The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro 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 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 with a length of 86mm, is 20mm shorter. On the other hand, the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro's 71mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro 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, 22% (115g) lighter than the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro's weight of 515g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro 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 Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro 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 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Sigma 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Sigma SA and Sony E 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 70mm F2.8 DG Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 70mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112mm.
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.