New Cine Lenses from Laowa Give Filmmakers Plenty of Sensor Options

Laowa has been teasing new cine lenses the last several days, and now we officially know of three new ones, all of which have a step-less aperture and focus ring, standard 0.8 mod gears for iris and focus pulls, as well as T-stop markings. 

The 7.5mm T2.1, 9mm T2.9 Zero-D, and a 15mm T2.1 Zero-D all join the existing Laowa cine line that includes the 12mm T2.9 Zero-D and the OOOM 25-100mm T2.9. These new cine lenses cover a range of sensors including Micro Four Thirds, Super 35, and full-frame, giving filmmakers unique options. 

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Credit: Duclos Lenses

The 7.5mm T2.1 borrows its design from Laowa's 7.5mm F2.0 still lens. The cine version covers Micro Four Thirds and has a minimum focusing distance of 4.72", making it ideal for drones, gimbals, and vlogging. The T2.1 aperture is fast when comparing it to high-end glass like the ARRI 8mm T2.8 Ultra Prime or the Zeiss DigiPrime 7mm T1.6, which has a B4 mount meant for broadcast. The lens has a front diameter of 52mm and a filter thread of 49mm making it easy to attach ND or polarizing filters. The overall length is 1.81" and it weighs less than a half-pound at 0.37 lbs. (170g). 

Credit: Duclos Lenses

The 9mm T2.9 Zero-D shares its design from the 9mm F2.8 Zero-D, and because of its Zero-D indication, it should have close to zero distortion. The lens is capable of covering Super 35 sensors and has a fast aperture of T2.9 making it ideal for low light situations, including car work. It has a minimum focusing distance of 4.72", a front diameter of 58mm, and a filter thread of 55mm. Like the stills version, it's available in Sony E, Fuji-X, and MFT. 

The 15mm T2.1 Zero-D is an ultra-wide full-frame lens with little to no distortion thanks to its Zero-D feature. The fast 2.1 aperture will provide a nice shallow depth of field despite its wide focal length. It touts an 80mm front diameter and a 77mm filter thread. It weighs about 1 lb. and is available for Sony E-mount. Laowa also makes a 15mm F2.0 stills version for Sony E. 

•  7.5mm T2.1 costs $599 USD
• 9mm T2.9 Zero-D costs $599 USD
• 15mm T2.1 Zero-D costs $1,199 USD

Irix recently introduced its 15mm T2.6 cine lens that covers 8K. It's similar in specs to the Laowa 15mm, so it will be interesting to see how these to lenses compare in performance. For now, the new Laowa lenses are available at local retailers including Duclos Lenses or Adorama.