Venus Optics has announced three ultra-wide cinema lenses for Canon RF mount. The Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D, 12mm T2.9 Zero-D, and 15mm T2.1 Zero-D all feature close-to-zero distortion, making them a great option for the RED Komodo, Canon R series, and the Canon C70.
All three lenses are technically not new but have been fitted for the Canon RF mount. Each lens provides Super 35 coverage and are compatible with ASP-C and Micro Four Third sensor. Standard 0.8 mod gears are found for both the aperture and focus rings. It's also worth noting Laowa cinema lenses are manual focus.
The 9mm T2.9 provides a 120° field of view on a Super 35 sensor, the 12mm T2.9 provides 122°, and the 15mm T2.1 provides 110°. A drawback to the lenses is that the front filter threads are not the same. They range from 55mm to 95mm so you're going to need different accessories if you own multiple focal lengths. It would be nice to start seeing Venus Optics standardize its Laowa cine glass for its second generation.
The standout feature is the near-zero distortion. When working with wider focal lengths, you want footage with straight lines. The Laowa lenses do a great job suppressing any distortion at the price point. Besides RF mount, the lenses are available in Fuji X, Sony E-mount, FE, EF, and PL depending on the lens. Small and compact. The price for 9mm T2.9 is $599, the 12mm T2.9 is $1,499, and the 15mm T2.1 is $1,199.
