Venus Optics has released an updated version of its full-frame Ranger cine lenses, the Laowa Ranger Lite, which is 10% smaller than its predecessors. At the same time, they retained all the same characteristics, focal length, as well as optical design – that is, they did not lose in quality.
The original Laowa Ranger line of full-frame video zoom lenses was announced in June 2023. Then the company showed the Laowa Ranger 28-75mm and Laowa Ranger 75-180mm T2.9 lenses. The weight of each lens was 1.4 kg, which is a very good indicator for high-aperture film optics.
However, now with the release of the Laowa Ranger Lite, the company has given operators the opportunity to work with even lighter lenses: the Laowa Ranger Lite 28-75mm T2.9 weighs 1.3 kg, and the Laowa Ranger Lite 75-180mm T2.9 weighs 1.2 kg. We are talking about only 100 grams, but this can play a certain role both when working with stabilizers and in other use scenarios.
The manufacturer lists the advantages of Laowa Ranger Lite lenses :
- The optics are parfocal and have a mechanism for quickly adjusting the back focus
- The lenses have an interchangeable PL/Canon EF mount, but if necessary you can purchase an additional Sony E/Canon RF/Nikon Z/L-mount
- 43.2mm imaging circle covers full-frame sensors
- The focus ring rotation angle is 270°, and all focus/zoom/iris rings have built-in M0.8 pitch gears
- The Laowa Ranger Lite 28-75mm T2.9 lens design consists of 22 elements in 18 groups. The design of the Laowa Ranger Lite 75–180mm T2.9 lens is simpler: 14 elements in 14 groups.
- Front filter thread is 77mm, outer diameter is 80mm
The new Laowa Ranger Lite lenses will also be available in Space Gray instead of black on the “regular” Ranger. Moreover, in virtually all respects (including the points listed above), the new optics are identical to the previous original version of film optics.
The company has published an official promotional video for the new line of Laowa Ranger Lite cine lenses:
The Laowa Ranger Lite zoom lenses are now available for $3,499 each, but you can also purchase them as a kit for $6,799 (almost $600,000 at current exchange rates).
At the end of October , the Laowa 8-16mm F/3.5-5 Zoom CF wide-angle zoom lens was announced . The lens is designed for cameras with APS-C format matrices and allows you to obtain an image with a viewing angle of 82.8-120.9 degrees. The manufacturing company reports that the new optics allow for good control of optical distortion and focusing at a fairly close distance of 20 cm.
Venus Optics reports that the new Laowa 8-16mm F/3.5-5 Zoom CF lens is suitable for landscape photography, architecture photography and generally any shooting that requires a wide viewing angle.
