Here is a Laowa 58mm f/2.8 APO 2x Macro review by one of the most serious and professional gear reviewers you may find. The The Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO has been just announced, and sells at $499 at Venus Optics.
Dustin Abbott posted his exhaustive and complete Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO review. From Mr. Abbott’s conclusion:
[…] I’m delighted with the Laowa 58mm F2.8 APO 2x Macro. While it is very similar in many ways to the 90mm F2.8 APO 2x Macro, the wider focal length opens up a lot of different and unique opportunities. Very close macro is a little more difficult due to the closer working distance, but I do think that is compensated for by the versatility of the focal length for other subjects.
It is that versatility that makes this such an appealing option, much like my Voigtländer 65mm but with more macro capabilities […]
When you look at the price tag (about $500 USD) relative to the competing lenses, the Laowa really starts to feel like a great value, particularly if you tend to do your macro work utilizing manual focus anyway. Modern mirrorless bodies eliminate a lot of the sting of doing macro work, and you can’t argue with the kinds of results you can get from this lens. This is a top-notch value lens, and should be near the top of your macro list if you own a Canon, Sony, Nikon, or Leica mirrorless body and would prefer a slightly wider angle of view in your macro lens.
The review comes with test charts, sample pics, and much more. As usual, D. Abbott also posts a video-review that someone might prefer to the written review. It’s here for your viewing pleasure.
Anhui China, 22 September, 2022 – Venus Optics, the lens manufacturer that has been always endeavouring to invent unique lenses, is stoked to release the Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO. This mirrorless-designed macro lens offers a 40.9° angle of view on full frame sensors. And like many other Laowa macro lenses, it can focus from 2:1 magnification to infinity which makes it suitable for professional macro, portrait or a walk-around lens. It features an apochromatic (APO) design that chromatic aberration is compressed to the minimum. With 3 ED elements and 3 Ultra-High Refractive Index elements, the lens delivers an outstanding sharpness. Despite its metal housing, the lens only weighs 595g which is extremely portable. It comes with 4 mount options: Sony E / Canon R / Nikon Z / L mount and a price of USD499.
Up to 2x magnification
This new 58mm lens has the capability to focus from 2X magnification to infinity. The minimum focusing distance is 7.29” (18.5cm). Giving you more flexibility in subject selection. From tiny ant to larger dragonfly, you can capture it with one single lens.
More than a macro lens
Being able to focus infinity, the 58mm focal length (40.9° AoV) pair with the f/2.8 aperture give the lens more usage than just a macro lens. You can also use it for portrait, product photography or use as walk-around lens.
Apochromat (APO) design
The lens is engineered to suppress both longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberration across in-focus & out-of-focus areas. Purple fringing and ghosting are controlled to the minimum throughout the aperture range. The APO design greatly reduces your post-editing time substantially especially in macro photography.
Outstanding sharpness and image quality
Specially designed for mirrorless system, the lens packed 3 ED elements and 3 Ultra-High Refractive Index elements. With a shorter flange distance, it is not only improving the image sharpness but also makes the lens more compact. It brings you a whole new macro shooting experience.
Deeper depth of field
The shorter focal length relative to 100mm would give greater depth of field. You can get more in-focus details from your subject under the same aperture. This gives you more control when creating unique visual narratives.
Smooth and Pleasant Bokeh
The 13 aperture blades would create smooth and pleasing bokeh. A stunning background can easily achieve.
Compact size
This lens weighs only 595g with the dimensions of Ø74 x 117mm, making it much smaller than other main-stream option in the market. You can carry it around without burden.
Internal Focusing
The internal focusing design avoids collision of the lens and your subject. It also reduces the chance for dust particles getting into the lens.
The 12-24mm f/5.6 zoom is an ultra-wide zoom lens designed for mirrorless cameras. With an angle of view from 84° to 121°, the lens can be very useful for multiple scenarios. It also has a fixed f/5.6 maximum aperture throughout the whole zoom range which gives the photographer much greater control over the photo. The lens is relatively lightweight in its class. It is compressed to be around 3.3″/ 84mm long and weighs about 1.09lbs/ 497g. The lens is also compatible with 77mm filters (With the lens hood) and has a 15cm close-focusing distance. Easily creating interesting shots with good background separation. Like many of the Laowa lenses, this wide-angle lens also renders stunning 10-point sunstars.
Venus Optics announced a new lens, the Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie, a pancake lens for mirrorless cameras with APS-C imaging sensors. RF mount version available.
Anhui China, Jul 19, 2022 –Venus Optics announces the launch of the new Laowa10mm f/4 Cookie Lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. It is one of the world’s widest rectilinear pancake lenses for APS-C cameras. At a cookie size of 25mm(0.98”)long and weighing only 130g(0.29lbs), it literally can be put in your pocket. Most of the wide-angle pancake lenses on the market are either fisheye or pinhole. They usually have obvious barrel distortion and inferior image quality. However, this new Laowa Cookie Lens is equipped with a high-performance optical design, featuring super-low distortion and optimized image quality to ensure users take full advantage of the mirrorless system –compact and capable. Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie is a fun and mighty option for day-to-day content creators to carry around without burden, ideal for street, urban, landscape photography and everyday snapshots. The Lens has black and silver versions for multiple mounts including Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E, L mount and Fuji X to match with the camera body.
