Lensbaby Announces Velvet 56

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PORTLAND, OR and ST. LOUIS, MO–(Marketwired – Apr 7, 2015) –<strong>(ShutterFest 2015)</strong> — <a href="http://www.lensbaby.com/" rel="nofollow">Lensbaby</a>, providing creative effects lenses to photographers that ignite their creativity and expand their unique visions of the world, today announced the Velvet 56, a new high-end classic portrait lens. Velvet 56 will be on display for the first time during ShutterFest 2015, being held April 7-8 at St. Louis Union Station, St. Louis, Missouri.</p>
<p>Velvet 56 is a 56mm f/1.6 SLR and mirrorless camera lens with 1:2 macro capabilities. This “new classic” portrait lens delivers a velvety, glowing, ethereal look at brighter apertures, and beautifully sharp but subtly unique images as you stop down — with gorgeous, velvety tones that give digital images a film-like, organic quality. Incredibly versatile, Velvet 56 enables photographers to move seamlessly from shooting an environmental portrait, to capturing details in a subject’s clothing or jewelry. Nature and macro photographers will find its close-focus capabilities, combined with effects varying from impressionistic to just a touch of velvety smoothness, provide a set of visual tools that will expand their vision of the world.</p>
<p>Evoking the image style and construction quality of classic portrait lenses of the mid-20<sup>th</sup> century, Velvet 56 features the heft and smooth, dampened manual focus of these early lenses. Velvet 56, with an all metal body, will be available in two colors: traditional black, plus, Velvet SE, a special silver edition. Velvet SE will feature a beautiful clear-anodized finish, along with engraved aperture and focus markings.</p>
<p><!--more--></p>
<p><strong>Industry Reaction</strong></p>
<p>“Excited was an understatement. When the box arrived, I ripped it open…5 minutes later I ran down into the studio shooting test shots…Result? LOVE LOVE LOVE. This is going to be a huge hit.”

– Sal Cincotta, photographer, educator, founder of ShutterFest, and publisher of Shutter Magazine —<a href="http://www.salcincotta.com/" rel="nofollow">www.salcincotta.com</a> and <a href="http://www.behindtheshutter.com/" rel="nofollow">www.behindtheshutter.com</a></p>
<p>“I am IN LOVE with this lens! The thing that makes me most excited, and the reason I never want to take it off my camera, is the way it jumps from macro to far away shooting. I adore it! It is the perfect lens for a portrait or lifestyle session because you never have to take the lens off.”

– Caroline Jensen, portrait photographer & educator, <a href="http://www.carolinejensenblog.com/" rel="nofollow">www.carolinejensenblog.com</a></p>
<p><strong>“</strong>I don’t know what it is about this lens that makes me so emotional, but when I opened this photo up on my desktop it made me cry…have never experienced that before, it’s like this lens sees like I do…It’s like coming home…”

– Kathleen Clemons, nature photographer & educator, <a href="http://kathleenclemonsphotography.com/" rel="nofollow">http://kathleenclemonsphotography.com/</a></p>
<p>Velvet 56 allows direct access to the creative process of making beautiful and compelling images. This lens is a fluid extension to the photographic experience — the touch of the flawless metal, the tactile feel of minute details etched into its surface, the sensation of smooth, dampened manual focus. Photographers can effortlessly evoke classic appeal and transition from distant subjects to macro easily, capturing a variety of details in any given scene.</p>
<p><strong>Images

</strong><a href="http://lensbaby.com/velvet56.php" rel="nofollow"><strong>http://lensbaby.com/velvet56.php</strong></a></p>
<p>“Velvet 56 is the result of our tireless efforts to offer a brand new lens design that combines the best qualities of classic lenses while eliminating the negative aspects of classic lenses,” said Craig Strong, Lensbaby Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer. “Utilizing a never before used singlet-doublet-singlet optical design, we have combined a variable glowing highlights with tack sharp latent details even at the maximum, f/1.6, aperture. This groundbreaking design, combined with macro focusing, gives photographers one of the most versatile lenses ever made, helping them create images of any subject matter with unique heart and soul. Portrait photographers can now add a new must-have lens to their bag of most-loved equipment. Nature and macro photographers will appreciate the subtle variable, buttery-smooth aesthetic.”</p>
<p><strong>Velvet 56

Specs and Features</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>f/1.6-16</li>
<li>1:2 Macro</li>
<li>56mm</li>
<li>62mm filter</li>
<li>Focuses from 5″ from front element to infinity</li>
<li>Metal lens hood included with Velvet 56 lenses for mirrorless cameras only</li>
<li>Dimensions (DSLR) 86mm at infinity to 112mm at Macro, 71.96mm diameter</li>
<li>Dimensions (mirrorless without hood) 94mm Infinity to 120mm at Macro</li>
<li>Weight ~400 grams</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Pricing

</strong>Velvet 56 retails for $499.95 (MSRP) and $599.95 (MSRP) for Velvet SE. The lenses will be available in Canon, Nikon, Sony A and Pentax mounts beginning 4/13/15 at lensbaby.com, B&H, Adorama, and from select specialty photo stores worldwide. Mirrorless mounts including Micro 4/3rds, Sony E, Samsung NX and Fuji X will be available in early May 2015.</p>
 
Oct 17, 2013
8
0
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).


