Venus Optics has released three new ultra-wide cine lenses for Micro Four Thirds, Super 35 and ‘full frame’ cinema cameras.

The new Laowa ultra-wide cine lenses. (Source: Venus Optics.)

The new Laowa 7.5mm T2.1 Cine for Micro Four Thirds cameras, Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine for Super35 cameras and the Laowa 15mm T2.1 Zero-D Cine Lens for ‘full frame’ cameras all feature the same optical system as the their stills photography equivalents and offer premium optical performance. The Laowa 7.5mm T2.1 covers a 110° angle of view on M4/3 while the 9mm T2.9 encompasses 113° on Super35 sensors. The 15mm T2.1 is designed to provide a 110° field of view on cameras with full frame sensors. The fast maximum t-stop is well suited for filming under low light condition and provides more flexibility in depth of field control.

Both the 9mm and 15mm feature the distinguishing Laowa close-to-zero distortion (Zero-D) design where the optical distortion at infinity is minimised. This is important when shooting indoor, architecture or footage with straight lines included and saves time correcting distortion in post processing. All three wide angle prime lenses are extremely compact and lightweight, with the 7.5mm and 9mm weighing 226 grams and the 15mm 540 grams. This makes them ideal for run-and-gun productions, shooting with gimbals, in-car shots and indoor scenes. Filmmakers can also take advantage of 12-15 mm close focusing distances to create wide angle shots with shallower depth of field.

The major difference between the new cinema version and the still version is the improved housing. Each lens is made from premium grade aluminium and build to withstand extreme environments. Both the aperture and focus rings have industry standard 0.8 mod pitch gears for pairing up with follow-focus motors. The aperture ring is now click-less for smooth iris control. Every lens comes with a filter thread for filmmakers thataccepts screw-in filters and mini matte-boxes.

All three cine lenses are currently available to purchase via the Venus Optics official website and authorised resellers. The US tax-exempt price for 7.5mm T2.1 and 9mm T2.9 is $599 and 15mm T2.1 is $1,199.