Venus Optics, has added yet another unique lens to its lineup for Fuji X, Sony E and Canon M systems; The Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye Lens available now for $199 USD.
Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens is an 8mm equivalent fisheye prime specially designed for mirrorless cameras with APS-C and MFT sensors. On the contrary to the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ wide angle lenses, the new 4mm fisheye lens is designed to create an extremely distorted circular fisheye perspective.
210° Angle of View
The lens features an ultra-wide 210° angle of view. Photographers can take advantage of the dramatic field of view to capture more than what your eyes can see. A full 360 degree panorama can also be done using just 2 images as opposed to shooting 6 or more images with conventional fisheye lenses. This lens is also particularly good for VR photography, shooting virtual tour, skateboard shooting and spherical panorama.
[Related Reading: Venus Optics Announce Pricing and Availability of the World’s Widest Cinema Lens]
360 Degree Panorama
Fast f/2.8 Aperture
The ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture makes it an ideal option for astro-photography and shooting in lowlight condition.
Focus as Close as 3.14” (8cm) from Sensor
Photographers can take advantage of the super close focusing distance to capture some heavily distorted & impactful shots.
Drone Friendly
The MFT version of the lens can be mounted on DJI Inspire X5 drones to create some epic ‘God’s vision’ shots.
Outstanding sharpness
Houses with 7 elements in 6 groups, the new 4mm has an outstanding sharpness throughout the frame. Along with the 210o ultra-wide angle, photographers can either ‘de-fish’ the image in post-processing or crop to transform the image into a rectilinear image.
Tiny & Lightweight
The lens is extremely tiny and lightweight. Measuring only 1.77” (45mm) long and weighing 4.7 oz (135g), the lens is so small that can be put into pocket for shooting anywhere, anytime.
Large Depth of Field
The depth of field of this lens is so deep that no focusing operation is required. Simply park the focus ring at infinity focus and stop down the lens to around f/5.6, everything will be in focus.
Technical Specifications
- Focal Length – 4mm
- Max. Aperture – f/2.8
- Min. Aperture – f/16
- Angle of View – 210°
- Format Compatibility – APS-C
- Lens Structure – 7 elements in 6 groups
- Aperture Blades – 7
- Min. Focusing Distance – 8cm (3.15”)
- Max. Magnification – 1:9
- Dimensions – Φ 25.5 x 45.2mm
- Weight – 135 g (4.76 oz)
- Mounts – Fuji X, Sony E, EOS-M, M43
[Related Reading: Venus Optics Announces Worlds Widest Rectilinear Lens for Fujifilm GFX – Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D]
Pricing & Availability
The lens is currently available to order from authorized resellers and the Venus Optics official website . It’s ready to ship now from there and our preferred vendors. The ex-VAT retail price in USD is $199. Pricing may vary in different countries.
Adorama | B&H | Amazon | Venus Optics
So Sony/Fuji/Olympus/Drone shooters, what do you think? Will you try this fisheye lens? The price point certainly makes it seem like a viable lens for a niche and unique lens type. Let us know what you think in the comments below and if you plan on testing this guy out. Or if you’d like to see us review this in the SLR Lounge studio!
Additional Sample Image Gallery
