It seems that the Chinese lens manufacturer Venus Optics are getting a lot of traction lately with their latest ultra wide lens the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 that we told you about last week as its Kickstarter campaign managed to meet the target in a split second after it was launched on Saturday with more than whopping $400, 000 raised so far. In essence, the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 is currently one of the widest and fastest rectilinear lenses for full-frame cameras available on the market. The unit comes in multiple flavors including Canon EF, Nikon AI, Sony A, Pentax K and Sony E and offers “close-to-zero” distortion, stunning optical quality and a small and compact form factor.
Unlike its competitors, the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens eliminates the dramatic barrel distortion and reduced peripheral sharpness by delivering a top-notch optical performance with a minimal chromatic aberration. The optical design of the lens consists of 16 lens elements in 10 groups with three extra-low dispersion elements and two aspherical elements. This patented optical design delivers a high resolution from corner to corner, even when shooting wide open. The enclosure of the lens is sturdy, fully made of metal to strengthen its durability.
Furthermore, with its merely 609g, this ultra wide angle lens seems to be the perfect fit for multiple video applications where the small and lightweight form factor is certainly a consideration. On top of that, users will get a 122-degree angle of view with virtually no distortion for capturing stunning landscapes, interiors, astro timelapse videos and more.
If that is not enough, both photographers and videographers can expand their creative options by getting the Magic Shift Converter that will turn the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens into a 17mm f/4 lens with the ability to shift +/- 10mm on full-frame E-Mount cameras. Venus Optics also offers a filter holder which is designed to fit two pieces of 100mm filters along with a Circular Polarizing Filter.
You can still support the Kickstarter campaign and pick your Laowa ultra-wide lens for $849 which is $100 less than the full retail price of $950. If you want to get the Magic Shift Converter, you also have to pay additional $300, or add $50 on top of your pledge amount to get the filter holder. Each Laowa 12mm f/2.8 lens is backed by a standard three-year warranty. For further information regarding different pledge options and delivery dates head over to the Laowa’s Kickstarter page.
[via: PetaPixel, source: Kickstarter]
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