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  • The LG V40 ThinQ is the first smartphone with wide, standard, and telephoto cameras

    We’ve already had a sneak peek at some of the LG V40 ThinQ’s triple-camera specifications but now the device has been officially announced and comes with a total of five cameras.

    Three of those can be found on the phone’s back. The 12MP “standard” camera features an equivalent focal length of 27mm, a fast F1.5 aperture and a 1.4?m pixel size. Next to it you’ll find a 16MP super-wide-angle with 16mm equivalent focal length, F1.9 aperture and 1.0?m pixels. The 12MP tele-camera features a 52mm equivalent focal length, a F2.4 aperture and a 1.0?m pixel size.

    There’s no tele option at the front but you can choose between a 5MP 21mm equivalent wide-angle (F2.2/1.12?m) and an 8MP 26mm “standard” camera (F1.9/1.12?m)

    40 percent larger (compared to the V30) pixels on the main camera and the fast aperture should make for decent low light capabilities and LG says the PDAF system is 50 percent faster than before. An “advanced HDR” feature analyzes the scene in order to maximize dynamic range.

    There is also a new AI Composition feature that recommends alternative framing to the shot taken by the user, presumably using a crop. The white balance and exposure systems are also AI-powered and can adjust color temperature across different lighting situations or automatically adjust shutter speeds for fast moving scenes.

    Other specifications are in line with current Android flagship devices. The Android OS is powered by a Snapdragon 845 chipset and 6GB of RAM. Users can choose between 64GB or 128GB of internal memory and can also make use of a microSD card slot. Images can be composed, edited and viewed on a 6.4-inch OLED display with HDD+ resolution (3120 x 1440 pixels).

    The V40 ThinQ isn’t the first triple-camera phone, but it is the first to offer three different focal length and, at least on paper, looks like a real contender in the high-end bracket of the market. We are hoping to get a test unit into our hands sometime soon. It’s worth mentioning that Samsung’s next flagship phone is expected to come with a similar camera setup but you’ll have to wait until next year to buy one.

    Key specifications:

    • Triple camera
    • 16MP Super Wide (F1.9 / 1.0?m / 107°)
    • 12MP Standard (F1.5 / 1.4?m / 78°)
    • 12MP Telephoto (F2.4 / 1.0?m / 45°)
    • Dual front-camera with 8MP Standard (F1.9 / 1.12?m / 80°) and
      5MP Wide (F2.2 / 1.12?m / 90°)
    • Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset
    • 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED display (3120 x 1440 pixels)
    • 6GB RAM / 64GB or 128GB internal memory / microSD slot
    • 3300mAh battery

    LG DELIVERS ULTIMATE FIVE CAMERA SMARTPHONE WITH LG V40 THINQ

    A Truly All-Encompassing Smartphone Camera Experience to Capture Every Perspective

    SEOUL, Oct. 4, 2018 — LG Electronics (LG) today unveiled its newest premium smartphone featuring a total of five cameras to redefine the standard of smartphone photography. The latest iteration of the company’s acclaimed V series, the LG V40 ThinQ is an uncompromising multimedia powerhouse device designed for today’s generation of storytellers that prefer to communicate with visuals and videos, especially on social media.

    The LG V40 ThinQ retains the V series design philosophy with an improved 6.4-inch FullVision OLED display and even slimmer bezels than before. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform paired with 6GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage, the LG V40 ThinQ again delivers the innovations that has made the LG V series a favorite among power users.

    Seeing the Light with Five Cameras

    In order to deliver a standout smartphone for today’s content-creating social generation, LG designed the LG V40 ThinQ from the ground up to deliver a truly all-encompassing smartphone camera experience. The LG V40 ThinQ features a rear camera module with three different lenses: 16MP super wide-angle, 12MP standard angle and 12MP telephoto. The three lenses allow for shutterbugs to frame different shots without changing position relative to the subject. The 107-degree super wide-angle lens captures subjects with more of the background with ease, while the telephoto with 2x optical zoom (or 3.2x the zoom of the wide-angle lens) takes clear shots from distance without a loss in image quality. The Triple Shot feature stitches together the images captured with each of the three lenses into a short video file for easy sharing.

