A unique short telephoto with distinct classic appeal, the Pentax K-mount Velvet 85mm f/1.8 from Lensbaby produces a mid-20th century-inspired image quality that is well-suited to portraiture. Characterized by a smooth, glowing aesthetic, this lens's softness can be controlled by stopping down in order to produce a range of effects from soft and dreamy to sharper and crunchier at smaller apertures. A 12-blade diaphragm also contributes to the lens's aesthetic, and helps to produce a smooth bokeh quality to suit shallow depth of field imagery. Additionally, the manual focus design affords a working distance of 9.5" with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2 to benefit working with close-up subjects.
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Key Features
- K-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
- Aperture Range: f/1.8 to f/16
- Soft Glowing Effect at Wide Apertures
- Inspired by Classic Portrait Lenses
A unique short telephoto with distinct classic appeal, the Pentax K-mount Velvet 85mm f/1.8 from Lensbaby produces a mid-20th century-inspired image quality that is well-suited to portraiture. Characterized by a smooth, glowing aesthetic, this lens's softness can be controlled by stopping down in order to produce a range of effects from soft and dreamy to sharper and crunchier at smaller apertures. A 12-blade diaphragm also contributes to the lens's aesthetic, and helps to produce a smooth bokeh quality to suit shallow depth of field imagery. Additionally, the manual focus design affords a working distance of 9.5" with a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:2 to benefit working with close-up subjects.
Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8 Overview
Short telephoto portrait-length lens is designed for full-frame Pentax K-mount DSLRs, however it can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 127.5mm equivalent focal length.
Bright f/1.8 maximum aperture affords greater control over depth of field for working with shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques, and also benefits working in low-light conditions.
Inspired by classic portrait lenses from the mid-20th century, this lens is designed to produce an ethereal glowing quality with soft, smooth tonality that is well-suited to portraiture.
Softness can be controlled by stopping-down the lens: when stopped-down to f/16, the image exhibits a smooth quality with greater central sharpness.
A working distance of 9.5" along with a 1:2 reproduction ratio suits working with close-up subjects.
Manual focus design with a smooth, dampened focusing movement is complemented by engraved focus distance indicators.
A 12-blade diaphragm contributes to a smooth bokeh quality that is ideal for selective focus imagery.
Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8 Specs
Focal Length | 85mm |
Maximum Aperture | f/1.8 |
Minimum Aperture | f/16 |
Lens Mount | Pentax K |
Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
Minimum Focus Distance | 9.5" / 24.13 cm |
Maximum Magnification | 0.5x |
Macro Reproduction Ratio | 1:2 |
Diaphragm Blades | 12 |
Focus Type | Manual Focus |
Image Stabilization | None |
Filter Size | 67 mm (Front) |
Dimensions (ø x L) | 2.99 x 3.5" / 76 x 89 mm |
Weight | 1.17 lb / 530.1 g |
Packaging Info
Package Weight | 1.6 lb |
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) | 5.7 x 4.2 x 4" |
Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8 Reviews
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question
Will this lens fit the Sony 6000
Sorry no idea.
Date published: 2018-08-27
question
I assume this a totally manual lens and that for a current digital camera, you would need to use the aperture or manual exposure setting? I'm from the generation that would feel comfortable with manual focus and would be interested to hear about the experience of others with this type of lens.
Hi Tim, Yes this is a manual focus lens. On your Canon camera you should be able to shoot in either Aperture Priority mode or Manual mode. I'll let others comment on their experiences with the lens. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Date published: 2018-08-27