We shared with you some photos and footage taken with Venus Optics’ insane Laowa 9mm f/5.6 lens. And now it’s finally here! While Venus Optics already has a 9mm lens, it’s made for crop sensor cameras and it has maximum aperture of f/2.8. The new Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL is a rectilinear lens made for full frame cameras, made in four different mounts. So, let’s dive right into more details.
The Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL is ideal for landscapes, architecture and interior photography. I can’t help but wonder how insane portraits would look with it, but if you order it, I encourage you to try. For such a wide-angle lens, it can focus pretty close: the closest focusing distance is only 4.72” (12cm) measuring from subject to sensor. As for the build, the lens is made from 14 elements in 10 groups. Venus Optics promises outstanding corner-to-corner sharpness, minimum chromatic aberration and very low distortion. In our sample images you can see that the image quality is indeed pretty neat. from corners to corners. When it comes to the mounts, the Laowa 9mm f/5,6 is currently available in Leica M, Sony FE, Nikon Z and L mount. It’s the first Leica M lens Venus Optics have ever produced, and it also supports rangefinder coupling on Leica cameras. The lens is also compatible with 100mm-wide filters, which is good news particularly for landscape photographers and those who want to use the lens for video. Venus Optics has designed a filter holder that lets you use 100mmwide filters without serious vignetting. Her are the full specs of the lens, along with some photos:
Focal Length: 9mmAperture: f/5.6Aperture: f/22Angle of View: 135°Format Compatibility: Full FrameLens Structure: 14 elements in 10 groupsAperture Blades: 5Focusing Distance: 4.72” (12 cm)Magnification: 0.21xFilters Solutions via 100mm Magnetic Filter HolderDimensions: 62.4 x 66 mmWeight: 12.3 oz. (350g)Mounts: Leica M, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Leica L
And here are a some sample images: The new Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL is already available for purchase via Venus Optics official website and authorized resellers. The US price is $899 for Leica M mount and you can choose between black and silver lens. As for the Sony FE, Nikon Z and L mounts, they come in black and they cost $799. In addition, the first 100 orders will get the 100mm magnetic filter holder for free, and it costs $149 to get it separately.
