Venus Optics News

From Venus Optics:

Venus Optics announces the World’s FIRST Wide-Angle Zoom Shift Lens for APS-C system

Anhui China, 5 Nov 2024 – Venus Optics announced a groundbreaking Zoom-Shift lens - Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens! This extraordinary APS-C lens for mirrorless cameras combines two powerful features in one compact package: an ultra-wide zoom with an impressive shift capability. The lens allows you to seamlessly zoom from 12mm to 24mm while also being able to shift up to 7mm! This zoom-shift combination gives you all the flexibility in perspective control for capturing expansive landscapes or towering architecture. The compact 575g size also puts no burden on your kit. Truly a game-changer for photographers who want both versatility and creative control in their ultra-wide shots.

12-24mm Zoom Range with Constant Aperture

The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers a versatile zoom range of 12mm to 24mm, providing an expansive angle of view from 102.5° to 63.9°. This allows photographers to capture a wide variety of scenes. With a constant aperture of f/5.6, the lens ensures consistent exposure throughout the entire zoom range, offering great flexibility while maintaining high image quality.

Precise ±7mm Shift Amount

The remarkable ±7mm shift capability set this lens apart. All shift lenses currently available in the market are primes, which makes this lens the WORLD’s first wide-angle zoom shift lens. This feature enables photographers to achieve precise perspective control and effortlessly minimize distortion.

Compact & Lightweight Design

The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers exceptional performance in a compact and lightweight package, weighing only 575g. Its portability makes it perfect for photographers on the move, ensuring mobility and effortless shooting.

Exceptional Distortion Control

The lens showcases excellent distortion control, allowing users to capture accurate and true-to-life images. This makes it an excellent choice for architectural and interior photography, where precise image quality is crucial.

15cm closest focusing distance

The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens also has an exceptionally short focusing distance. Capable of focusing as close as 5.9 inches (15 cm) from the sensor. This lens offers photographers plenty of opportunities for creative experimentation.

77mm filter thread

The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers the convenience of a 77mm filter thread, which can be used when the lens hood is attached.

Specifications

Format Compatibility: APS-C
Focal length: 12-24mm
Max. Aperture: f/5.6
Angle of view: 102.5°- 63.9°
Lens structure: 15 elements in 11 groups
(2 aspherical elements, 3 ED elements)
Aperture blades: 9
Shift Capability: ±7mm
Min. Focusing distance: 15cm
Max. Magnification: 0.4
Focus mode: Manual (MF)
Filter thread: ø77mm
Dimensions: Ø98.91mm x 80mm
Weight: About 575g
Mount: Sony E / Nikon Z / Canon RF / L Mount / Fuji X / EF-M

Pricing & Availability The 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift is currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website (http://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers. It is priced at USD699 for Sony E, L mount, Canon R, Fuji X, Nikon Z, Canon EF-M. Price varies in different countries.

Get the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift Lens at Venus Optics.

From Venus Optics:

World's Widest f/2.8 Full Frame Rectilinear Lens — Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF

Anhui China, Feb 22, 2024 – Venus Optics announces the launch of the new Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF Lens. It is the world’s first rectilinear 10mm full-frame lens with f/2.8 aperture and the first-ever auto-focus lens, for Sony E and Nikon Z mount, in Laowa’s lineup. Designed in a compact and lightweight manner, the lens weighs only 420g (0.93 lbs) with a stylish grey outlook. The lens also delivers outstanding image quality and close-to-zero distortion. Despite such an ultra-wide angle, the lens comes with a 77mm front filter thread, making it a powerful tool for photography and videography, from capturing one-of-the-kind landscapes, architecture, interior and astrophotography to stunning time-lapse and vlogging.

This 10mm lens marked 10 years journey of Laowa in the realm of optics. Over a decade of innovation, Venus Optics continues to surprise the world by bringing new products with optimized optical designs and solid lens quality. The Laowa 10mm f/2.8 lens delivers an unmatched ultra-wide-angle shooting experience for photographers and video creators to achieve every new idea.

Key Features:

• Ultra-wide 10mm with f/2.8 - Angle of View of 130°
• Zero-D
• Compact & Lightweight
• Close Focusing Distance of 12cm
• 77mm Filter thread
• 10-Point Sunstar
• Accurate and Reliable AF Performance
• Outstanding Optical Design
• Excellent performance for Panorama and Astrophotography

First Auto Focus Ultra-wide 10mm with f/2.8 Large Aperture

Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF has pushed the boundary of the maximum aperture for the 10mm wide non-fisheye lens. The f/2.8 fast aperture opens up a lot more possibilities to take landscape and architecture photography in low-light conditions and be able to capture at an ultra-wide perspective which was never possible before.

