Venus Optics has introduced two unusual fisheye zoom lenses for full-frame sensors that offer a uniquely dual fisheye effect in a zoom design. The Laowa 8–15mm f/2.8 is designed for photographers and content creators, while the Laowa 8–15mm T2.9 Cine is intended for filmmakers. Both cover the same focal range and deliver pronounced distortion, moving from a circular fisheye effect at 8mm to a full-frame rectangular fisheye at 15mm. However, each lens is tailored to either a photo or cine user, so let’s have a look at both of them. Laowa recently released a few other interesting full-frame lenses, including the Laowa 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Macro, which features an ultra-wide focal length, and a Probe Zoom Macro lens series with up to 8 configurations. With the new 8-15mm fisheye zoom lenses, we now have a fisheye lens with optics that offer both a circular and a rectangular image – two optics in one lens! Laowa 8–15mm f/2.8 Zoom Fisheye Cine The Laowa 8–15mm T2.9 fits into the tradition of fisheye lenses used in cinema, not just for wide establishing shots, but also to distort space on purpose or to tilt the viewer’s sense of orientation. At 8mm, it’s suitable for VR or 360° capture; at 15mm, it can be used in more straightforward scenes, when a bit of distortion helps heighten the atmosphere or skew the viewer’s sense of space. Laowa 8–15mm f/2.8 Zoom Fisheye Cine. Image credit: Laowa The Laowa 8–15mm T2.9 weighs approximately 590g (1.3 lbs), making it...
Published By: CineD - Today