Anhui, China—Venus Optics added to its series of f/0.95 ultra-large–aperture Argus lenses released last year. The company just introduced the Laowa Argus 18mm F0.95 MFT APO for the Micro Four Thirds format. It also released the Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 APS-C APO. This lens is available in the Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF/EF-M as well as Fujifilm X mounts.
The new lenses provide MFT and APS-C photographers with an option of a 35mm–equivalent focal length. The 35mm focal length is versatile due to the semi-wide images produced. Apart from portrait photography, it also works for landscape, street photography and for everyday snapshooting.
What’s more, the ultrafast f/0.95 aperture makes shooting in low-light environments easier. In addition, it creates a dreamy look with an exceptionally shallow depth of field. For portraiture, it creates great background separation from the main subject. The lenses are also assembled with 9 aperture blades, which creates round and pleasing bokeh. Alongside the shallow depth of field, this adds to their ability to produce dreamy images.
Laowa Argus 18mm F0.95 MFT APO & 25mm F0.95 APS-C APO Key Features
Both the 18mm and the 25mm lenses feature an apochromatic optical design (APO). As a result, they suppress longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberration across in-focus and out-of-focus areas. Purple fringing is also controlled to the minimum even wide open. The APO design also reduces the post-editing time.
Further, to capture close-up details, the minimum focusing distances of the 18mm f/0.95 and 25mm f/0.95 lenses are 7.8 inches and 13.4 inches, respectively.
The new Argus lenses are also video-friendly. Both have an aperture ring click switch for changing between a clicked and de-clicked aperture. Furthermore, low focus breathing eliminates the distraction of the changes in angle of view when moving the focus from one object to another.
In addition, as with other lenses in the Argus series, the two new lenses have the same internal focusing characteristics. It maximizes the optical performance in both infinity focus and minimum focusing distance. Also, it prevents dust from getting into the lens.
Constructed with 14 elements in eight groups, the weight of the 18mm lens is 1.1 pounds. With a 14-element, 9-group design, the 25mm lens weighs in at 1.26 pounds. Venus Optics’ Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 MFT APO and Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 APS-C APO are currently available for purchase.
The Laowa Argus 18mm f/0.95 MFT APO has a suggested retail price of $449. The Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 APS-C APO has an SRP of $549 for all mounts.
