Venus Optics announces four new Cinema lenses for Micro Four Thirds
posted Monday, February 28, 2022 at 11:30 AM EDT
There has been a lot of great news for Micro Four Thirds users lately. First, OM Digital Solutions announced the new OM System OM-1. Then last week, Panasonic revealed a new flagship MFT camera of its own, the Panasonic GH6. Now, how about some new glass? Venus Optics has announced the release of four new Laowa cine lenses for Micro Four Thirds, joining the existing 7.5mm T2.1 MFT Cine lens.
The four new optics are all manual focus prime cine lenses, covering a wide range of focal lengths. The four new Laowa lenses are the Laowa 6mm T2.1 Zero-D MFT Cine, Laowa 10mm T2.1 Zero-D MFT Cine, Laowa 17mm T1.9 MFT Cine and the Laowa 50mm T2.9 Macro APO MFT Cine. The lenses cover 35mm-equivalent focal lengths of 12, 20, 34 and 100mm. Venus Optics has also announced a pair of new bundles for its MFT Cine lenses, including a 3-lens (Wide + Macro) bundle and a 3-lens Wide bundle. More on these later.
Starting with the widest of the bunch, the 6mm T2.1 Zero-D MFT Cine. This lens is the widest rectilinear MFT lens, and it delivers a 121.9-degree angle of view. Its minimum focusing distance is 9cm (3.54"), allowing you to get up close and personal with your subject. The newly-developed optical design incorporates 13 elements across only 3 groups, and the lens features a pair of aspherical elements to control distortion. The lens is lightweight and compact, allowing it to work well with gimbals, handheld shooting and even drones. The lens weighs 180g (6.35 oz.). The lens is available to order now for $699.
Next up is the Laowa 10mm T2.1 Zero-D MFT Cine. Another 'Zero-D' lens, the 10mm T2.1 promises minimized distortion thanks to its pair of aspherical lenses. The lens includes 11 elements in 7 groups and offers a 96-degree angle of view. Like the 6mm lens, the 10mm prime is also compact. It's the smallest lens in the MFT Cine range. The lens weighs only 150g (5.3 oz.) and is a mere 47mm (1.85") long. The lens costs $649.
The Laowa 17mm T1.9 MFT Cine trades an ultra-wide field of view for a slightly faster t-stop. The lens is better-suited for low-light situations than its wider siblings and promises good subject separation. It can focus as close as 15mm (5.9"). The lens may not be the smallest in the lineup, but it is still small and lightweight. It weighs 175g (6.2 oz.), and it's 53mm (2.1") long. The lens is also more affordable than the wider primes, retailing for $399.
Rounding out the new quartet of new MFT Cine lenses is the Laowa 50mm T2.9 Macro APO MFT Cine. It is the longest MFT Cine lens that Venus offers, and it's also the only macro lens in the lineup. It offers impressive 2x magnification, too. The lens can focus from 2x macro to infinite, meaning it should also serve well for more than close-up work. The lens incorporates an apochromatic (APO) design to reduce color fringing and improve overall clarity. The lens weighs 289g (10.2 oz.) and is 83mm (3.26") long. While bigger than the other Laowa MFT Cine lenses, it remains compact and lightweight. The lens is available for $549.
Besides selling each new lens individually, Laowa also offers two bundles. The Cine Prime 3-Lens (Wide + Macro) Bundle includes the Laowa 10mm T2.1, 17mm T1.9 and 50mm T2.9 lenses for $1,350. The Cine Prime 3-Lens Wide Bundle includes the Laowa 7.5mm T2.1, which isn't new, and the 10mm T2.1 and 17mm T1.9. This bundle is priced at $1,450.
For the full breakdown of each new lenses, click the links above or visit Laowa.