The Lensbaby Velvet 85 is a new and unique lens that can simultaneously serve as a special portrait lens and as a macro.
The Velvet 85 is part of a series. There is also a previously introduced Velvet 56. The lenses look very classic. The housing is made entirely of metal, and focusing is done manually via a long, smooth focus stroke. That long focus stroke is also ideal for making video recordings.
What makes the Velvet 85 so special and where the lens gets its name from is the slight flare that provides a dreamy and silky-smooth image impression at the largest apertures. This makes the lens ideal for very creative portraits. The effect decreases the more you stop down. The degree of flare can be nicely controlled in this way. At f/8, the lens is almost a regular 85mm with high sharpness, contrast and detailing. Only in very light areas will a trace of the Velvet effect be seen. The lens has no fewer than 12 diaphragm blades. This allows an almost perfectly round aperture, which contributes to the beautiful, dreamy bokeh.
Picture taken by: Christina Venedict
Thanks to the high image quality at small aperture apertures and the long focus stroke that ensures an image scale of 1:2, this lens can also be used as a macro. The shortest setting distance is 24 cm.
Specifications and features Lensbaby Velvet 85 F/1.8:
• Aperture range: F/1.8-16
• Maximum image scale: 1:2 Macro
• Focal length: 85mm
• Filter thread: 67mm
• Focusing from 24 cm (19 cm from the front lens to infinity)
• Number of diaphragm blades: 12
• Separate metal lens hood is included with the Lensbaby Velvet 85 for mirrorless cameras (built in for the DSLR version)
• Dimensions of the DSLR model: 89mm length at infinity to 132mm in macro mode
• Dimensions of the mirrorless model: 103mm length at infinity to 146mm in macro mode
• Weight: 530 gram
The new Lensbaby Velvet 85 F/1.8 will be available in the Benelux in mid-July. The Velvet 85 F/1.8 is available for DSLR cameras from: Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony as well as for mirrorless cameras with M4/3, Sony E, Samsung NX and Fujifilm X mounts. The recommended retail price including VAT is € 549.99.
