The new Laowa 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift which joins the recently announced 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift, is the widest shift lens for both full-frame cameras and medium format cameras in the market. According to Venus Optics, this new version provides one more artistic option to photographers. This also extends to Fujifilm photographers, as the company announced a Fujifilm G mount for both Blue and Red Ring versions, meaning most camera system can use Laowa’s Shift lens without any adaptors, something that is also true for the 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift.
The Laowa 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift is made with a 14-blade aperture, producing 14-point sunstars. Compared to the previous 5-blade aperture version, the sunburst effect with fourteen rays is softer and subtler. By offering lenses with different number of aperture blades, photographers can choose the desired starburst effect in particular scenes. Venus Optics notes that t “it is critical for architecture photography when there are often strong light sources and reflections on the windows.”
The lens aperture also has an impact on the shape of bokeh in the photographs. The new red ring version creates round bokeh on the out-of-focus backgrounds. It is smoother and hence more appealing in the night-view city scenes, says Venus Optics.
The angle of view for Laowa 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift is 110° and it covers a huge image circle up to ⌀ 65mm. The ultra-wide angle perspective gives photographers great flexibility to frame the subject and background. It is perfect for capturing supertall skyscrapers, magnificent architecture, and interior works.
The company says that “the maximum possible shift amount of the lens is ±11mm for full-frame cameras and ±8mm for medium format cameras (e.g. Fujifilm GFX / Hasselblad X1D). The shift capability allows photographers to capture straight architecture and interiors. By shifting the lens, perspective distortion can be fixed, straightening the lines that appear to converge in the distance. It is incomparable to post-editing or photo cropping, crooked images are corrected by the lens, so a large area on the image can be preserved.”
The ±11mm shift amount also gives photographers more options when photographing indoors, as it allows to expand rooms for compositions by stitching multiple images, creating an extraordinary image perspective.
Here are the key features of the new lens:
- 14-Pointed Sunstars
- World’s Widest Shift Lens for Full Frame Cameras
- ±11mm Shift Amount
- Ready for Medium Format
- “Zero” Distortion
- Top-Notch Image Quality
- Extremely Close Focusing Distance
- 360° Rotation
- Special Design Lens Support (not included, sold separately)
With a huge ⌀65mm image circle, the lens not only works with the full-frame format but also covers the medium format sensors. All the shift lens from Laowa is now available for Fujifilm GFX mount. Shift Lens available for Fujifilm G:
- Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift
- Laowa 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift
- Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift
The 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift is composed of 17 elements in 11 groups with 2 aspherical elements. It suppresses the distortion to nearly zero level from corner to corner. It is game-changing for architecture and interior photography as straight and sharp edges can be captured easily. The lens has adapted new lens coating technology. According to Venus Optics, “it has excellent control of chromatic aberration, flaring, and ghosting effects.”
This lens is very versatile, with its ultra-wide angle feature and 20cm closest focusing distance, allowing photographers to create wide-angle macro-like image. It’s, in that sense, similar to the Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift lens, which has 25cm as closest focusing distance. Like the 20mm, the 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift has an optional lens support.
A Lens support is specially designed to work with the 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift. The rotatable ring is extremely helpful for stitching by keeping the principal axis even when orientations are changed and shifted. A must-have to achieve perfect stitching and panorama photography.
The Laowa 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift is currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website (http://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers. The US price for 15mm f/4.5R Zero-D Shift is USD1,199 for all mounts. Pricing varies in different countries.