Angle of View of 130°

The remarkable 130.4° angle of view helps exaggerate the sense of space. And allows you to capture the magnificent landscape with a dramatic impact all in a single image. This one-of-a-kind perspective helps realize a lot of formerly impossible shots. From breathtaking landscapes to dynamic architecture, this lens opens up new dimensions in visual storytelling.

Close-to-Zero Optical Distortion (Zero-D)

A lens in 10mm is usually a fisheye or heavily distorted. This full-frame 10mm optically suppresses distortion to a close-to-zero level. Both horizontal and vertical straight lines can be maintained on the image from corner to corner. Giving you a true 10mm experience even without any in-camera lens correction.

Compact and Lightweight

Despite its incredible specification for full-frame cameras, the lens is only 7cm (2.79") long and weighs 420g (0.93 lbs), providing the desired portability for photographers and videographers to explore and travel with ease.

Close Focusing Distance of 12cm

The 10mm has a minimum focusing distance of 12cm, allowing you to get super close to the subjects and create interesting wide-angle macro style shots with nice separation between the object and background.

Stunning 10-point Sunstar

Built with 5 aperture blades, a stunning 10-point Sunstar can be created when stopping down the aperture.

Built-in Filter Thread

Equipped with a 77mm filter thread for you to use screw-in filters directly. Convenient and cost-saving as no additional filter holder is required. Gives users the ultimate flexibility when shooting.

Outstanding Optical Design

Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is engineered with exceptional optics, featuring 15 elements in 9 groups, including 2 aspherical glasses and 3 ED glasses. This results in outstanding image sharpness and CA control, ensuring that every detail is captured with precision and clarity.

Accurate and Reliable AF performance

The 10mm is the first Laowa lens equipped with autofocusing. AF is available for both Sony E and Nikon Z mounts. Embrace the convenience of autofocus and focus on composition and creative aspects.

*RF and L mount are fully manual

Excellent performance for Panorama and Astrophotography

The exceptionally wide field of view makes it particularly adept at capturing expansive panoramas, allowing photographers to tell stories on a grand scale. Thanks to its f/2.8 aperture, the lens delivering pleasing night sky and galaxy images.

Pricing & Availability

The new Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is currently pre-order via Venus Optics official website (https://www.venuslens.net/product/laowa-10mm-f-2-8-ff-zero-d/ref/965/) and authorized resellers.

The US price for Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is USD799 for all mounts (Both AF and MF version are the same price). Pricing varies in different countries. Shipping starts from mid-March.

Specifications

Lens Name: Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF
Format: Full-Frame
Focal Length: 10mm
Aperture Range: f/2.8-22
Angle of View: 130.4°
Lens Structure: 15 elements in 9 groups (2 Aspherical Glasses, 3 ED Glasses)
Aperture Blades: 5 blades / A 14-blade variant (only available for manual focus) can be ordered
Min. Shooting Distance: 4.72" / 12cm
Max. Magnification: 0.24X
Focusing System: AF (Sony E / Nikon Z) / MF (Canon RF / L mount)
Filter Thread: Ø77mm
Dimensions: Ø3.23” x 2.79”/ Ø82 x 70.8mm
Weight: 0.925lbs/ 420g
Mounts: Auto-Focus: Sony E/ Nikon Z (5 Blades)
Manual-Focus: Canon RF/ L Mount (5 Blades), Sony E / Canon RF / Nikon Z / L mount (14 Blades)
Price USD799

Review

Venus Optics Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF Lens

Orders

Order the Venus Optics Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF Lens from B&H | Adorama | Venus Optics.

From Venus Optics:

Anhui China, Jan 9, 2020 – Venus Optics, the manufacturer who specializes in making wide angle and macro photo lenses under the brand name of Laowa, announce the Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine lens. The new 12mm lens is currently the widest t/2.9 lens that can cover sensor up to both full frame & vista vision size (wider than full frame), making it one of the ideal wide angle option for both professional cinema cameras and mirrorless cameras.

Suitable for both Large format & Super35 cameras

While most cinema camera manufacturers are coming out with large format cameras, the industry is gradually transiting from the common super35 format into bigger format. Taking advantage of this, Venus Optics has re-engineered the optics of their 12mm photo lens and convert it into a filmmaking friendly version for cinematographers to experience a 122 degrees ultra-wide and distortion- free field of view. The 47mm image circle allows cinematographers to use not only on full frame sensors (Size = 43.14mm), but also able to fill the Vista Vision sensors on RED Monstro and the sensor on Arri Alexa LF (Size @ open-gate = 44.7mm) fully.

The lens is also ideal for Super35-sized camera owners with the ultra-wide 17mm equivalent field of view and its future-proof decision when cinematographers need to upgrade to large format cameras. It is also a good companion with the compact cinema cameras like Blackmagic Pocket6k, Z-Cam or Sony A7.

