Lens baby Velvet 56

[BernardLanguillier]

You've gotta love the marketing tone!

http://www.canonrumors.com/2015/04/lensbaby-announces-velvet-56-the-most-versatile-portrait-lens-ever-made/

I wish Canon and Nikon could decide to do it that way instead of their usual solemn crap.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Alan Smallbone]

Very interesting, be interesting to see sample images.

Alan

[spidermike]

Very interesting, be interesting to see sample images.

Alan

Just follow the links in the article...

[robdickinson]

What a waste of $500. Honestly.

[LesPalenik]

+1
It would be a waste even at 50 bucks.

[BernardLanguillier]

+1
It would be a waste even at 50 bucks.

No doubt that the lens sucks in its own cute way, but I still love the way they market it!

Cheers,
Bernard

[spidermike]

How about a more honest marketing strapline:

"You have bought the highest IQ camera you can afford, now spend another $500 on our fuzzy lens to bugger it all up again."

[peterv]

A short review and some sample images:

http://carolinejensen.blogspot.it/2015/04/the-lensbaby-velvet-56-is-here.html

[kers]

A short review and some sample images:
http://carolinejensen.blogspot.it/2015/04/the-lensbaby-velvet-56-is-here.html

The examples show this lens has special characteristics that are not easy ( or impossible) to achieve in postproduction.
Since everybody can produce sharp clean photographs people are getting bored and want to see something else.
There will definitely be a market for other special lenses. In a more subtle way the 58mm Nikkor is such a lens. More will follow.
It is expensive but the Imagon soft focus was more expensive i guess  and used by 'serious' photographers

[SanderKikkert]

The examples show this lens has special characteristics that are not easy ( or impossible) to achieve in postproduction.
Since everybody can produce sharp clean photographs people are getting bored and want to see something else.
There will definitely be a market for other special lenses. In a more subtle way the 58mm Nikkor is such a lens. More will follow.
It is expensive but the Imagon soft focus was more expensive i guess  and used by 'serious' photographers

+1

and I'm guessing (quoting loosely from the blogpost in the link by photographer Caroline Jensen) the "Dreamy Bokeh Dreamlens from the 60's I paid more than $2000 for and use via adapter on my A7s" likely is a 58mm Nikkor ?

Best Regards, Sander

[Alan Smallbone]

The whole lensbaby line is way overpriced but it is interesting to see what they can pawn off on the masses, kind of like a hardware instagram look. I have seen some creative images with their product line but not enough that I would want to invest that kind of money. Unlike other lenses the Lensbaby have virtually no resale value, I know that is not a reason to make or break a purchase but it is an interesting data point. I purchased one of their early lenses for my Canon, the 3g that did not have the replaceable optics, never did like it, and when I went to sell it I could not really give it away for the cost of postage. So that was a lesson learned, I have never seen a lens lose so much in value. Still fun to see what they are doing.

Alan

[Telecaster]

Photography is a big tent pursuit. I own a number of lenses precisely so I can take advantage of their contrast-lowering, softening, flaring & halation-producing qualities. IMO anything that inspires or even provokes creativity is good.

-Dave-