EDIT: yeah, saw the link now. The images are not very interesting.
Even when using the original LensBaby people always assume you made a photoshop gimmick. With this lens they'll just assume that you did an Instragram gimmick, which is worst.
 
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dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but, I don't put much weight into the opinion of someone who's either unable or unwilling to read what's been posted and find the link to the images from this lens.

As for the sample images, they're definitely different. I can see some people losing their minds over the images while others will be put off by the effects of the lens.
 
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jebrady03 said:
dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but

If you're going to be offensive to someone, don't wuss out by prefacing it with "no offense but". :mad:
 
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IgotGASbadDude said:
jebrady03 said:
dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but

If you're going to be offensive to someone, don't wuss out by prefacing it with "no offense but". :mad:

Thanks for your comment. It's good to know that we are among humans and not robotic perfect not prone to mistakes like that guy. I didn't saw the link at first, I'm working and usually just scroll my eyes through this kind of stuff.
Anyway, thanks again.
 
Upvote 0
IgotGASbadDude said:
jebrady03 said:
dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but

If you're going to be offensive to someone, don't wuss out by prefacing it with "no offense but". :mad:

Trust me, if I wanted to offend, I absolutely could and would. I literally (not figuratively) meant that I didn't intend my comment to be offensive so one shouldn't read it that way. I was simply pointing out that someone shouldn't be commenting without being knowledgeable on the topic.
 
Upvote 0
dpetry said:
IgotGASbadDude said:
jebrady03 said:
dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but



If you're going to be offensive to someone, don't wuss out by prefacing it with "no offense but". :mad:

Thanks for your comment. It's good to know that we are among humans and not robotic perfect not prone to mistakes like that guy. I didn't saw the link at first, I'm working and usually just scroll my eyes through this kind of stuff.
Anyway, thanks again.

Haha you said "I didn't SAW" . . . ;D now I'm busting on ya ::)
 
Upvote 0
IgotGASbadDude said:
dpetry said:
IgotGASbadDude said:
jebrady03 said:
dpetry said:
No example shots provided?
Just text reviews from anonymous or paid celebrities?
US$500?
Lensbaby has gone mad, I believe only in what I can see (and even so I'm still skeptical).

No offense but



If you're going to be offensive to someone, don't wuss out by prefacing it with "no offense but". :mad:

Thanks for your comment. It's good to know that we are among humans and not robotic perfect not prone to mistakes like that guy. I didn't saw the link at first, I'm working and usually just scroll my eyes through this kind of stuff.
Anyway, thanks again.

Haha you said "I didn't SAW" . . . ;D now I'm busting on ya ::)
The correct is "i didn't see?"
Sorry, non native english speaker here.
In Brazillian Portuguese we use "eu não tinha visto", which literally translated goes as "i didn't have saw". I know literal translations are the worst, just to explain.
 
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AcutancePhotography said:
Interesting use of marketing lingo. Someone in the Lensbaby marketing department must have discovered an online thesaurus. Maybe they are paid by the adjective? ;D

Perhaps they were doing their market research and stumbled across this site. Most threads seem to devolve into a pointless e-pissing match like this one, so you can't blame them for assuming the average photographer is simple minded and impulsive. Cover your lens with a shiny coat and dangle in front of them and they'll all come check it out. Look! Shiny! Just make sure it's water resistant in case one of their spit guard fails.
 
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cayenne

CR Pro
Mar 28, 2012
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GuyF said:
Oh dear, hipsters will leap on this gimmick and add it to their essential kit of beard, pipe and no socks.

I"m not quite sure what a "hipster" is....
But I've been going without socks since my "preppy" days back in High School in the early, early 80's.
Usually with deck shoes....so, while not sure about the beards and pipe thing...going sans socks isn't a new trend.

:)
 
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The images hurt my eyes. I suppose it may be someone's idea of art, but a lot of the shots in the gallery are just simply out of focus. A portrait of a person where NOTHING is in focus, not an eye, not a nostril, not something in the foreground or background, nothing, is not even really something for which you need a trick lens. Just defocus and shoot. And the velvety-ness is just like a dirty lens in a lot of the shots.
 
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AcutancePhotography said:
Skirball said:
Most threads seem to devolve into a pointless e-pissing match like this one, so you can't blame them for assuming the average photographer is simple minded and impulsive.

That's why I consider CR the "Jerry Springer" site for photographers. You can't beat the entertainment factor!

That's a good point. I think I'm just going to start chanting "Jer-ry, Jer-ry, Jer-ry"...
 
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