Venus Optics unveiled previously announced “world’s widest -angle shift lens” Laowa 15mm f4.5 Zero-D Shift for Canon EF, Canon RF, Nikon F, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount. It is now available for the Pentax and Leica L mount.
According to the manufacturer, the angle of view of the lens is an enormous 110 degrees, more than all shift lenses currently on the market. With a maximum displacement of ± 11mm, this lens is particularly suitable for architectural photography.
Thanks to the large image circle of 65mm, the Laowa 15mm f4.5 Zero-D Shift is not only suitable for full format cameras but with a shift of up to ± 8 mm, it is even suitable to use for medium format cameras such as the Fujifilm GFX or Hasselblad X1D. A corresponding lens adapter is required for this. This means that the lens also has the widest focal length currently available for the Fujifilm GFX or Hasselblad X1D sensor without vignetting.
The 360-degree rotatable frame allows photographers to change the shift direction in portrait format very easily, whereby the mechanism engages every 15 degrees. The lens was built with 17 elements in 11 groups with 2 aspherical elements. The close-focus limit, at just 20cm, also allows close-ups with a macro-like effect, whereby the focal length ensures that the image is seemingly endless. A new lens coating weakens reflections and increases transmission. In addition, the chromatic aberration has been significantly reduced.
Despite the special possibilities that this lens offers, it is compact and light with a diameter of 79 mm and a length of 103 mm, and a weight of 597 g. Thanks to the 5 aperture blades, a beautiful 10-ray diffraction pattern is created when taking pictures against the sun or a point light source.
A Shift Lens Support tripod mount, available as an accessory, is ideal in combination with the 15mm f4.5 Zero-D Shift for panoramic shots and avoids parallax errors, for example. A precise alignment of the lens-camera position is thus guaranteed in every direction.
Price and availability
Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f4.5 Zero-D Shift for Pentax and Leica L mount is now available to buy on the Bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com website for $1,199.
Laowa 15mm f4.5 Zero-D Shift Specifications
- Focal Length: 15mm
- Max. Aperture: f/4.5
- Angle of View: 110°
- Shift Capability: Full Frame: ± 11mm of shift
- Medium Format: ± 8mm of shift
- Format Compatibility: Full Frame
- Lens Structure: 17 elements in 11 groups
- Aperture Blades: 5
- Min. Focusing Distance: 20 cm
- Focus Mode: Manual Focus
- Dimensions: 79 x 103 mm
- Weight: 597g
- Mounts: Pentax, Leica L