Close-to-zero distortion (Zero-D)

The optical distortion of ultra-wide angle lens is usually a nightmare for DoP. The distortion rate of good wide angle lenses in the market ranges from 2-4%. Venus Optics, however, are able to compress the distortion to a close-to-zero level. In fact, the ‘Zero-D’ claim had been validated by many existing Laowa lenses owners from all around the world. It is proven to be extremely useful for shooting with architecture, indoor, real estate and even vlogging.

Super compact & lightweight

This 12mm lens is extremely compact and lightweight despite of the extreme specifications.

It measures 3.4” (87mm) long and weighs less than 1.5 lb (675g). It can be easily fitted onto any sorts of stabilizations system including handheld gimbals.

The lens is composed of 16 elements in 10 groups with 2pcs of large aspherical glasses. The patented optical design provides an edge-to-edge sharpness and supports up to 8k resolution. Chromatic aberration is also controlled to the minimal.

Focus super close

Venus Optics have also managed to incorporate an extremely close focusing distance. The lens can focus anywhere from 7” away from sensor (<4” from front element) all the way to infinity.

No diopter will be needed in this case. Wide angle lenses usually create a ‘flat’ image with very deep DOF but with this close focusing ability and a fast t-stop, Laowa 12mm is able to create some unique wide & shallow DOF look with pleasing bokeh.

Robust and professional cinema housing

The lens is designed with standard 0.8 mod gears on both aperture and focusing rings for easy installation of follow-focus system. An extended 270° smooth focus throw is designed for accruate focus pulling. The entire enclosure of the lens is made up of aluminum alloy. A 114mm step-ring is included in the package to expand the front diameter to fit with industry sized matte box. Venus Optics have tested with a number of matte boxes in the market and it is still free of vignetting on VV sensor with the matte box installed.

Complete package and 3 different bayonets to choose

The lens comes with three different variants, PL, EF and E mount. The mount is not interchangeable.

Shims with different thickness is also included for users to do flange calibration. The complimentary watertight and crushproof Pelican hard case protects the the lenses from damage during travel.

Specifications

Anhui China, Jul 8, 2019 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, are proud to introduce the the Nikon Z & Canon RF mount to the world’s widest rectilinear f/2 lens (Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D) and the world’s widest zoom lens (Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6).

Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D (Both Nikon Z & Canon RF mounts)

Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D (Both Nikon Z & Canon RF mounts)The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is currently the widest f/2 rectilinear native lens for full frame mirrorless cameras. The lens falls into the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ products line-up and the patented optical design successfully minimizes the optical distortion to the lowest. This compact and lightweight lens comprises of 12 elements in 9 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 3 pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements. Photographers can also take advantage of the super close focusing distance (less than 6” from the sensor) and the f/2 aperture to create some wide angle close-up shots with pleasing bokeh.

Despite the extreme specifications, Venus Optics have successfully minimized the size of the lens to only 1.1 lbs and 3” long. The flat front surface design allows photographers to use 72mm circular filter with ease. Unlike the Sony E variant, the new Nikon Z / Canon RF variants feature a design of 5 straight aperture blades which produce a clean and sharp 10-point sunstar rendering.

Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Zoom (Nikon Z mount only)

Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Zoom lens is currently the widest full frame zoom lens in the market.

The 102° (18mm) to 130° (10mm) FoV provides a great deal of flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The one-of-a-kind 130° FoV also helps photographers to realize many formerly impossible shots.

Similar to the Sony E-mount variant (released a few months ago), Venus Optics have managed to compress the size of this new Nikon Z variant to the smallest in its class, measuring approximately 3.5 inches (~9cm) long and weighing only 1.1 lbs (<500g) with a lens diameter of 70mm. It also incorporates a 5 straight blade aperture to deliver a sharp, clean, well-defined 10- point sunstars. The lens houses with 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical elements & 1 extra-low dispersion element. It comes with an excellent close up performance and is able to focus as close as 6” from the sensor. A rear 37mm filter thread is included to fit with 37mm UV/ND filter.

Venus Optics have NO plans to launch Canon R mount for Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6.

Availability

The new variants of Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D & Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 are currently available to order and from authorized resellers. Recommended Retail Price in US (without tax) is USD 849 for each lens. Pricing may vary in different countries.

Adorama has the following available for preorder:

• Venus Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D Lens for Canon EOS RF
• Venus Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D Lens for Nikon Z
• Venus Laowa 10-18mm F/4.5 - 5.6 Lens for Nikon Z

Anhui China, Sept 21, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to unveil 8 new and unique lenses in Photokina.

• Laowa OOOM 25-100mm t/2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom
• Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT
• Laowa 12mm f/1.8 MFT
• Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (DJI DL)
• Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D MFT
• Laowa 9mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine
• Laowa 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine
• Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine
• Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom
• Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
• Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D
• Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Laowa OOOM 25-100 t/2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom

Laowa OOOM Cine lightweight zoom is the first professional cinema style zoom lens offered by Venus Optics. The lens features a wide 25-100mm zoom range, making it a one-size-fits-all lens for different types of productions.

