The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Lensbaby Velvet 56 and the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro 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. Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 98mm. The Lensbaby Velvet 56 with a length of 86mm, is 12mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro also has a larger diameter of 81mm compared to the Lensbaby Velvet 56's 72mm 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. Lensbaby Velvet 56 weighs 400g, which means it is 310g (43%) lighter than the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro which has a weight of 710g.
Filter Threads
The Lensbaby Velvet 56 has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Lensbaby Velvet 56:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Lensbaby Velvet 56 and the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro 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.
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
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.
On the other hand, the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.5 1-5x Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 65mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 104mm.