Meike 85mm f/1.8 Autofocus E-mount Lens Announced

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 21, 2018

Meike has an 85mm f/1.8 AF lens coming for Sony E-mount. Meike lenses are usually available via Amazon. You can find all of the details about the lens below. Read More »

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Dr. Rudolph’s APO Plasmat Lens 105mm f2.7 Returns

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 21, 2018

Meyer Optik is launching another lens via kick starters the Plasmat Lens 105mm f2.7 that will be available for E-Mount. We previously mentioned this lens coming here.

When Dr. Paul Rudolph designed the Makroplasmat he was aiming at the highest or better to say perfect stage of chromatic correction. The result was a lens that is spherically corrected to the highest degree for the colors of the spectrum at various diaphragm stops. For the blue rays the diaphragm opening is slightly smaller than for the yellow rays. Paul Rudolph called the fact that he had spherically corrected the Makroplasmat equally well for all colors of the spectrum “Sphero-Achromatic”. By using the most modern glasses with tightest specifications we could improve this feature some more and the Makroplasmat lens is therefore designed to bring the three wavelengths (typically red, green, and blue) into focus in the same plane. The Makroplasmat is also corrected for spherical aberration at three wavelengths. The effect which is derived is a chiaroscuro (light and shade) of the Plasmat that shows an enhanced plasticity and a unique transmission of space formation with greatest pictorial atmosphere.

You can find more information about the Plasmat Lens 105mm f2.7 here.

https://vimeo.com/230938943

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Laowa 10-18 f/3.5-4.5 and Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Officially Announced

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 20, 2018

Press Release
Venus Optics announces 4 new & unique lenses in development, led by the Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE, World’s widest zoom lens for Sony full frame E-mount cameras

All 4 lenses will make their debut in the coming Beijing P&E Imaging Fair.

Anhui China, Apr 20, 2018 – Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, is proud to announce 4 new and unique lenses.

–  Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom
–  Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
–  Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D
–  Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT
–  Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

This lens is currently the widest zoom lens available for Sony full frame E-mount cameras. Designed primarily for travel photography, Venus optics have managed to compress the size to smallest in its class, less than 10 inch (<10cm) and only 1.1 pounds (<500g). The 102° (18mm) to 130° (10mm) angle of view provides flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The lens houses with 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical elements & 1 extra-low dispersion element to deliver exceptional performance. It can focus as close as 15cm for some mini-macro shooting. A rear filter slot is included to fit with 37mm filter. Click/clickless aperture can be toggled by the switch on the lens barrel.

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
Followed by the success of the Laowa 60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro, the 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro is the 2nd member of Laowa 2:1 macro line-up. This new 100mm lens can cover full frame sensor size and focus from 2:1 magnification to infinity. The wide magnification range allows macro photographers to capture subject at any sizes. This 100mm portrait lens also features an apochromatic (APO) characteristic that no chromatic aberration can be found. The 12 elements in 10 groups optics design delivers a crystal sharpness image in both macro and tele distances. Canon EF / Nikon AI / Pentax K / Sony FE mounts are available.

Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D
This is currently the widest available native lens option for Fujifilm G-mount cameras. The new Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX has a field of view equivalent to 13mm in 35mm format (113°). Featuring a close-to-zero distortion and 86mm filter thread, this lens is ideally suited for landscape, architecture & interior photography. The 21 elements in 14 groups design with 2pcs of aspherical & 3pcs of Extra-low dispersion elements successfully help to control the distortion & chromatic aberrations to the minimal.

Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye MFT
Featuring a 210° angle of view, this lens delivers unique circular fisheye field of view on Micro four thirds cameras. The ultra-wide angle view allows photographers to create 360° panorama with ease. Despite the unique & ultra-wide perspective, the lens only weighs 0.3 pounds (135g).

Availability
All four lenses will be available for trial at Venus Optics’ booth (T225) in Beijing P&E Imaging fair during 3rd-6th May 2019. They are expected to be shipped in mid/late 2018. Exact shipping date and pricing are to be confirmed.

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Overall Winners Revealed For 2018 Sony World Photography Awards

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 20, 2018


Overall winners revealed for 2018 Sony World Photography Awards
● British artist Alys Tomlinson named Photographer of the Year
● 10 Professional category winners and finalists revealed
● Overall Open, Youth and Student winners announced
● Images available at www.worldphoto.org/press

London, April 19, 2018: The World Photography Organisation today names the overall winners of the prestigious 2018 Sony World Photography Awards at a London ceremony.

The coveted Photographer of the Year title was presented to British artist Alys Tomlinson for her series Ex-Voto, winning the photographer $25,000 (USD). The work was praised by the jury for its beautiful production, technical excellence and sensitive illustration of pilgrimage as a journey of discovery and sacrifice to a greater power.

Tomlinson was selected from the 10 category winners of the Professional competition who were announced today alongside those in 2nd and 3rd place in each Professional category. The overall winners of the Awards’ Open (best single image), Youth and Student Focus competitions were also revealed.

All winners were flown to the London awards ceremony and received Sony digital imaging equipment, publication in the winners’ book and their work will be shown as part of the 2018 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London.

Outstanding Contribution to Photography recipient Candida Höfer was also at the ceremony to collect her prize.

Produced by the World Photography Organisation, the Sony World Photography Awards is the world’s most diverse photography competition. The 11th edition saw a record breaking 320,000 submissions by photographers from more than 200 countries and territories, presenting some of the world’s finest contemporary photography captured over the past year. The Awards’ annual London exhibition brings together the best established and emerging talent from around the world, providing winning and shortlisted photographers the opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage. Read More »

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Laowa 10-18 f/3.5-4.5 Pictures Leak

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 20, 2018


Photorumors received photos of the upcoming Laowa 10-18 f/3.5-4.5. The Laowa 10-18 is the widest FE zoom full frame lens, this lens is designed for travel photography and it will be extremely compact and small. Laowa has been releasing a lot of interesting lenses lately.


Via Photorumors

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Laowa 10-18 f/3.5-4.5 Full Frame and More Coming

By Louis Ferreira | Published: April 19, 2018


Venus Optics will have several major announcements at the Beijing P&E starting May 3rd. The following new Laowa lenses are rumored/expected:

◦ Laowa 10-18 f/3.5-4.5 full frame manual focus lens for Sony FE
◦ Laowa GF 17mm f/4 for Fuji GFX
◦ Laowa 2x tele macro for DSLR cameras
◦ Laowa fisheye lens wider than 180° (not 100% sure about this lens)
◦ Laowa 25-100mm f/2.8 full frame mirrorless lens (also not 100% sure about this lens)

The latest Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro lens is delayed until the end of May. Additional information on Venus Optics products can be found here. Laowa lenses are sold at B&H Photo and on their official website.

Via Photorumors

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