Venus Optics has announced the release of the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95, the world’s fastest 35mm lens for full-frame cameras. It is available for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon RF mounts.

Aside from Leica rangefinder lenses which have been historically compact, wide and fast lenses tend to be larger and bulkier. Venus Optics says its engineers have managed to strike a balance between ease of operation and optical performance and pushed the design to a level that can cover a mainstream full-frame sensor, achieve that performance, and offer a wide perspective in a shallow depth of field.

The manual focus lens is constructed of 14 elements in nine groups, including one aspherical element, one extra-low dispersion element, and four ultra-high-refractive elements. It features a fifteen-blade aperture diaphragm, an aperture range of f/0.95 through f/16, has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm, and uses a 72mm front filter thread.

The lens features an aperture de-click switch to allow it to smoothly transition among its aperture range for video use. Speaking of video use, Venus Optics says that it has well-controlled focus breathing which eliminates a distraction that can come from changes in the angle of view when moving the focus from one object to another. It also features a 300-degree focus thread for use on geared rigs.

Below are a set of sample images taken with the Argus 35mm f/0.95, provided by Venus Optics: