Venus Optics Unveils the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D for Leica M
The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D LM lens for Leica M mount users has been introduced. The lens has a rangefinder coupling and is designed for landscape, architecture, interior, street, and astrophotography. The lens is available in RF, L, E, and Z mounts natively. The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D is a manual lens with electronic contacts for recording EXIF data. When combined with the Leica M to Sony E and Leica M to Nikon Z autofocus adapters, the lens can be used as an autofocus lens.
“With an f/2 large aperture, the lens captivated users with the ability to capture breathtaking astrophotography and stunning long exposure shots. Having a wide-angle lens with such a large aperture helps the photographer to capture vastness night view with ease,” Laowa says.
With its 110-degree field of view, the ultra-wide lens can capture enormous scenes in a single shot. Its wide f/2 maximum aperture is ideal for low-light photography, such as night sky and astrophotography. Despite its wide field of view, the lens’s innovative, sophisticated optical construction offers near-zero distortion. The lens comprises a dozen elements organized into nine groups, including two aspherical elements. The lens promises nearly straight lines for interior and architectural photography because of its “Zero-D” construction.
The lens’s minimum focusing distance is only 15 cm, resulting in a maximum reproduction ratio of 1:4. A built-in focus limit reminder “click” warns users that the focusing range begins at 0.7 meters when used with a rangefinder camera.
Here are some sample pictures provided by Venus Optics by photographers Mike Kremel and Jean Philippe Bellon:
The lens has manual aperture adjustment ring with aperture and depth of field indications. The lens produces 10-point sunstars thanks to its five-bladed aperture diaphragm. The lens has a 72mm filter thread and weighs 418 grams.
The Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D LM lens is available now for $649.