Last Updated on 08/20/2020 by Mark Beckenbach
These unique lenses will help you create entirely different images than anything you have made before.
Modern lenses are stunningly sharp, and free from distortions, lens flares, and anything else that gives them character. There is nothing wrong with this, but sometimes it can get a little boring seeing images that are flawless and clinical in appearance. However, worry not, because a few incredibly unique lenses have bags of character that are sure to make your images stand out from the sea of sameness. If you really want to add style to your images in-camera, you absolutely must see the unique lenses we have rounded up after the break.
The unique lenses we have listed below are far from the lenses many photographers opt to use. What’s crazy is these lenses will allow you to apply effects to your images in-camera that many photographers try to replicate in post. If you’re looking for a new look in 2020, you should take a closer gander at these unique lenses in the new year.
Table of Contents
Lensbaby Velvet 28
Do you like making your pictures look like paintings? If you’re the type of photographer who strives to create art, the Lensbaby Velvet 28 will help you achieve everything you want in-camera. This is probably Lensbaby’s softest lens yet, but it’s designed to be that way, and when you embrace it, and the vivid, punchy colors that this lens produces, you will be amazed by the images you can create with it. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Solid metal build quality
- Can be very fun
- Very soft images at wider apertures
- Very sharp when stopped down
- Small
Cons
- Hard to focus because it’s so soft, and the depth of field scale isn’t always reliable
- It’s probably about time Lensbaby starts putting exposure and focusing contacts in their lenses
- If this thing had weather sealing, it would be the single most enjoyable lens to use in the rain
Buy now Canon EF: $549.95
Buy now Canon RF: $549.95
Buy now Fujifilm X: $471.38
Buy now Nikon F: $549.95
Buy now Nikon Z: $549.95
Buy now M4/3: $549.95
Buy now Sony E: $549.95
Mitakon 35mm F0.95 II
The Mitakon 35mm f0.95 gives photographers an insanely fast lens that can produce bokeh for days! If you crave shallow depths of field and want your subject to really stand out while the background melts away into nothing, this is the lens for you. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Ultrafast f0.95 aperture
- Balances well with Fujifilm cameras
- Smooth accurate focusing ring
Cons
- No Autofocus
- The aperture ring is clickless and easy to move by accident
- No electronic communication with the cameras
Buy now Canon M: $611.87
Buy now Fujifilm X: $519
Buy now Sony E: Used from $400
Rokinon Tilt-Shift 24mm F3.5 ED AS UMC
When making a list of unique lenses, you have to include a Tilt-Shift lens. Tilt-shift lenses can give your images a unique quality and feel by altering the focal planes, and you can correct perspective distortion too. You can make cityscapes look like miniature models, and you can add exciting effects to landscapes. These lenses are usually expensive, but Rokinon’s version is priced right. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- The great price point for this type of lens
- Image quality is solid from f5.6 onward
- Great range of movements for correcting perspective distortion
Cons
- Adjustment knobs are smaller than we would like
- Extensive use of plastics
- Extreme shifts show noticeable degradation of image quality (though this really shouldn’t be a surprise)
Buy now Canon EF: $799
Buy now Nikon F: $799
Pro Tip: If we’re not continually learning and moving forward, then we’re moving backward and losing ground. Learning some new skills and trying unique lenses like the ones we have mentioned can help you grow as a photographer. If you want to step out of your comfort zone, arm yourself with the tools you’ll need. This tutorial will teach you all you need to know about wide-angle photography, including how to effectively use fisheye and tilt-shift lenses. It’s never too late to start learning.
