Venus Optics has announced an updated version of its Laowa 7.5mm F2 Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens that has electronic aperture control and an onboard chip for transferring metadata from the lens to the camera.
The new lens features the same optical construction as its fully-manual predecessor (13 elements in nine groups), but adds an electronically-controlled aperture at the cost of reducing the number of aperture blades to five (there are seven in the manual version).
As for dimensions, the lens comes in at 3mm (.12”) larger in diameter and 7mm shorter (.28”) than the manual version. Also, despite adding the electronic aperture control and onboard CPU chip, Venus Optics managed to reduce the lens’ weight to 150g (5.3oz), down from the 170g (6oz) weight of the manual version.
Below is a video review of the lens from YouTube channel RED35:
The Laowa 7.5mm F2 lens with electronic aperture control is available to order on Venus Optics’ website for $549. You can view a gallery of full-sized sample images on Venus Optics’ Flickr album.
There are so many Thunderbolt Docks on the market at the moment that it can be overwhelming to find the right one for you. We took a look at five different options to see how they might fit into your workflow.Nik Collection from DxO is a suite of eight image processing tools that can be used either as standalone apps or plug-ins for third-party software like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. We’ve taken a look at the latest version – click through to read our overview of Nik Collection 4.The Panasonic GH5M2 is a refresh, rather than complete reworking, of the company’s image-stabilized, video focused GH5. A new processor boosts its capabilities. We lookat whether this is enough to keep it competitive.The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 18mm F1.4 R LM WR is a bright, fast walkaround prime lens that’s particularly well-suited to landscape and street photography. If you’re a Fujifilm X-mount shooter, read our review to find out whether it deserves to be in your collection.The Kensington StudioDock isn’t for everyone, but for those who want a desktop-like experience on their iPad, you won’t find another product like it.
If you’re looking for a high-quality camera, you don’t need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we’ve selected some cameras that might be a bit older but still offer a lot of bang for the buck.What’s the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we’ve rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.What’s the best camera for less than $1000? The best cameras for under $1000 should have good ergonomics and controls, great image quality and be capture high-quality video. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing under $1000 and recommended the best.Although a lot of people only upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. In this guide we’ve chosen a selection of cameras that make it easy to shoot compelling lifestyle images, ideal for sharing on social media.What’s the best camera for travel? Good travel cameras should be small, versatile, and offer good image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded-up several great cameras for travel and recommended the best.