    The front camera module features a 5MP wide-angle lens and 8MP standard angle that work in tandem to create the perfect bokeh effect with an on-screen slider to adjust the amount of background blur. Other features allow selfie lovers to personalize their photos even more with unique lighting and special effects.

    The pixel size of the main rear camera sensor has been improved by about 40 percent compared to the LG V30, increasing from 1?m to 1.4?m, while the image sensor is more than 18 percent larger than in the LG V30. In additdion to delivering the sharpest and brightest images of any LG smartphone camera, the F1.5 aperture of the main camera delivers greater depth of field, half the shutter lag and significantly faster burst mode compared to the LG V30.

    What’s more, Dual PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus) delivers automatic focusing that is 50 percent faster, about twice as fast as the industry average. The advanced HDR feature analyzes and determines the right exposure settings to create perfectly lit shots, eliminating overexposed backgrounds or underexposed subjects. Subjects are always in perfect focus because the camera checks sharpness continuously until the shutter button is depressed.

    LG upgraded the camera in the LG V40 ThinQ to be even more powerful and intuitive than ever to deliver the best color, composition, white balance and shutter speed. The AI CAM’s new AI Composition feature taps into the phone’s intelligence to frame, capture and recommend an alternative shot to the one taken by the user. AI Auto White Balance (AI AWB) automatically adjusts the color temperature across different lighting situations while AI Shutter selects the right shutter speed, especially useful when trying to capture fast-moving subjects.

    Other new features such as Cine Shot, 3D Light Effect, Makeup Pro, Custom Backdrop, My Avatar and AR Emoji make photography on the LG V40 ThinQ a whole new experience. Cine Shot makes creating cinemagraphs – images with animation – incredibly easy and fun. Simply shoot a short video with any of the phone’s three rear cameras and “paint” the area to be animated with a finger and the result will be sure to amaze. 3D Light Effect changes the tone of a photo with professional-looking lighting, touch up any selfie with different looks using Makeup Pro or entirely change the background of a selfie with Custom Backdrop. For those who love all things augmented reality, create and share personalized emojis with My Avatar and AR Emoji using one’s own face or one of the provided characters.

    Immersive Sight and Sound

    The LG V40 ThinQ sports a new and improved 6.4-inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) OLED FullVision display and a bottom bezel that is 1.6mm thinner than its predecessor. The new plastic OLED display is designed to deliver more accurate colors and better luminance consistency. The 4.5 million pixels delivered by the OLED display is the most of any QHD+ smartphone on the market today and allows for the enjoyment of immersive, vivid and vibrant content that only an LG OLED display can deliver.

    LG has always prioritized high fidelity audio in its smartphones and the LG V40 ThinQ is no exception, being the first LG phone to carry the Audio Tuned by Meridian label. The 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC produces a balanced sound signature that comes extremely close to the quality of an original recording. And Boombox Speaker, originally introduced on the LG G7 ThinQ, doubles the bass of conventional smartphone speakers by utilizing the internal space of the device as a resonance chamber. When placed on a solid surface or hollow box, the LG V40 ThinQ acts like a woofer to amplify the bass even more.

    Minimalist Design Built to Last

    The clean lines and sophisticated colors emphasizes the three main design elements of the LG V40 ThinQ: smooth touch, unique color and seamless form. With the objective to create a design that will stand the test of time, the simple yet beautiful exterior is the perfect complement to the wealth of innovative technologies found on the LG V40 ThinQ.

    LG’s proprietary Silky BlastTM process etches the tempered glass back with microscopic pits to create a smoother matte finish which feels extremely comfortable in the hand without being slippery. In addition to its more premium appearance, the matte glass is more practical due to its higher resistance to fingerprints and stains. The phone will be available in the charming colors of New Aurora Black, New Platinum Gray, New Moroccan Blue and eye-catching Carmine Red.

    The LG V40 ThinQ retains the slim and light design heritage of the V series, weighing only 169g and measuring a svelte 7.7mm in thickness. Like its predecessor, the LG V40 ThinQ meets the U.S. Department of Defense requirements for durability, passing 14 MIL-STD 810G Transit Drop Test categories for suitability in military operations and is IP68 rated.

    “The LG V40 ThinQ was designed with the main goal to deliver an uncompromised experience for users to create, consume and share high quality content,” said Hwang Jeong-hwan, president of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The versatility of the camera and the proven V series platform makes the LG V40 ThinQ a serious option for customers looking for a premium smartphone that does it all.”

