The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM 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 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM is the longer of the two lenses at 200mm. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 with a length of 86mm, is 114mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM also has a larger diameter of 88mm 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 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM 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, 72% (1080g) lighter than the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM's weight of 1480g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM 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 FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM and the Lensbaby Velvet 56 has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony A9 III, Sony A7C Mark II and Sony A7CR.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 is also available in Canon EF , Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF3, Samsung NX and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM 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.