Spread the love
Venus Optic’s Laowa has been quite a hit amongst landscape and macro photographers. The company has introduced options such as the 20mm f4 Zero-D Shift lens, the 90mm f2.8 2x Ultra Macro, and the Laowa 15mm f4 Wide Angle Macro have been great performers and come at a cost-effective price. Reports have revealed that Laowa is working on a new telephoto lens, which will not only be for full frame users, but also cater to medium format camera. Here’s the first look at the lens.
According to Asobinet and Digital Camera Info, Venus Optics is launching a new lens under the Laowa banner, the 200mm f2.0 AF. The reports first surfaced on the Independent Photo Studio Association‘s Weibo portal, a Chinese social media platform. Here is a quick look at the lens’ design:
Reports reveal the new lens is designed for Canon EF, Sony E, and Nikon Z mounts, as well as Fujifilm X and GFX mounts. The only other detail revealed is that it will weigh 1.6kg, about 3.5 lbs. For the uninitiated, this will be the first time a third-party Chinese manufacturer from popular brands will launch a 200mm f2 lens. Viltrox‘s longest focal length is 135mm f1.8 LAB FE, and Laowa offers a 100mm macro lens. This leaves a lot of room for Chinese manufacturers to compete with Japanese third-party companies such as Sigma and Tamron.
On a GFX camera, the 200mm f2 could give a wider range of view. And if it costs less than $2000, a lot of medium format users will simply flock to get one for themselves. The report also notes that this may not be the only AF lens for GFX users. In fact, “three Chinese brands” are currently in the race to cater to the segment.
This begs the question: Why are Chinese manufacturers opening up to medium format now? One reason could be the accessibility of these sensors. Phase One and Hasselblad were the only brands that would create medium format cameras. But now, Fujifilm is showcasing how GFX cameras are not meant to be used inside the studio alone. They can be taken outside for street, portrait, architecture, and even bird photography. Naturally, Chinese lens manufacturers are beginning to see how GFX is gaining traction amongst those who no longer find full-frame cameras suitable for them, and naturally, the next step is ascension to medium format. But GFX lenses are just as costly as the cameras, and this leaves a massive opportunity to filter into a market that was quite niche a decade ago.
There is no release date yet for the new lens. We have to wait and see how this story develops in the future.