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Canon EOS R First Impressions Review

    The Canon EOS R is the first full frame mirrorless camera to use the new RF mount. It’s built around the same 30 megapixel Dual Pixel CMOS sensor as 2016’s EOS 5D Mark IV but is designed for a new series of RF lenses. Canon says the shorter RF lens mount will allow them to design better or smaller lenses than they can for the existing EF mount.

    Being the first RF-mount camera, it’s not surprising that the EOS R occupies a unique new position in Canon’s lineup. In essence, you’re getting image and video quality from the 5D Mark IV at around the price point of the 6D Mark II with a healthy dose of control philosophy from both of those cameras as well as the EOS M series.

    Key Specifications:

    • 30MP full frame Dual Pixel CMOS sensor
    • 3.69M dot OLED viewfinder
    • Fully articulated rear LCD
    • Autofocus rated down to -6EV (with F1.2 lens)
    • Up to 8 fps shooting (5 fps with continuous AF, 3 fps ‘Tracking Priority mode’)
    • UHD 4K 30p video from a 1.83x crop of the sensor
    • Canon Log (10-bit 4:2:2 over HDMI or 8-bit 4:2:0 internal)
    • USB charging (only using optional Canon charger)
    Converted from Raw using ACR 11 and the Camera ‘Standard’ profile.
    ISO 100 | 1/100 sec | F1.2 | Canon RF 50mm F1.2L
    Photo by Wenmei Hill

    The EOS R was announced less than two weeks after Nikon’s Z7, which itself is Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera and is also designed around a new mount. Where Nikon makes a big deal about how immediately familiar the Z7 will be to existing Nikon shooters, Canon is incorporating some more radical ergonomic innovations on the EOS R – it handles unlike any existing Canon camera. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly those innovations are and how they work.

    The Canon EOS R will be available from October 2018 at a cost of around $ 2,299 or $ 3,399 with the RF 24-105mm F4L IS lens.

    What’s new and how it compares

    The EOS R comes with a lot more than just a new mount. Read about the new features included on the EOS R.

    Read more

    Body and handling

    The EOS R is Canon’s lightest full-frame camera, but remains weather sealed and has a full-size grip. Read about all of the EOS R’s ergonomic updates here.

    Read more

    First impressions

    The EOS R comes with some surprising ergonomic updates that aren’t to everyone’s tastes, but its still capable of great image quality.

    Read more

    Sample gallery

    View a variety of sample images from our final production EOS R.

    Read more

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DPReview TV: Fujifilm X-T3 review

    This week, Chris and Jordan share their assessment of a final-production Fujifilm X-T3 from the National Music Centre in Calgary. Find out what they think of Fujifilm’s latest X-Trans addition – and get a glimpse of the world’s largest analog synthesizer as a bonus.

    Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

    Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Samsung Galaxy S10 to come with ultra-wide-angle, regular and tele-cameras

    Huawei started the trend only a few months ago with the P20 Pro, but it seems as though triple-camera setups on smartphones will be the norm in the very near future. We learned recently that LG’s upcoming flagship V40 ThinQ will come with both an ultra-wide-angle and a tele-camera next to its “standard” lens.

    Now it appears Samsung will be the next major manufacturer to follow suit. We have heard rumors about a Galaxy S10 triple-cam before but a newly leaked specs table has revealed what’s suspected to be the complete camera specification.

    The main camera looks unchanged from the Galaxy S9+, with a 12MP sensor (1.4µm pixels) and Samsung’s F1.5 / F2.4 dual aperture. The tele-camera comes with a slightly increased pixel count (13MP vs 12Mp on the S9+) but retains the F2.4 aperture and 1.0µm pixel size. Both lenses are optically stabilized.

    The ultra wide camera is completely new, however, and according to the leak will offer a 123° field of view and feature a 16MP sensor and F1.9 aperture. “Beyond” is Samsung’s internal code name for the S10 of which three models are expected to be announced in the first quarter 2019. The camera specification above is likely reserved for the top-end model.