Lensbaby Trio
When it comes to unique lenses, you won’t find any more unique than the Lensbaby Trio with its three different optics and its constant f3.5 aperture. You’ll be amazed by this little lens. The Sweet lens is sharp, the Velvet lens is dreamy, and the Twist lens is Petzval. This lens will really make your work stand out thanks to the incredible different types of bokeh you can produce. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Compact size
- Nice feel, though the exterior is a bit plasticky
- Good image quality
- Fun to use with a camera that has focus peaking
Cons
- No aperture changes
Buy now Canon M: $249.95
Buy now Canon RF: $249.95
Buy now M4/3: $249.95
Buy now Nikon Z: $249.95
Buy now Sony E: $249.95
Olympus 8mm F1.8 PRO Fisheye
Now, if you want images that will grab the attention of your viewers, you need a Fisheye lens. Fisheye lenses are used by extreme sports photographers and those who want to show the world around them in an interesting way. This Olympus Pro model for M4/3 cameras is well built, has weather sealing, and is so sharp it hurts! Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- There is absolutely no point in stopping this lens down. So much is in focus
- Weather sealing
- Pretty great colors
- You can still get bokeh from this lens
- Small size
- Fixed lens hood
- F1.8 is an incredible aperture for a fisheye lens
- Very, very good distortion control towards the center of the lens
Cons
- Honestly wish it were wider
Buy now: $999
Lensbaby Twist 60 F2.5
This Lensbaby Twist is one of the more unique lenses on the list. The Lensbaby Twist 60mm f2.5 will help you create gorgeous, swirly bokeh with ease. If you have always wanted a Petzval type lens (but didn’t like the idea of destroying your bank balance), this is the one for you. If you want to add a unique twist to your portraits, you should check it out. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- The Twist 60 lens is super lightweight and small; easy to throw in your bag to have on hand whenever you want to add a different look to any type of shoot
- The edge swirl blurs the background so well that its possible to get a great portrait in front of a terrible, busy background
- Would be a great additional lens for shooting wedding details – it creates a dreamy, novelty look that can be quite beautiful
- The widest aperture of f2.5 produces the most extreme swirl and blur, but stopped down to f22 it’s actually quite sharp and reduces the blurring effect with results similar to a normal 60mm lens
- A fun portrait lens in daylight
- Beautiful colors
Cons
- Only the center can be in focus, forcing you to frame every subject dead center, which limits your composition
- Hard to focus in low light or any subject that moves at all (like children, animals, etc.)
- For street or candid photography it is very hard to focus (an already manual focus lens) fast enough to catch quick decisive moments because its focus it is too narrow to estimate
- The gold aperture ring is kind of pretty, but not helpful if you need to be low-key, unless you like to hear people say, ”Wow that’s a fancy gold lens!”
Buy now Canon EF: $279.95
Buy now Nikon F: $279.95
Pro Tip: Gear maintenance is essential if you want to create stunning images and have your gear last a long time. Dirt and moisture can wreak havoc on lenses and cameras, so we encourage you to clean your equipment often and well. You don’t need to spend a ton of money on a cleaning kit, but you owe it to yourself to keep your lenses and cameras in top order.
Lensbaby Burnside 35mm F2.8
The Lensbaby Burnside looks like any 35mm lens, but looks can be deceiving. This lens has a party trick. The Lensbaby Burnside 35mm f2.8 features a unique dual-aperture design, with one of the apertures dedicated to “Vignette Control.” This control lets you dial-in the quality of the bokeh and the amount of vignette in your image. Here are the pros and cons from our full review.
Pros
- Solid aluminum construction means the lens can withstand considerable abuse during field use
- The buttery smooth focus ring
- Dreamy bokeh quality
- Vignette Control is an interesting way to dial in your vignette and bokeh quality in the camera
Cons
- Lack of weather sealing
- The front lens cap is of the pressure-fit design, so forgetful or accident prone photographers should take care to put it in a secure location while shooting with this lens
- Clicked aperture ring means this lens may not be suitable for video shooters
Buy now Canon EF: $499.95
Buy now M4/3: $499.95
Buy now Nikon F: $499.95
Buy now Sony E: $499.95
Rokinon 8mm F2.8 Fisheye
This little beauty from Rokinon is very easy on the wallet, and it produces images that will be easy on the eyes. You can get super creative with this Fisheye, and at its price point you’d be crazy not to give it a try. During our review period, we loved it so much that it never left our camera, and we were impressed with how easy it was to use. Here are the pros and cons from our full review:
Pros
- Small, lightweight, and balances well on the camera
- The gorgeous aperture ring
- The large, well built, smooth focusing ring
- This lens is a steal for the price
Cons
- The bulbous front element means you cannot use any filters with this lens
Buy now Canon M: $269
Buy now Fujifilm X: $299
Buy now Sony E: $249