Extremely Compact and Lightweight
Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie is a pancake-style lens specifically designed for APS-C mirrorless cameras. At just 25mm deep and weighing only 130g, you can use it with gimbals and shoot handheld easily. It’s almost like a body cap with function. With such discreet design and excellent portability, you will carry it anywhere and eventually shoot more.
World’s Widest Rectilinear Pancake
Featuring a remarkable 109.3° angle of view, Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookieis by farthe world’s widest rectilinear pancake lens for APS-C on the market. With the advantages of theultra-wide perspective and pocket-sized weight,this lens brings you a burdenless experience to capture epicmoments in everyday lifeand explore the beauty in our surroundings.
Super-low Distortion
Most pancake lenses with a wide perspective are fisheye so heavy Barrel distortion would be expected. However, the Laowa Cookie is here to break the norm. The lens has excellent control of optical distortion. The horizontal and vertical straight lines are retained from corner to corner. As an ultra-wide-angle lens, this is essential not only to reduce the post-editing time but also to expand the possibility of genres you can do with this lens, from street and outdoor photography to shape-edged architectures and spectacular landscapes
High Optical Performance
Laowa10mm f/4 Cookie lens comes with 12 elements in 8 groups optical structure with 2 aspherical and 4 extra-low dispersion elements. Despite the light and compact design, the lens managed to deliver the impressive image quality and high contrast. The performance of chromatic aberration, flaring, and ghosting effects are optimized to support your day and night snapshots.
Stunning 10-point Sunstar
Built with 5 aperture blades, stunning10-pointSunstar can be achieved easily when stop down.
Close Minimum Focusing Distance
The minimum focusing distance of Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie is 10cm, allowing you to get super close to the subjects and create interesting wide-angle macro-like shots with nice separation between the object and background.
Built-in Filter Thread
Equipped witha37mm filter thread for you to use screw-in filters directly. It is very convenient and cost-saving as no additional filter holderis required.
Pricing & Availability
Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie is currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website and authorized resellers.The US price for Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie is USD299 for all mounts. Pricing varies in different countries.
A new Laowa lens has been announced: the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom for full frame mirrorless cameras. The 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom is currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website and authorized resellers. It is priced at $649 for Canon RF, Sony E and Nikon Z while $699 for Leica M.
Venus Optics’ press release:
Anhui China, 7 July 2022 – Venus Optics, the camera lens manufacturer that has been endeavoringto invent high-quality lenses at an affordable price, is thrilled to release an ultra-compact Zoom Lens for Full Frame cameras -Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom. This tiny lens offers an AOV from an ultra-wide 121.9° to an easier-to-control 84° with a fixed aperture. The 5.9”/15cm closest focusing distance allows users to explore more creative shots or even macro-like photos. Laowa’s classical 5-bladed aperture design for stunning 10-point Sunstar also packed in this lens. A 77mm filter can be used directly with the adaptor ring (come along with the lens). With the competitive price of USD649 (USD699 for m mount) and the tiny size, this lens would be perfect for travel and landscape photography. Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z and Leica M are available for this lens.
Wide-angle zoomin a compact body With an 84° to 121.9° zoom range, the lens provides greater flexibility to photographers in framing. Users could adjust the focal length easily with a twist. The lens is relatively compact and light in its class. It is measured to be ⌀69.4x84mm(⌀2.73×3.30”) with a lightweight 497g(1.09lbs).A great option for photographers who wants to pack lightweight.
A constant f/5.6 aperture
The lens has a constant f/5.6 aperture which the aperture does not change when adjusting the focal length. Photographers would have greater control over the photos.
15cm closest focusing distance
The lens has one of the shortest close-focusing distances in the 12-24mm market. It can focus only 5.9”/15cm away from the sensor, giving photographers more room for creative shots such as macro-like shots.
Minimize distortion
Despite it’s not one of the members of the Laowa Zero-D class, the lens still demonstrates an extreme well control performance in minimizing distortion.Still extremely useful for architecture or interior shots when you want the flexibility of a zoom lens at the same time.
Stunning 10-point Sunstar
Like many other Laowawide-angle lenses, this 12-24mm is designed with a 5-bladed aperture which could render appealing 10-point Sunstar when slightly stepping down the aperture.
77mm filter thread
The 12-24mm Zoom lens is able touse a 77mm filter with the adaptor ring that comes with the lens. The ring is also able to act as a lens hood and protect your image from flaring.
“Frog-Eye” coating
The lens had coated with the water & dust repelling “Frog-Eye” Coating (FEC). It gives your lens an extra layer of protection compared to traditional coatings.
Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO is specifically designed for mirrorless cameras with full-frame sensors size. With its fascinating 2:1 magnification capability and focus to infinity, the lens can capture subjects in any size, making it very versatile for different applications including macro, commercial and portrait photography. It is super compact and lightweight, the size of the lens is significantly smaller than other equivalents on the market. An apochromatic (APO) characteristic is equipped even in high magnification to provide outstanding image quality.
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