    The S10 won’t be Samsung’s first triple-camera, however. The Korean manufacturer has already released the Galaxy A7. The mid-ranger has to make do without a tele-camera, though, and instead reserves one of its camera for depth-sensing for a simulated bokeh-effect.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, and Surface Studio 2

    At a small press event in New York yesterday, Microsoft unveiled its latest generation of Surface products: the Surface Studio 2, Surface Laptop 2, and the Surface Pro 6. The trio of devices offer upgrades over the previous models, with Microsoft boasting that the Surface Pro 6 is its “most powerful Surface Pro yet.” Similarly, the company claims the new Surface Studio 2 is the “most powerful” Surface device it offers.

    The new Surface Pro 6 features the 8th-generation Intel Quad Core processor, boasting 67% faster speeds than the 5th-gen Surface Pro 2017 model. According to Microsoft, it worked to strike a balance between portability and performance, the end result being all-day battery life (up to 13.5 hours) combined with a high level of versatility.

    The Surface Pro 6 features a 12.3-inch PixelSense touch display with a 2736 x 1824 267ppi resolution, SSD storage options ranging from 128GB to 1TB, Intel UHD Graphics 620, and 8GB/16GB RAM options. The model starts at $ 899 USD with an October 16 availability date for US customers.

    The Surface Laptop 2 likewise offers the newest 8th-generation Intel Quad Core processor, that giving it a speed boost of 85% versus the original model. The Surface Laptop 2 features a 13.5-inch PixelSense touch display with a 2256 x 1504 201ppi resolution, as well as up to 14.5 hours of battery life. This model features the same RAM, storage, and graphics options as the Surface Pro 6.

    The Surface Laptop 2 starts at $ 999 USD with an October 16 shipment date in the US.

    Finally, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Studio 2, its “most powerful Surface ever.” This model sports next-gen Pascal graphics and a 50% GPU speed increase over the previous model. The 28-inch PixelSense touch display on the latest Studio model is 38% brighter than the original, bringing 22% greater contrast and a 4500 x 3000 192ppi resolution.

    The Studio 2 offers Vivid, sRGB, and DCI-P3 color settings, support for up to two 4K Ultra HD 30Hz or one 4K UHD 60Hz external displays, and two NVIDIA graphics options: the GeForce GTX 1060 6GB and the GeForce GTX 1070 8GB. Other features include the 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7820HQ processor, support for Windows Hello authentication, and Xbox Wireless built-in.

    The Surface Studio 2 starts at $ 3,499 USD with a November 15 shipment start date in the US.

    According to Microsoft, preorders are available now in “select” markets; the products are expected to launch in other regions some time next year.

    Via: Microsoft

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • DJI can now enable drone operation in controlled areas

    Drone maker DJI has been approved by the The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to authorize drone flights in controlled airspace around airports as part of the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) program.

    LAANC was established earlier this year by the FAA to facilitate drone operation for professional pilots near approximately 500 airports where commercial drone flights generally require prior authorization. Pilots will be able to receive near-real-time authorization instead of going through a more long-winded and slower process.

    The program designates locations within the restricted airspace that can be used safely up to approved altitudes, and monitors temporary flight restrictions and other limits that could affect flight permissions. Drone pilots can use LAANC to check those limits, plan flights and file applications. Applications are processed instantly and LAANC provides flight information to FAA Air Traffic.

    “Before LAANC, using drones for productive work near many airports required detailed applications and up to months of waiting, even when the benefits were clear and safety was prioritized. Now, LAANC allows easy drone use in more than 2,000 square miles near airports, including many populated areas that can benefit tremendously from drone operations,” said Brandon Montellato, DJI Program Manager – Enterprise Solutions. “More than 100,000 Part 107-certified drone pilots will now be able to perform valuable work – from inspections and surveys to filming and photography – with near-instant approval.”

    DJI is one of 9 new companies and organisations that have been authorized by the FAA after a rigorous testing and validation process. The others are Aeronyde, Airbus, AiRXOS, Altitude Angel, Converge, KittyHawk, UASidekick, and Unifly.

    Thanks to the approval DJI can now allow customers to apply for LAANC approvals via their DJI accounts to plan flights. The company says it will provide more information on how the process will be integrated into its products lineup in the near future.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Camera app developer says there’s no ‘beauty filter’ being applied on the iPhone XS, XS Max

    Yesterday we learned that at least a handful of iPhone XS and XS Max users are unhappy with their new devices’ front camera image quality, with some early adopters reporting over-excessive skin smoothening and beautification effects when taking self-portraits.

