Venus Optics Announces the Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95 Full-Frame Lens
In the last few years, Chinese lens manufacturer Venus Optic has released a plethora of versatile, unique, and affordable fast aperture lenses for most camera systems on the market. Now the company has announced the second full-frame lens in its Argus lineup: the Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95 FF. The lens follows in the footsteps of the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 announced back in September, which was billed as the worldโs fastest full-frame lens.
Compared to the 35mm, the new 45mm has a 51.3ยฐ angle of view and captures photos that more closely match how the human eye sees the world. โThis exceptional standard lens offers a field of view that is more appealing and natural to human eyes,โ the Chinese lens manufacturer states. โWith the super shallow depth of field at f/0.95, it easily creates a dreamy and romantic rendering.โ
The 45mm manual lens is constructed of 13 elements in nine groups, including one aspherical element, one extra-low dispersion element, and three ultra-high-refractive index elements. It features a 15-blade aperture diaphragm, has an aperture range of f/0.95 through f/16, uses a 72mm front filter thread, and has a minimum focusing distance of 50cm.
The Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95 features an aperture ring click switch mechanism that allows videographers to easily de-click the aperture ring, allowing for smooth and silent aperture adjustments โ helpful when capturing video.
The lens also has an internal focusing system that helps to prevent dust from entering the lens body. The internal system is also helpful when shooting with certain accessories such as polarizers since the front of the lens will not rotate as the lens is focused.ย A benefit of the internal focusing design is reduced focus breathing or the change in focal length that occurs in lenses when the focus is adjusted. Combined with the precise 300ยฐ focus thread, these features are designed to make the lens an ideal one for videography purposes.
Here are some sample pictures:
The lens is available in Canon RF, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount versions, with each measuring roughly 76.8mm in diameter by 110mm long, and weighing roughly 835g. The Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95 FF is currently available to purchase in all three mount options for $799.
More info on Venus Opticsโ website.