Unlike some cine lens in the market which were re-engineered from a photo zoom lens, Laowa OOOM Cine lens is designed for digital cinematography in the first place. It is truly parfocal, meaning the focus will never shift when you zoom in or zoom back out. It is designed to have nearly zero focus breathing throughout the whole zoom range. The aperture remains fixed at t/2.9 at all focal lengths.

It is built with the true cinema level mechanics. It comes with a stepless, t-stop independent aperture ring with an industry standard 0.8 mod /32 pitch gears. The 270° rotation flow provides room or precise focus pulls and the iris is clickless, enabling smooth iris pulls. The lens weighs only 2.16 pounds, which is fairly light for a cinema zoom that holds focus and aperture throughout the focal length range.

Laowa 17mm f/1.8 MFT

Laowa 17mm f/1.8 is a new compact, standard prime designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it gives a 35mm-equivalent field of view. The lens houses 9 elements in 7 groups and have a 5-blade aperture for the best sunstar rendering. The lens is extremely compact and lightweight, weighs only 160g (0.36lbs) and is 5cm (2”) long. A 46cm filter thread is included and the 15cm minimal focus distance make it a perfect lens for videography.

Laowa 12mm f/1.8 MFT

Laowa 12mm f/1.8 is a new compact, wide-angle prime for Micro Four Thirds cameras and it gives a 24mm-equivalent field of view. The ultra-fast f/1.8 aperture allows photographers to take astro photos with ease. The lens houses 13 elements in 10 groups and a 5-blade aperture. The lens can focus as close as 14cm (5.5”) and takes 46mm screw-in filters which gives extra convenience to videographers. It weighs only 165g (0.4 lbs) and its 5cm long (2”).

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (DJI DL)

Following the successful launch of the super compact and lightweight 7.5mm f/2 MFT lens for DJI Inspire drones (X5 gimbals) during 2017, Venus Optics is proud to introduce another ultra-wide option, Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D DL, to use on DJI Inspire 2 (X7 gimbals).

Featuring an effective 118° angle of view, the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D DJI DL is currently the widest available option for DJI Inspire 2 drones with Zenmuse X7 gimbals. The bigger image circle can cover the size of Super35 sensors and the native DL mount allows an easy lens switching. The lens weighs only 215g and it is super tiny and compact. It comes with a 49mm filter thread and features a close-to-zero optical distortion.

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D MFT

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D (Micro Four Thirds mount) is the 4th variant added to the existing Fuji X, Sony E and EOS-M mounts. The 9mm lens provides a 18mm equivalent angle of view on the Micro Four Thirds sensor. It also has a better vignetting control over the other variants of the same lens. The close-to-zero distortion will remain unchanged.

Laowa 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine / Laowa 9mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine

The new Laowa 7.5mm and 9mm Cine lenses are the cine-mod version of the existing photo version of Venus Optics best-selling models. Both lenses were re-housed with a step-less aperture rings and focus rings with standard 0.8 mod gears which give videographers extra convenience to use with follow-focus systems. Both of the lenses are the widest available in the market in its class and only weigh 180g (0.4lbs) & 250g (0.55lbs) respectively. Closest focusing distance is both 12cm (0.4 feet). The wide perspective and lightweight makes them the perfect companion for gimbal shooting. MFT mount is available for 7.5mm t/2.1 Cine and Sony E mount is available for 9mm t/2.9 Cine.

Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine (PL)

The new Laowa 12mm t/2.9 Zero-D Cine in PL mount is the cine-mod version of the existing 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens. The lens was rehoused with a step-less, t-stop aperture rings and focus rings with standard 0.8 mod gears for iris and focus pulls. It successfully covers the 35mm Vista Vision sensor size and offers an ultra-wide 122° angle of view, making it one of the world’s widest and fastest available option for shooting with large sensors. Despite the ultra-wide field of view, it is perfectly rectilinear and features a close-to-zero distortion rate. The focus flow is extended to 270° for cinematographers to also take advantage of the 0.6 feet (18cm) closest focusing distance. The super lightweight (650g, 1.4lbs) is also an added benefit for cinematographers.

Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

This lens is currently the widest zoom lens available for Sony full frame E-mount cameras. Designed primarily for travel photography, Venus optics have managed to compress the size to smallest in its class, less than 4 inch (<10cm) and only 1.1 pounds (<500g). The 102? (18mm) to 130? (10mm) angle of view provides flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The lens houses with 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical elements & 1 extra-low dispersion element to deliver exceptional performance. It can focus as close as 15cm for some mini-macro shooting. A rear filter slot is included to fit with 37mm filter. A dedicated filter holder is being developed to fit 100mm-wide filters. Click/clickless aperture can be toggled by the switch on the lens barrel. A 5-blade aperture design ensures a pleasing and clean sunstar rendering.

Multiple samples will be available for free rental during Photokina period.

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

Followed by the success of the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro, the 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro is the 2nd member of Laowa 2:1 macro line-up. This new 100mm lens can cover full frame sensor size and focus from 2:1 magnification to infinity. The wide magnification range allows macro photographers to capture subject at any sizes. This 100mm portrait lens also features an apochromatic (APO) characteristic that no chromatic aberration can be found. The 12 elements in 10 groups optics design delivers a crystal sharpness image in both macro and tele distances. Automatic aperture control feature is available for Canon EF version and Aperture coupling is available for Nikon F mount version.

Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D

This is currently the widest available native lens option for Fujifilm G-mount cameras. The new Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX has a field of view equivalent to 13mm in 35mm format (113?). Featuring a close-to-zero distortion and 86mm filter thread, this lens is ideally suited for landscape, architecture & interior photography. The 21 elements in 14 groups design with 2pcs of aspherical & 3pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements successfully help to control the distortion & chromatic aberrations to the minimal.

Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Featuring a 210? angle of view, this lens delivers unique circular fisheye field of view on Micro four thirds cameras. The ultra-wide angle view allows photographers to create 360? panorama with ease. Despite the unique & ultra-wide perspective, the lens only weighs 0.3 pounds (135g).

Free Rental Program

Venus Optics have prepared some copies of the Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom and Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe lens (Canon) for free rental during Photokina period. For reservations, please contact Venus Optics via contact@venuslens.net.

Availability

All 12 new lenses will make its Europe debut in Venus Optics’ booth (Hall 2.1, D-040) in Photokina, Cologne during 26th-29th Sept. Pricing and ship date are to be confirmed.

Anhui China, Aug 1, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, are proud to announce the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe Lens, a unique & revolutionary macro tool.

Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe is the world’s first consumer-grade probe lens that was developed to provide photographers and videographers with a new perspective and remove their shooting barriers while using conventional macro lenses.

Bug-Eye Perspective
The new Laowa 24mm Probe lens can create a Bug-Eye perspective that cannot be done by conventional macro lens. Not only can it focus really close (2cm @ 2:1) and show a great amount of detail and texture, but also achieve a compelling wide angle 'Bug Eye' view (84.1°). More background details can then be included into the shots to create a very informative and stunning macro bug-eye perspective. For telephoto macro lenses, the subject will fill most of the frame and appear isolated from the surrounding environment instead.

2:1 Magnification to Infinity Focus
The new Laowa Probe covers a focusing range from 2:1 macro magnification to Infinity Focus. Photographers can take advantage of the 2:1 maximum magnification to shoot really small bugs/objects and reveal details that cannot be seen by naked eye. The wide focusing range (from Macro to infinity) is also particularly useful for videography as both finer details and environmental background can be captured in one shot.

Deep Depth-of-Field
The wide angle design also means much more depth of field at close distance (compared to the telephoto macro lens) so that more background details will now be visible. Being able to focus so close but still having a deep depth of field is a BIG advantage for both studio and wildlife shooting. The less blurry background allows the habitat of the subject to be visible in your photo.

Waterproof front lens barrel
The front barrel of the lens is waterproof and it can be used to shoot in any environment. This makes shooting in liquid no longer a limitation. The waterproof design also implies that shooting in super dusty environment or with fine powders are not going to be a problem.

40cm long & Tubular Lens Barrel
Thanks to the 40cm (15.7") long barrel, photographers can focus really close to the subject but still keep themselves and cameras distance away. This unlocks the possibility of shooting in areas which were not accessible in the past. E.g. Shooting a frog hiding in the bushes using our Probe lens, compared to getting a telephoto macro lens super close to avoid leaves blocking your subject. The long lens barrel also allows photographers to keep a safe distance away when shooting lethal animals. The big camera body and lens will no longer 'alert' the subject too.

Tiny 2cm lens tip
The tiny 0.2cm-in-diameter lens tip unlocks the possibility to get very low to the ground level to capture a 'delicious' perspective and maximize the visual impact. The viewers will be like walking on your shooting subject (e.g. Pizza) now. Moreover, you can insert the lens into tiny caves, bottle or burrows to shoot. The smaller lens tip also enables proper lighting hitting onto the subject whereas typical macro lenses with larger lens barrels will block most of the light.

LED Ring Light at the tip
A LED ring light (powered through the micro-USB slot on the barrel) is mounted at the tip of the lens to provide additional lighting for focus assistance and video shooting.

Full frame coverage
The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe can cover both the standard 35mm full frame and Super35 image sensor.

Lightweight The new Laowa weighs only 1.04 pounds (474 grams) and it’s super light and easy to carry.