    Software developer Sebastiaan de With, the man behind the Halide camera app, has had a closer look at the new iPhone models’ camera processing and says there isn’t any beautification applied to the front camera images. Instead, he says, it’s Apple’s new approach to image processing that can result in soft textures and smoothening.

    Both the front and rear cameras in the iPhone XS and XS Max are applying computational photography methods, merging multiple frames into one to optimize image quality across the image. Frames are captured at different exposures, with the image processor picking the best elements of each frame and combining them into the final image output.

    In his blog post de Wit says that this method results in a “whole new look” that’s quite different from previous iPhone cameras. The frame merging reduces the brightness of the bright areas and the darkness of the shadow areas, resulting in textures with lower levels of contrast. All the detail is still there but the viewer perceives those areas as softer and less sharp. This is also why the skin in selfie images looks softer.

    Additionally, the new iPhone models are applying more aggressive noise reduction — something Apple was already known for going heavy on in the past. This is necessary because the iPhone XS tends to user faster shutter speeds and higher ISO values than previous versions, presumably to keep motion blur to a minimum. Getting rid of the noise inevitably also eliminates some fine detail.

    The reduction in detail is particularly true for the front camera where a smaller image sensor comes with higher noise levels to start with. On the plus side, dynamic range is increased which is particularly useful for high-contrast scenes, where highlight-clipping is reduced and more shadow detail visible.

    De With also says all these software parameters can be tweaked by Apple. So, if it turns out the “new look” isn’t too popular with consumers the Apple engineers could pretty easily revert to a more “traditional” look via a software update.

    De With’s Halide app will soon receive a new Smart RAW feature that “deactivates” Apple’s Smart HDR algorithm to reduce noise reduction and reveal more image detail and fine textures. For more information head over to Sebastiaan’s complete article on the Halide blog.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Skylum teases Luminar DAM module, synchronized edits in new videos

    Skylum has released multiple teaser videos revealing aspects of its digital asset manager (DAM) for Luminar. The videos detail the DAM’s speed in a pair of speed tests and edit sync feature in a third.

    Last month, Skylum CEO Alex Tsepko stated the Luminar Digital Asset Manager update would be available by the end of 2018. Tsepko likewise confirmed plans to provide the DAM for free to existing Luminar 2018 customers, saying:

    We know that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people are waiting for this update. But mainly because there are so many people who need this tool, we wanted to take just enough time to make everything right.

    We promise we will ship the DAM this year. I know it has been a long wait, but we don’t want to ship a product that we would not use ourselves. The new Luminar (with DAM) will bring you great speed and the most incredible user experience available. Your photos will play the main role. Our software aims to get out of the way.

    The update will be free for everyone who has Luminar 2018.

    In past updates, Skylum indicated that the DAM will take its Luminar product “in a new direction,” bringing with it customized workspaces, a cleaner interface, speedier workflows, and more.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • NYA-EVO launches Kickstarter for its new Fjord 60-C expandable camera backpack

    Photography bag manufacturer NYA-EVO has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its new camera backpack, the Fjord 60-C.

    Designed to be a larger version of NYA-EVO’s Fjord 36, the Fjord 60-C is an expandable backpack that fits 60 liters worth of gear in full ‘Expedition mode’ while packing up to a more manageable carry-on size of 44 liters (the ‘C’ in Fjord 60-C stands for carry-on).

    Specifically, the Fjord 60-C features three different size configurations that can be adjusted using zippers and the expandable top compartment: Carry-on, Adventure mode and Expedition mode. They offer 44 liters, 52 liters and 60 liters of storage space, respectively.

    Like the Fjord 36 backpack, the Fjord 60-C will use NYA-EVO’s removable camera inserts that come in small, medium, and large. The Fjord 60-C will also come in the same colors as the Fjord 36: Midnight Blue, Powder White, Pine Green and Graphite Black.

    The backpack is constructed of nylon 210 denier fabric with a water-repellant coating, features YKK aqua guard zippers and has an aluminum internal frame to help keep its shape. The shoulder straps have three adjustable configurations for a more precise fit and there’s a new waist belt to help distribute the weight when the pack is full.

