The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 and the Lensbaby Velvet 56 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Lensbaby Velvet 56 is the longer of the two lenses at 86mm. The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 with a length of 38mm, is 48mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Lensbaby Velvet 56 also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4's 64mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 weighs 220g, which means it is 180g (44%) lighter than the Lensbaby Velvet 56 which has a weight of 400g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax FA 50mm F1.4:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has the Pentax KAF3 lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF Mount and Pentax K-3 III Monochrome, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF3 Mount.
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 is also available in Pentax KAF mount.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 is also available in Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Pentax FA 50mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
75mm.
On the other hand, the Lensbaby Velvet 56 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 56mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 84mm.