The lens has one of the most complicated optics design and houses with 27 elements in 19 groups to deliver the exceptional image quality. Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mounts are currently available for standard version. A cine version with click-less aperture and focus gears in Arri PL mount is also available to order.

Availability
The lens is expected to retail at USD 1,499/pc (ex-VAT). It is currently available to preorder via Kickstarter at a discounted price. The earliest expected delivery date is September. The lens will also be available via authorized resellers from October onwards.

You can find more information on the lens via Kickstarter.

Anhui China, Apr 20, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to announce 4 new and unique lenses.

• Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom
• Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
• Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D
• Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

This lens is currently the widest zoom lens available for Sony full frame E-mount cameras. Designed primarily for travel photography, Venus optics have managed to compress the size to smallest in its class, less than 10 inch (<10cm) and only 1.1 pounds (<500g). The 102° (18mm) to 130° (10mm) angle of view provides flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The lens houses with 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical elements & 1 extra-low dispersion element to deliver exceptional performance. It can focus as close as 15cm for some mini-macro shooting. A rear filter slot is included to fit with 37mm filter. Click/clickless aperture can be toggled by the switch on the lens barrel.

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

Followed by the success of the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro, the 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro is the 2nd member of Laowa 2:1 macro line-up. This new 100mm lens can cover full frame sensor size and focus from 2:1 magnification to infinity. The wide magnification range allows macro photographers to capture subject at any sizes. This 100mm portrait lens also features an apochromatic (APO) characteristic that no chromatic aberration can be found.

The 12 elements in 10 groups optics design delivers a crystal sharpness image in both macro and tele distances. Canon EF / Nikon AI / Pentax K / Sony FE mounts are available.

Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D

This is currently the widest available native lens option for Fujifilm G-mount cameras. The new Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX has a field of view equivalent to 13mm in 35mm format (113°).

Featuring a close-to-zero distortion and 86mm filter thread, this lens is ideally suited for landscape, architecture & interior photography. The 21 elements in 14 groups design with 2pcs of aspherical & 3pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements successfully help to control the distortion & chromatic aberrations to the minimal.

Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT

Featuring a 210° angle of view, this lens delivers unique circular fisheye field of view on Micro four thirds cameras. The ultra-wide angle view allows photographers to create 360° panorama with ease. Despite the unique & ultra-wide perspective, the lens only weighs 0.3 pounds (135g).

Specifications can be found here.

Availability

All four lenses will be available for trial at Venus Optics’ booth (T225) in Beijing P&E Imaging fair during 3rd-6th May 2019. They are expected to be shipped in mid/late 2018. Exact shipping date and pricing are to be confirmed.

From Venus Optics:

Featuring a 113° Angle of View, Ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture, close-to-zero distortion, 49mm filter thread & less than 0.5 pounds in weight, this is a perfect ultra-wide option for still & videographers.

Anhui China, Mar 21, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to announce the world’s widest rectilinear f/2.8 lens for mirrorless APS-C cameras, Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero- D.

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is the third member of the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ line-up and they all feature an excellent control of the optical distortion which is commonly appeared in ultrawide angle lenses. This new lens is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of around 13mm. Despite the extreme specifications, Venus Optics has successfully minimized the weight of the lens to less than 0.5 pounds (215g) and 2-inch (53mm) long. This compact and light lens comprises of 15 elements in 10 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 3 pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements. This optical design successfully minimizes the distortion and chromatic aberrations to its lowest but at the same time, delivers a superb optical performance from corners to corners.

The extreme 113° angle of view and ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture allows photographers to create impressive astro-photography shots with ease. It also gives photographers a fast and wide-angle option for landscape photography and low-light shooting. For videographers, the compact size of this lens is friendly to the use of gimbals or even handheld shooting without much of shaking. The lens is designed with a 49mm filter thread which gives additional portability for screw-in filters. It comes with both Sony E, Fuji X & EOS-M mounts.

Specifications

The Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is currently available to pre-order at authorized resellers. Recommended Retail Price in US (without tax) is USD $499.00. Pricing may vary in different countries.

The first 100 orders will get a set of Laowa 49mm filters for FREE (CPL + UV + ND1000). Shipping is expected to start from early April.

B&H carries Venus Optics Laowa lenses.

From Venus Optics:

Featuring a small lens barrel, lightweight design and extended working distance, the new Laowa lens provides an extreme macro photography option for DSLR & Mirrorless cameras.

Anhui China, Mar 27, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique macro lenses (60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro & 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro), is proud to add another member to their macro products line, the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra-Macro Lens.

The new Laowa 25mm f/2.8 provides a magnification range from 2.5:1 to 5:1 and offers a flexibility for photographers to capture macro subjects with different sizes. The 8 elements in 6 groups design with 1pc of low-dispersion element, creates an outstanding image sharpness across different magnification and greatly reduces the chromatic aberrations and color fringing. The wide focal length gives a relatively deeper depth of field than lenses with longer focal length. This feature is particular essential for photographers who can then stack less images for achieving even sharpness across the frame.