    The Kickstarter campaign started today, so there’s plenty of time to secure your pledge. €280 (approximately $ 324) will get you a single Fjord 60-C without any removable camera unites, while a €350 (approximately $ 405) pledge will secure you a single Fjord 60-C with all three removable camera unites.

    To find out more and make a pledge, head on over to the Kickstarter campaign. As with all crowdfunded campaigns, proceed with caution. Although NYA-EVO has proven in the past that it’s capable of shipping a Kickstarter project, there’s always the risk of unforeseen circumstances from happening.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Hands-on with the new Laowa lens collection

    Hands-on with Venus Optics’ new Laowa lenses

    As we reported last week, lens manufacturer Venus Optics launched a total of eight Laowa lenses at the Photokina trade show this year. Or more accurately, nearly launched eight as some of the cine lenses were plastic dummies behind glass – but we went to the stand to see those on display to get a taste of what they’re like.

    Venus Optics has produced some really excellent lenses in the past, and seems to specialize in lenses that other manufacturers aren’t making – such as the unusual 24mm probe macro lens recently released. The company’s Zero-D range has also gained a very good reputation as a series of extreme wide angles that display hardly any curvilinear distortion – hence the Zero-D name.

    Above you’ll see the 17mm F4 GFX Zero-D – an interesting lens and the first Laowa lens for Fujifilm’s GFX system. Its 17mm focal length delivers the angle of view we’d expect from a 13mm lens on a full frame system, and as such it’s the widest lens available in the G-Mount.

    Laowa 17mm F4 GFX Zero-D

    It is pretty big, but well-made and solid in the hand. Some of the 829g/1.8lb weight comes from the 21 elements inside the barrel, but the rest comes from the shell-case metal construction. Its size will make it look at home perhaps on the GFX 50S but it may look odd on the new 50R rangefinder style model.

    Laowa 17mm F4 GFX Zero-D

    The lens measures 77×124.5mm and takes an 86mm threaded filter. It can focus to 20cm, offering a maximum magnification of 0.28x. The iris uses seven blades while Fujifilm’s own GF 23mmF4 R LM WR uses nine. The smallest aperture is F22 and the angle of view is 115°. The aperture ring offers clicks only in full stops and only closes down to F22.

    Laowa 12mm F1.8 MFT

    This is a tiny lens considering the focal length and the maximum aperture, making it best suited to the smaller of the Micro Four Thirds cameras – on which it will behave as a 24mm would on a full frame system. The lens hood is detachable and 46mm filters can be used.

    Laowa 12mm F1.8 MFT

    The example on show was very much pre-production, but the focus movements felt very nice. This is another 5-bladed iris lens, for the sunstar fans, and it can focus down to just 14cm/5.5in. The lens weighs 165g/0.4lbs, and measures just 5cm/2in long.

    Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom

    This might be a lightweight cine zoom, but it is still a pretty big piece of kit. Venus Optics was showing the lens on the front of a Kinfinity 6K Terra, the company’s smallest camera – a combination designed to emphasize the compact nature of the package. The lens has three geared rings, for the iris, the zoom and the focus, all of which turn smoothly and with a pleasant resistance.

    Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom

    The lens has a constant maximum aperture of T2.9 across the zoom range, and Laowa maintains that focus is retained during zooming as well. The company says that while some other brands convert a stills lens for video this Laowa Ooom was designed for cinema from the off.

    Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lightweight Zoom

    Focus, aperture and focal length markings are repeated on each side of the barrel, and are controlled with some rugged looking gears. The lens will be available in PL mounts, as well as Canon EF and Sony E. It has a covering circle sufficient for Super 35mm sensors.

    Laowa 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

    This is an intriguing little lens that shows what can be achieved when one of your goals isn’t a wide aperture. The tiny dimensions defy the extreme wide angles and the fact that it is designed for full frame cameras – Sony FE. That it will most likely be used closed down means the 5-bladed iris probably won’t show in highlights, and Laowa claims it will make lovely sunstars when aimed at bright point sources.

    Laowa 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

    The rear of the lens offers a 37mm filter thread for hiding an ND, or similar, away from the flare of the front of the barrel when filming. Laowa is also working on a front mounted system for 100mm filters that will work with some sort of clamp mechanism. It offers clicked and unclicked apertures via a switch on the side of the barrel.

