The Full-Frame Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D is Laowa’s First AF Lens
Venus Optics has announced its first autofocus lens ever, the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF. The full-frame lens weighs just 0.93 pounds (420 grams) and is available for multiple mirrorless camera systems, including Canon RF, L-Mount, Nikon Z, and Sony E-mount.
However, there is a rather significant caveat here, as the autofocus version is unavailable for all four mounts. The Canon RF and L-Mount versions are available in manual focus only, whereas Sony FE and Nikon Z shooters can take full advantage of Laowa’s first AF-equipped lens.
“The auto-focus performance of this lens is nothing short of superb, rivaling some of the best in the market,” Laowa promises, emphasizing that the lens is well-suited to environmental portraiture, landscape scenarios, and astrophotography.
No matter the focus version and mount selection, the lens promises Laowa’s signature “Zero-D” performance, meaning that the ultra-wide lens delivers minimal distortion. All versions also offer a very short minimum focusing distance of 12 centimeters (4.72 inches), resulting in a maximum magnification of 0.24x. This is impressive for a wide-angle lens and will enable landscape photographers to get very close to foreground elements.
The lens incorporates 15 elements organized across nine groups. Of this glass, there are two aspherical and three ED elements. The lens also has Laowa’s frog-eye coating (FEC) on the front, which helps protect the lens from water and oil.
The autofocus version has a five-bladed aperture diaphragm, while the manual focus version also comes in a 14-blade variant.
The overall size and weight are the same regardless of the selected version. As mentioned, the lens weighs just 420 grams. It is 2.79 inches (70.8 millimeters) long with a max diameter of 3.23 inches (82 millimeters). The lens has a 77mm front filter thread, enabling the use of filters, which is not a guaranteed inclusion for ultra-wide lenses.
While the autofocus and manual focus versions are the same size and weight, they look slightly different. The manual focus version includes focus distance markings and a manual aperture ring, while the AF variant has just an unlabeled focus ring.
No matter which version a customer orders, the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF lens is $799. The lens will begin shipping to customers in mid-March, with deliveries occurring on a first-come, first-served basis. The lens is available to order directly from Venus Optics, Adorama, and B&H.
PetaPixel has selected some sample images to share in this article, but Venus Optics has an expansive sample image gallery available on the Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF product page.
Image credits: Venus Optics. Individual photographers are credited in the sample image captions.