Dedicated solely to macro applications, the lens is carefully designed with an extended working distance (40mm @ 5x) & small lens barrel. This design is aimed to provide sufficient room for lighting reaching the subjects. The lens weigh less than 400g and the compact size make it suitable for shooting both in the field and in the laboratory.

An optional rotating tripod collar is also released for photographers to benefit from mounting the lens onto tripods and compose at different angles.

Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K & Sony E mounts are available for order through authorized resellers. The suggested retail price (tax excluded) in United States is $399.00 USD. Pricing varies in different countries.

The new lens will be available to try in the UK Photography Show Birmingham during 17-20 March 2018.

B&H carries Venus Optics lenses.

From Venus Optics:

Featuring a 110° Angle of View, Ultra-fast f/2 aperture, 72mm filter thread, Super light & compact & close-to-zero distortion

Anhui China, Aug 11, 2017 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to announce the world’s widest rectilinear f/2 native lens for Sony Full Frame E-mount cameras, Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D.

Super Light & Compact
The Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is currently the widest f/2 rectilinear lens in the market which comes with a native E mount (i.e. Does not require additional adapters). It is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens which covers both 35mm full-frame & APS-C sensors. Despite the extreme specifications, Venus Optics has successfully minimized the weight of the lens to around 500g (~1.1 pounds) and 8cm long. This compact and light lens comprises of 12 elements in 9 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 3 pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements. The patented optical design successfully minimizes the distortion and chromatic aberrations to its lowest but at the same time, delivers a superb optical performance from corners to corners.

72mm Filter Thread
Ultra-wide & fast lenses in the market tend to be huge and have a dome-shaped front element. It is a headache for landscape photographers who need to use filters very often. Venus Optics understand their needs and manage to design a flat front surface and include a 72mm filter thread into the lens. 72mm screw-on filters can be used and no more investment on bulky filter holder is required.

Ultra Wide & Fast
The extreme 110° angle of view and ultra-fast f/2 aperture allow photographers to create impressive astro-photography shots with ease. It also gives photographers a fast and wide-angle option for landscape photography and low-light shooting.

Close Focusing Distance
Photographers can take advantage of the super close focusing distance (i.e. 15cm) and the f/2 aperture to create some bokeh shots and wide angle close-up shots.

Close-to-Zero Distortion
The Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is the second member of the Close-to-Zero distortion line-up from Venus Optics, followed the launch of 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D last year. The lens is specially designed to remove the optical distortion commonly exist in wide angle lenses at infinity focus. Any straight lines will be retained.

Added Feature for Videographers
The new Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is specially designed with an aperture switch which allows users to quickly switch between click-less and clicked aperture. This added feature will be extremely useful for videographers.

Availability
The Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D is currently available to pre-order in the official website of Venus Optics (http://www.venuslens.net/) and their authorized resellers..

Recommended Retail Price in US (without tax) is USD $849.00. Pricing may vary in different countries. Shipping will start from late Aug/early Sept.

B&H carries Venus Optics lenses.

B&H has the Venus Optics Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens for Canon available for preorder.

Other mount versions are either in stock or anticipated to be in stock soon.

From Venus Optics:

Featuring an ultra-wide 122° Angle of View and weighing only 1.34 pounds, this is also the world’s *fastest 12mm lens for full frame cameras. It is now on Kickstarter.

Anhui China, Jul 30, 2016 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched several unique lenses including a Wide Angle Macro Lens & a Smooth Trans Focus Lens, is pround to introduce the world’s widest f/2.8 Lens, Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens for full frame cameras.

The new Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens features a close-to-zero optical distortion, allowing photographers to take landscape/architecture shots with straight lines retained. Featuring a widest angle of view (122°) ever built with a f/2.8 lens, the Laowa Lens is an ideal lens for a variety types of photography. From landscape, architecture, interior, travel to the most important one, astro photography. The combination of ultra wide-angle and fast aperture makes this lens a perfect tool for creating impressive milky way shots.

The Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens is designed for photographers for everyday use and hence the weight and size has been controlled to the minimal. The lens weighs only 1.34 pounds (0.6kg) and has a front diameter of 77mm. Venus Optics also offers a filter holder which is designed to fit 2 pieces of 100mm filters and 1 piece of Circular Polariser.

The lens incorporates with 16 elements in 10 groups optical design, including 3 pieces of Extra-Low Dispersion elements and 2pc of Aspherical Elements. This design not only delivers an outstanding image sharpness and controls the distortion to the minmal, but also controls the chromatic aberration at its lowest level. A floating design is also adopted to ensure a good performance even in the closest focusing distance (0.18cm). The enclosure of the lens is fully made of metal to strengthen its durability. Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Sony Alpha and Pentax K mounts are available.

