Venus Optics announces Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF lens, the fastest 35mm full-frame lens
posted Friday, September 10, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST
Venus Optics has announced a brand-new lens, the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF. It's the world's fastest full-frame 35mm prime lens and the widest f/0.95 lens designed for full-frame cameras.
As you'd expect, the 35mm f/0.95 full-frame lens isn't exactly compact for a 35mm prime lens, although it's not massive, either. The lens is 103mm (4") long with a maximum diameter of 76.8mm (3"). The lens includes a 72mm filter thread. The metal lens weighs 755 grams (1.7 lbs.) without its detachable lens hood.
Other design features include an aperture ring click switch, internal focus design and minimal focus breathing. The manual focus lens also promises a long focus throw thanks to its 300° focus thread. Venus Optics promises that the new 35mm f/0.95 will be a good lens for video work, considering the minimized focus breathing and long focus throw. The lens can focus to 50cm (19.7"), resulting in a maximum magnification of 0.1x.
In terms of optical construction, the lens includes 14 elements across 9 groups. Among this glass are specialized elements, including an aspherical element, an ED element and four UHR glass optics. The lens has a whopping 15 aperture blades. Given its very fast aperture, the lens promises smooth, dreamy bokeh.
The Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF lens is available now for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony FE mount. The lens is priced at $899 USD.
Ahead of today's announcement, numerous photographers and videographers went hands-on with the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF lens. Some used the lens for still photos, like portraits and astrophotography, and others used it for video. We've selected a few videos that highlight the lens's performance across different applications. For additional sample images and videos, click here.