    Laowa 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 FE Zoom

    Amazingly the tiny barrel contains 14 elements in 10 groups. The length of the lens is 90.09mm and it weighs just 496g. Laowa claims it is the widest zoom available for Sony FF users, and that it is ideal for travel, landscapes and architecture.

    Laowa 17mm F1.8 MFT

    This is a very neat little lens that comes with a plastic hood and is designed to be an everyday 35mm-type focal length for the small cameras of the Micro Four Thirds system. It is quite small for the size of the maximum aperture, and weighs only 160g/0.36lbs.

    Laowa 17mm F1.8 MFT

    It feels very well made, and the construction is the sort of solid you get from a most-metal lens. It features 9 elements in 7 groups, and the company boasts it only has a 5-bladed iris – which it says makes the lens excellent at producing clean sunstars.

    Laowa 17mm F1.8 MFT

    Shown on an Olympus Pen the lens looks very much at home and in proportion. Its solidity makes a nice balance with the small camera, and the smooth focusing ring makes it feel like a quality lens.

    Laowa 4mm F2.8 Fisheye MFT

    This is a seriously nice wide lens. I’m not usually a fan of circular fisheyes but this might change my mind. It is really well made and produces a 210° angle of view, in a delightfully small form, and is designed for the MTF system.

    Laowa 4mm F2.8 Fisheye MFT

    The front element is really bulbous and the reflections in it give some idea about what it can see. The focus ring is fitted with a small handle to make working with just a finger easier. The aperture range covers F2.8 to F16, and inside there are seven elements in six groups controlling the light path. It doesn’t take filters!

    Laowa 4mm F2.8 Fisheye MFT

    Mounting it on my Lumix G9 I could immediately see why Laowa was displaying it on a flat-fronted Olympus Pen, as my fingers and the grip of the camera were clearly visible at the edge of the frame – as well as my stomach at the bottom of the picture! It is a fun lens that is very well made, but it will be difficult to use.

    Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

    Why there aren’t more macro lenses that allow magnifications greater than 1:1 I don’t know, but Laowa is making the most of the gap in the market with its second model. The 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO is quite a beast compared to the other miniature lenses on the stand, but remains quite lightweight as a lot of the barrel is empty space. It will be available for Nikon, Sony, Pentax and Canon users, and focuses from 24.7cm to infinity.

    Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

    The front element drops about halfway down the barrel when focused at infinity, and extends right to the top for close working. The 67mm filter thread is actually on the barrel itself rather than attached to the front element housing, so it will remain still the whole time – just sometimes closer to the lens than at other times.

    Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

    The rear of the lens reveals something Laowa is excited about – contact pins that allow the lens to work with Canon cameras while retaining aperture controls. This also allows aperture coupling in Nikon F cameras which makes life a lot easier.

    Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO

    Mr. Li Dayong, the General Manager and lens designer at Laowa, says the lens has APO corrections and is suggested for portraiture as well as macro. He also says that the variation in the number of aperture blades between the different mounts is accounted for in the design differences he had to make when creating the automatic iris mechanisms.

    Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D MFT

    Laowa has introduced two new 9mm F2.8 Zero-D lenses – one for Micro Four Thirds and the other for the DJI DL mount. It will be the widest option for DJI Inspire 2 drone owners with the Zenmuse x7 gimbal, and the imaging circle is enough to cover Super35 sensors.

    Laowa 9mm F2.8 Zero-D MFT

    The lens weighs only 215g and is very small indeed. It has the standard Laowa finish and offers a detachable hood. This is the same lens that the company already produces in the Fuji X, Sony E and EOS-M mounts.

    Laowa 12mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine

    This 12mm cine lens is part of the Zero-D range and is designed for full frame cameras. It will come fitted with either a PL or Canon EF mount, and is a cine version of the existing lens aimed at stills photographers. Of course it has stepless apertures and uses 0.8 gears, as do all these cine lenses, and has had the rotation of its focus ring extended to 270° to make life easier for focus pulling during recording. It has a closest focus of 0.6ft/18cm and weighs 650g/1.4lbs.

    Laowa 7.5mm T2.1 Cine

    There wasn’t too much to see here as the lens is clearly some way from being finished. It looks nice though! The lens will be available for MFT and weighs 180g/0.4lb, it uses 13 elements in 9 groups and has a 46mm filter thread.

    For more information on these lenses see the Venus Optics Laowa website.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)