with a "miniature effect" filter, but here you're doing it optically.

Because the field of focus is flat, you can also capture photos that are sharp from edge to edge, assuming that your Lensbaby is set perfectly parallel to the film plane. That gives you a bit more freedom to compose images than with the Sweet 50 or the Sweet 35 , both of which capture a sweet spot of focus at the center of the frame, surrounded by blur. One look is not better, per se, than the other. I tend to prefer the Edge optics, but I do see the appeal of the Sweet design, and many Lensbaby fans swear by them.

Conclusion
If you've been holding off on getting the Edge 50 because you already own a perfectly good Lensbaby and didn't want to splurge on the Composer Pro II, you needn't wait any longer. At $225, the Edge 50 certainly isn't a bargain option, but it's not out of bounds as far as camera lenses go. It's appealing to photographers who prefer a wider field of view than the Edge 80 provides, but also want the flat field of focus that you don't get with the Sweet 50. If you've not yet given a Lensbaby a try, but are intrigued, consider going all-in on our Editors' Choice Composer Pro II, which includes the Edge 50 in its $425 price. There's also the low-cost Spark, which is a good choice for photographers who are curious about the Lensbaby look, but don't want to spend a lot of money to try it out for themselves.

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