Lensbaby Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Offer a Limited Number of Groundbreaking Circular 180+ Lenses for Use with GoPro® Hero* Cameras

Portland, OR (May 24, 2016) – Lensbaby – makers of award-winning creative effects lenses, optics and accessories – announces limited early availability of the Circular 180+ lens for use with GoPro Hero® cameras through Kickstarter. Crowdfunding for this project will begin May 24, 2016.

The Circular 180+ lens creates fully circular fisheye videos and images, letting GoPro® shooters capture the soul of their adventures with a fully immersive field of view.

“I wanted a lens that would give me the perspective of our Circular Fisheye lens for DSLRs in a small, rugged package so I wouldn’t have to worry about my gear when I’m in the wild,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-Founder and CCO. “A good circular fisheye, and this is a great one, makes adventures more adventurous. GoPro shooters are all about exploration, making this the perfect Go-Pro add-on.”

Lensbaby partnered with top action and outdoor videographers Cyrus Sutton, Andrew Kornylak, Nate Wyeth and Andy Mann to create an action video like no other using the Circular 180+’s incredible point-of-view. This video can be found on Kickstarter and Instagram (where the circular image pairs perfectly with Instagram’s square format).

As a creative leader in the photography industry, Lensbaby’s entry into
the GoPro category requires reaching new audiences that may have never heard of them. Lensbaby’s goal is to raise at least $30,000 through this campaign to help fund lens production and to guarantee availability by this August.

“The images from the initial Circular 180+ prototypes were so exciting, we had to get this into users’ hands as soon as possible. Traditional funding would mean putting this lens on hold due to our development resources being tied up by products we’ve already committed to,” said Strong. “Counting on the Kickstarter community to fund this project allows us to take the risk and make this lens a reality in 2016.”

Attaching to the current waterproof housing on GoPro Hero cameras, the Circular 180+ captures a 185 degree field of view, wider than the human eye can see. The lens also offers unprecedented depth of field – subjects nearly touching the front of the lens are sharp, along with everything else in the image.

Circular 180+ Lens Specs

• Fits on the current waterproof housing for GoPro® Hero cameras
• 185 degree field of view and a fully circular image in 16:9 wide recording mode (underwater full circular field of view: 120 degrees)
• Increases the GoPro® Hero’s depth of field making nearly everything in focus
• Lens housing is waterproof to withstand extended immersion up to 3 meters (IP68 standard)
• Included Water Resistant Mount is built to withstand heavy splashes of
• water with little or no leakage between the lens housing and the GoPro® Hero’s housing**
• Add-on Waterproof Mount waterproof to withstand immersion up to 3 meters and replaces the glass on the front of the standard GoPro® housing (T5 torx driver included with purchase)

For more information please contact Keri Friedman at keri@lensbaby.com or Ally Hopper with Groundswell PR ally@groundswellpr.com.

About Lensbaby

For over a decade, photographers have relied on Portland, Oregon based Lensbaby to help them break free of routine, tinker, and open themselves up to unexpected results – dancing, playing and delighting in what’s possible with a creative lens and their imagination.

Lensbaby makes award-winning creative effects lenses, optics and accessories that follow this philosophy, including the Velvet 56, a versatile portrait and macro lens; their unique Optic Swap System, which lets photographers swap their optic and tilt their lens for limitless effects; and mobile lenses that transform everyday smartphone photography. Lensbaby products are sold and distributed worldwide. For more information, visit www.lensbaby.com