Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D For Canon EOS R Announced

Venus Optics announced the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D lens for Canon EOS R systems (and others).

The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D can be preordered at Adorama for $849.

Product description:

The ultra wide, fast & compact prime for your full frame mirrorless cameras (Sony FE / Canon RF / Nikon Z).

This lens is currently the fastest in its class, offering superior optical quality for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It features close-to-zero distortion with a 110° angle of view. The ultra-fast f/2 aperture enables photographers to capture impressive astro shots very easily. The 72mm filter thread allows quick attachment of filters for creating unique and inspiring landscapes. This lens can easily become an everyday lens for most shooters, given its compact size (82 mm/3.23 in. long) and weight (only 500 g/1.1 lb.).

Full-size sample images can be found in our Flickr gallery here.

The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is currently the widest f/2 rectilinear lens in the market with a native E mount (it does not require additional adapters). It is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens which covers both 35mm full-frame & APS-C sensors. 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 wide angle option for landscape and low-light photography.

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The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is the second member of the Close-to-Zero distortion series from Venus Optics, following the launch of the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D last year. Zero-D lenses are specially designed to remove the optical distortion commonly associated with wide angle lenses. Any straight lines will be retained.

If you are not so sure what distortion is, this article may help. https://photographylife.com/what-is-distortion

Despite the extreme specifications, Laowa has successfully minimized the weight of the lens to only 500 g (~1.1 pounds) and the length to only 82 mm (3.23 in.). This compact, lightweight lens is comprised of 12 elements in 9 groups with 2 aspherical elements and 3 Extra-low dispersion elements. The patented optical design successfully minimizes distortion and chromatic aberrations and delivers superb optical performance from edge to edge.

Ultra-wide & fast lenses in the market tend to be huge and have a dome-shaped front element. This creates a serious problem for landscape photographers who often require filters for creativity and exposure control. Laowa understood this situation and managed to design a flat front lens element that allows them to attach a 72mm filter onto the lens. Unlike other ultra-wide lenses, there is no need to invest in an expensive, bulky filter holder.

Photographers can take advantage of the super close focusing distance (only 15 cm/5.9 in. from the sensor) and the f/2 aperture to create unique wide angle close-up shots with beautiful bokeh.

The new Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is specially designed with an aperture switch that allows users to quickly switch between click-less and clicked apertures. This added feature is extremely useful for videographers.