Holy Grail of Wide Angle Lenses – Venus Optics Laowa 12mm (Zero Distortion?)

By Alex Ferrari | December 21, 2016

Venus Optics Laowa 12mm, Laowa 12mm, Venus Optics , Arri Alexa, Red Dragon, Sony As7 ii, Canon, DSLR

Holy Grail of Wide Angle Lenses – Venus Optics Laowa 12mm (Zero Distortion?)

Is this really possible? What kind of witchcraft is this? The good folks over a Laowa at Venus Optics have reportedly created the holy grail of wide angle lenses. Based on the videos below I’m very impressed. It has a very Stanley Kubrick vibe. Kubrick shot much of A Clockwork Orange on a 12mm (see Kubrick Lenses for more on that).

But I’ve always had issues with distortion, as everyone else does. The Venus Optics Laowa 12mm has some great potential. Check out some more info on the 12mm miracle.

A truly wide-angle prime featuring a rectilinear optical design, the Canon EF-mount Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D from Venus Optics is specifically meant to limit distortion for clear and accurate portrayals of landscapes and architectural subjects.

The optical construction also incorporates a pair of aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion elements to control both spherical and chromatic aberrations for improved sharpness and reduced color fringing.

A Frog Eye Coating (watch the video below to be blown away) has been applied, too, to repel dust and moisture from the front element of the lens to benefit working in trying environmental conditions. Benefitting the optical attributes, this lens also features a precise manual focus design along with a floating optical system to maintain accurate rendering throughout the focus range, from 7.09″ to infinity.

Additionally, a petal-shaped lens hood is also incorporated into the lens’ design to reduce flare and ghosting when working in strong lighting conditions.

Venus Optics Laowa 12mm

Ultra wide-angle prime designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount DSLRs, this 12mm f/2.8 can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 19.2mm equivalent focal length.
Bright f/2.8 maximum aperture is well-suited to working in low and difficult lighting conditions.
Rectilinear design renders subjects with minimal distortion in order to suit landscape and architectural applications.
Three extra-low dispersion elements reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing for increased clarity and color neutrality. Two aspherical elements are also featured to limit spherical aberrations for improved sharpness.

A Frog Eye Coating has been applied to repel both dust and moisture for added protection when working in inclement conditions.
Manual focus design employs a floating optical system to maintain performance throughout the focusing range of 7.09″ to infinity.
Built-in petal-shaped lens hood shields the lens from stray light to reduce flare and ghosting and also protects the front elements from accidental impacts.

You can Pre-Order the Venus Optics Laowa 12mm here.

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