Venus Optics has announced the new Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 MFT APO lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. The company says that the shallow depth of field creates “dreamy” background defocus and the APO design limits color fringing.
Venus Optics says the lens features not only an ultra-fast wide-open aperture, but top-notch optical performance, video-friendly features, excellent bokeh rendition, and a high-quality build.
Main Features of the Lens
The 25mm f/0.95 has an extremely shallow depth of field that Venus Optics says allows for incredible subject separation with “creamy” background defocus. The manual focus lens features an all-metal build, weighs 1.25 pounds, and the company claims the aperture and focus rings have deep grooves that make for better handling.
The lens is constructed of 14 elements in eight groups and includes one aspherical lens, one ED glass element, and three ultra-high refractive (UHR) glass elements. The company says the design ensures sharp images even at the wide-open aperture of f/0.95 and photographers can create “crystal clear” photos even in challenging and dimly lit conditions.
The 25mm f/0.95 features an aperture range of f/0.95 to f/11 through a nine-bladed diaphragm. It has a minimum focusing distance of 9.8-inches, a maximum magnification of 0.17x, a front filter thread of 62mm, and an angle of view of 46.7-degrees.
The Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 is an APO lens, which Venus Optics says combines the extra-low dispersion glass, aspherical lens, and ultra-high refraction glass lenses to create images that are not only sharp but also show minimal color fringing, or chromatic aberration.
The lens also has what Venus Optics describes as a “video friendly design” in that it has internal focusing (which allows for more flexible use of accessories and prevents dust from entering the lens) and promises minimal focus breathing. Venus Optics says that the breathing is well controlled enough to describe the occurrence of the distracting angle of view changes as “eliminated.”
Below are some sample images taken with the lens, provided by Venus Optics.
Pricing and Availability
The Venus Optics Laowa Argus 25mm f/0.95 MFT APO lens is available to purchase today for $400 in the United States. The company says that pricing in different countries will vary, so check the company’s website or authorized dealers for specifics.
Author: Jaron Schneider
Source: Petapixel
