Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
What Buyers Say
Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8
The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 lens is highly praised for its sharpness, compact size, and excellent low-light performance. Users love its versatility for travel, video, and long exposures, often pairing it with other lenses in the budget trinity. A few note it's not as premium as the S-line or Nikon 14-30mm, but most agree it offers incredible value for the price.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Compact and lightweight
- Excellent low-light performance
- Great value for money
- Versatile for travel and video
Cons
- Not as premium as S-line lenses
- Some prefer wider 14-30mm range
- Build not as exceptional as premium trinity
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
The Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 is a creative manual-focus lens that delivers soft, dreamy portraits and unique effects straight out of camera. Build quality feedback is split: some call it cheap and wobbly, while others praise solid construction. It works on many Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax mounts but requires patience with manual focus. Most users love the artistic results despite mixed feelings on build.
Pros
- Unique soft focus effect
- Fun and creative lens
- Solid build praised by many
- Beautiful portrait results
Cons
- Cheap build and wobbling reported
- Loose mount and barrel play
- Rear lens cap falls off
- Very soft wide open
Scores
Specifications
| Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 | Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 17 mm | 56 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 28 mm | 56 mm |
| Elements | 13 | 4 |
| Groups | 11 | 3 |
| Aspherical Elements | 3★ | — |
| ED Elements | 3★ | — |
| Coating | Multi-Coated | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.6 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 | 9 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon Z | Nikon F |
| Format | full-frame | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.45 kg | 0.41 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 62 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Stepping Motor★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 190 mm | 127 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:5.26 | 1:2 |
Pros & Cons
Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong optical (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong af (87th percentile)87th %ile
Lensbaby Velvet 56mm f/1.6 56mm
- Strong macro (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Below average optical (0th percentile)0th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (8th percentile)8th %ile
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 91 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.