Venus Optics has announced a new full-frame cinema zoom lens line and the first two lenses may be all you ever need.
The Laowa Ranger Compact Cine Zoom Series starts with the Ranger 28-75mm T2.9 and the Ranger 75-180mm T2.9 cine lenses, and are designed for one-man crews and independent filmmakers looking for a big budget look with an indy budget price tag.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The weight of each lens is 3.08 pounds (1.4kg) and a length of between 179.3-189.5mm with an 80mm outer diameter, making them very lightweight, yet with a robust built quality that can withstand heavy use in the field.
The Ranger lenses have a 6.4x zoom ratio with an extremely close-up focusing distance of 1’6” (.49m) and 2’9” (.89m) respectively.
Both lenses have a parfocal optical design with a built-in back focusing adjustment system for a smooth and reliable zoom without the need for additional shims.
This design combats focus creep and promise almost zero breathing. The lenses are also compact enough to be used with gimbals, shoulder rigs, car rigs, and even handheld operations.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The lenses have a stout structure that houses 22 elements organized in 18 groups for the Ranger 28-75 T2.9, and 14 elements arranged in 14 groups for the Ranger 75mm-180mm T2.9.
There is also an eleven-blade aperture for smooth, rounded bokeh.
Moreover, the T2.9 aperture speed rating provides background separation, yet is fast enough to effectively operate in low-light conditions.
Whether shooting wide open or at a close focus, these lenses promise sharp, contrast, and accurate color reproduction every time.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
Image Credit – Venus Optics
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The professional-grade cine housing has .8 mod gears, threads for mounting lens support, dual scales for feet and meters, and a 77mm filter thread.
The lenses have a focus throw of 270°, an aperture throw of 42°, and a zoom throw of 100°.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
Pricing and Availability
The retail price of the Laowa Ranger Compact Cine Zoom Series is $2999.00 each, or $5799.00 for the two-lens bundle.
The lenses come by default with a PL mount but also have an interchangeable EF bayonet mount included with a hard case.
There are also optional interchangeable bayonet mounts for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Leica L mount configurations.
Each bayonet mount is $100. Camera operators can use screw-in filters or mount a matte box for additional image control.
The lenses will ship in late June. There are also plans for a third full-frame Ranger 16-30mm T2.9 listed as coming soon.
More information can be found on the Venus Optics Website.
[source: Venus Optics]
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