The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II 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. Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 197mm. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 with a length of 86mm, is 111mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Lensbaby Velvet 56's 72mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II 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% (1100g) lighter than the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II's weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
The Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II has a filter size of 77mm 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II and the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has the same Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony Alpha lenses are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 is also available in Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3, Samsung NX and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Sony 70-200mm F2.8 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-200mm and
2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 300mm.
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.