The Chinese manufacturer Venus Optics and its Laowa brand have often distinguished themselves with their atypical lenses, focusing more on optical quality and value for money, to the detriment of embedded technologies. The brand is gradually seeking to invest in the more upmarket segments and is now presenting a new range of products, the Laowa Ranger lenses specifically dedicated to filmmakers.
Laowa Ranger 28-75mm T2.9 Cine PL/EF
Introductory price 3699 €
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Laowa Ranger 75-180mm T2.9 Cine PL/EF
Introductory price 3699 €
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Here, it is no longer a question of simple lenses for cameras with a penchant for video, but of real stones to be screwed on cinema cameras for big productions.
Constant and parafocal aperture
The new Laowa Ranger 28-75mm T2.9 and 75-180mm T2.9 lenses obviously rely on their performance and compactness. Relatively light for the sector, they are intended for productions that cannot be burdened with a multitude of fixed focal lengths or which simply need a zoom for artistic effects. Obviously, they have a constant T2.9 aperture to avoid changing the exposure when zooming.
Unsurprisingly, these full-frame lenses are manual only and use a precise focus ring, dual-scaled in meters and feet. A feature well known to filmmakers, these lenses feature a parfocal design that allows the focus setting to remain unchanged when the focal length is changed, which is essential for zoom effects. In addition, these lenses can boast of a particularly short focusing distance, from 49 cm for the 28-75mm and 89 cm for the 75-180mm, favoring close-ups and a shallow depth of field.
PL and EF mount, and more
These two lenses come standard with a PL mount bayonet, widely used in cinema cameras, such as Arri’s Alexa models, and in EF mount to be mounted if necessary.
As an option, however, it is possible to opt for a hybrid interchangeable bayonet to be mounted, whether it is the Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF mount or L mount.
Price and availability
Freshly announced, however, you will have to wait until mid-August to get your hands on one of these Laowa Ranger lenses. To equip yourself, you will have to pay the sum of €3,699, whether for the Laowa Ranger 28-75mm T2.9 Cine or for the 75-180mm T2.9 Cine. In addition, Venus Optics offers a bundle including the two lenses for €7,199, a high price but which does not scare film productions.
Each additional bayonet will cost €129, regardless of mount.