The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A 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. Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A is the longer of the two lenses at 171mm. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 with a length of 86mm, is 85mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Lensbaby Velvet 56's 72mm diameter.
ss
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A and Lensbaby Velvet 56 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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. Lensbaby Velvet 56 weighs 400g, 73% (1090g) lighter than the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A's weight of 1490g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A has a filter size of 82mm 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 82mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A and the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3.
Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A is also available in Nikon F (DX) and Sigma SA mounts.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 is also available in Fujifilm X , Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3, Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 A has a focal range of 50-100mm and
2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
80-160mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
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 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 89.6mm.