Laowa Magic Shift Converter

Along with the new Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens, Venus Optics also announces the Laowa Magic Shift Converter which is able to enlarge the full frame image circle through the 4pcs of elements inside the converter. The enlarged image circle provides sufficient image field for lenses shifting by a maximum of 10mm without vignetting. It will transform the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lens (DSLR mount) into a 17mm f/4 Professional Shift Lens with +/- 10mm shift capability for Full-Frame E-mount cameras. It is a perfect tool for professional architectural photography. The principle is explained in below diagram.

The Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens will firstly be available for backing via Kickstarter from July 30 (EST Time) onwards. It will then be available for purchase at authorized distributors and resellers from Sept 2016 onwards. The recommended retail price without tax is USD $949.00.

The Laowa Filter Holder & Laowa Magic Shift Converter will be available at authorized distributors and resellers from October onwards. The recommended retail price without tax is USD $50.00 and USD $300.00 respectively.

From Venus Optics:

An apodization element is incorporated to produce images with smooth and creamy bokeh while maintaining excellent sharpness at the focal plane.

Anhui China, Mar 10, 2016 – Venus Optics, the Chinese camera lenses manufacturer who had launched the world’s Widest 1:1 Macro lens last June, has just released another extraordinary lens, Laowa 105mm f/2 (t/3.2) Smooth Trans Focus Lens for DSLR cameras.

The new Laowa 105mm f/2 Smooth Trans Focus Lens incorporates an unique optical design with an apodization (APD) element next to the aperture. The APD element resembles the function of an ND filter which becomes thicker towards the perimeter, gradually reducing the amount of light transmission towards the periphery to produce a soft, natural and beautifully diffused out-of-focus rendition (or called bokeh).

The new Laowa 105mm f/2 Smooth Trans Focus Lens offers two separate diaphragms. The stepless 14-bladed perfectly circular aperture, in conjunction with the apodization element gives this lens the ability to produce smooth and pleasing bokeh. It is also useful for videographers to control the amount of light passes through the lens. The 8-bladed aperture is to determine the effective aperture opening (f-number) and the depth-of-field formed.

The lens houses with 11 elements in 8 groups with 1 piece of High Refractive elements, 3 pieces of Low Dispersion elements and 1pc of Apodisation element. This optical design is proven to deliver images with extreme sharpness and limit the chromatic abberations at its lowest. Floating design is also adopted to ensure a superb performance even in close focusing distance. The enclosure of the lens is fully made of metal to strengthen its durability. Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony FE, Sony Alpha and Pentax K mounts are available.

The Laowa 105mm f/2 Smooth Trans Focus lens will be available at authorized resellers and at the English official website (http://www.venuslens.net). The recommended retail price without tax is USD 699.00.

Note from Sean: Laowa has sample photos for the lens on its website, but... the sample images appear to have been heavily edited in Photoshop CS5. For example, here's the full EXIF from Sample Image #1.

From Venus Optics:

The first 1:1 Macro lens with a 110° angle of view. It offers an impactful and unprecendented macro photography experience.

Anhui China, Jun 12, 2015 – Venus Optics, the Chinese camera lenses manufacturer who had launched the world’s first 2:1 Macro Lens in last Sept, has just released the world’s widest Macro lens for full frame cameras, Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide-Angled 1:1 Macro Lens.

The new Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Macro lens is the first lens in the market which posseses a ultra wide angle of view and 1:1 Macro ability. This allows photographers from around the world to start experiencing the rather undeveloped field of ‘Wide Angle Macro Photography’ without using an extension tube. Macro Lenses currently in the market tends to have a mid to long focal length and it limits users to take very close-up shots on the insect or flowers, without showing much of the background details like its habitat or environment.

The new Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Macro lens features an ultra wide angle of view of 110 degrees with 1:1 maximum magnification. Photographers can focus very close to the subject and let the foreground dominates in the photo but at the same time, have the background telling viewers about where and how the subject lives. You picture will immdiately become very informative and intriguing.

The lens can also serve as an excellent ultra-wide angle lenses with infinity focus for cameras with full frame sensors. A shift mechanism is added at the rear end of the lens with a maximum adjustment of +/- 6mm, which is extremely useful for landscape/architecture photography for distortion correction.

The lens houses with 12 elements in 9 groups with 3 pieces of High Refractive elements and 1 piece of Extra-low dispersion elements to deliver crystal sharpness both in the center and the edge. Barrel Distortion was also carefully controlled. 14 pieces of aperture blades form a close-to-circular aperture, capable of creating creamy shallow depth of view. The enclosure of the lens is made of metal to strengthen its durability. Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony Alpha, Sony FE and Pentax K mounts are available.

Product Specifications