30 Days With the Lensbaby Velvet 28
What I’ve learned while limiting myself to one lens for the month of September
For the month of September, I challenged myself to use only one lens, the Lensbaby Velvet 28, for 30 days in a row. I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed the challenge and by how much I learned.
Let me start with some technical details:
The Velvet 28 is a prime wide angle lens that is perfect for shooting outdoor, landscape and close-ups. If you stop the lens down to f/2.8 or below you will see the soft and dreamy effect that makes the Velvet product line so popular with Lensbaby users. You can use this lens also for macro photography - the lens has a manual focus design with a working 2” working distance.
My personal test setup:
To get the most out of my 30 day challenge, I took the lens where ever I went. From my own home to the beach to the botanical garden, I’ve tried to a wide range of scenarios and was really pleased with the outcome. I also focused on trying out all kind of different lighting situations between dusk and dawn. Given the current danger of a Covid infection I unfortunately couldn’t try any street photography this time around, but I think this prompted me to try a new variety of places. For more information about how the lens does out on the street I recommend reading my last blog post!
Conclusion:
It’s not a secret that I’m a huge fan of Lensbaby products. However, the Lensbaby Velvet product line was never high up on my list of favorites. I always thought I had no use for the soft look it creates, but my perspective changed completely after committing to shooting with the lens for an entire month. I actually enjoyed using this lens more than I thought I would. The manual focus is fast and accurate. I realized I spend more time thinking about the composition before I take a picture when I use a manual lens, and this often results in photos that look much more interesting. I like how sparkly or shiny materials in the foreground of the picture turn into beautiful bokeh when I shoot at f/4 or wider open. I still don’t have a real use for the glowy look at f/2.8 or wider, but the lens has so much more to offer than just that. I wish the aperture ring would lock a little firmer than it does at your chosen f/stop, because I sometimes ran into the problem that the ring had changed to a different f-stop. However, I stand by my opinion that this lens is perfect for photographers who like to shoot wide, while also offering the versatility to capture closer details.
Results in pictures:
Taken early in the morning at f/4. Look how the light sparkles closest to the lens turned into beautiful bokeh.
These were taken at f/4 and I love how the late morning light creates washed out looking colors.
Taken at f/4. Look how the normally boring looking wall in the foreground turned into delicious bokeh.
Detail shots taken in the afternoon, shot wide open.
Here some indoor pictures taken at f/8.
Portraits with slow shutter and double exposure.
These were photographed at the end of the day. Taken at f/8.
Have you tried the Velvet 28 before? Did you have the same experiences as me? I would love to hear what you guys have to say about this product! I hope you will join me on my next monthly challenge… I’m planning on doing a headshot challenge next month! Check out my Instagram ( @californialover ) to stay updated on my progress throughout the month of October.
One last thing before you go! This article is part of a blog circle and I want to invite you to continue reading more about photography over at Kim’s blog. She’s a San Diego Lifestyle Photographer and posts about a milestone birthday photoshoot. Her work is so full of beauty and beach feels, I’m sure you will enjoy it!