Laowa 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter & 1.4x Full Frame Expander Now Shipping

Lens News

by Olaf von VossMarch 30^th, 2021

These two items have been in the making for quite a while. Venus Optics (Laowa) announced them back in late 2019, but it took a year and a half for them to materialize. Since the names are pretty self-explanatory (at least for all you camera nerds out there), let’s dive right into the details of the Laowa 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter and the 1.4x Full Frame Expander!

Be sure to read our first article as well as our interview with Laowa about the two optical accessories and how they can be used with the OOOM 25-100mm T/2.9 cine zoom lens (but of course, these two items work just as well with other lenses – see list below): When pairing with the OOOM, the Laowa 1.33X Rear Anamorphic Adapter expands the aspect ratio to a 2.35:1 cinematic widescreen ratio on a 16:9 sensor while retaining the resolution.

If you want to check out the Laowa OOOM lens, also make sure to watch Johnnie’s latest review of the BMPCC6K Pro, as he used the OOOM zoom to shoot his mini doc “the Opera Singer”.

Laowa 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter

Venus Optics states that while the 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter does not create oval bokeh or expand the horizontal field of view as front anamorphics do, it does introduce cinematic characteristics to spherical lenses and creates a distinctive look in flares and bokeh. However, when using the anamorphic adapter you’ll lose half a stop of light.

Specifications:

• Squeeze Ratio: 1.33x
• Image Circle Diameter: 29mm
• Diameter: 89mm
• Length: 55mm
• Weight: 270g
• Mounts: PL – PL (other mount options might follow)

1.4x Full Frame Expander

The other of the two, namely the 1.4x Full Frame Expander is on another duty: This expander extends the coverage from Super35 to full frame without compromising image quality. The company states that it compensates for OOOM aberrations while retaining the vintage character and excellent optical performance.

There is a loss of light of one stop and a 1.4x magnification effect on the focal length range, making the OOOM a 35-140mm T4 lens. A quick switch button is provided on the OOOM for easy conversion of focal length & aperture scale.

Specifications:

• Focal Length Extension: 1.4x
• With 25-100 focal length: 35-140mm
• With 25-100 T-stop range: 4-32
• Image Circle Diameter: 46.5mm
• Diameter: 89mm
• Length: 57.5mm
• Weight: 330g
• Mounts: PL – PL (other mount options might follow)

Other lenses

Of course these two adapters are compatible with more lenses than just with Laowa’s own OOOM 25-100mm T/2.9. The below chart shows a varitey of cine lenses both the 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter and the 1.4x Full Frame Expander are compatible with.

List of compatible lenses with Laowa 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter:
(Some lenses may need to remove the rear plates)

• Angenieux 28-340mm Optimo Zoom T3.2
• Angenieux 24-290mm Optimo Zoom T2.8
• Angenieux Optimo Style 16-40mm T2.8 Zoom
• Angenieux Optimo Style 30-76mm T2.8 Zoom
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 25 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 29 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 35 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 50 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 85 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 15mm T2.9
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 18 mm T2.9
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 25 mm T2.1
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 28 mm T2.1
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 35 mm T2.1
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 50 mm T2.1
• Carl Zeiss Compact Prime 85 mm T2.1
• ARRI 18-80mm Alura Studio Zoom T2.6
• ARRI 45-250MM T2.6

List of compatible lenses with Laowa 1.4x Full Frame Expander:
(Some lenses may need to remove the rear plates)

• Angenieux EZ-2 15-40mm T2.0
• Angenieux EZ-1 30-90mm T2.0 
• Angenieux EZ-1 45-135MM T3
• Angenieux EZ2 FF 22-60mm T3
• Canon CN-E 15.5-47mm T2.8 L S Wide-Angle Cinema Zoom
• Canon CN-E 30-105mm T2.8 L S Telephoto Cinema Zoom
• ARRI Ultra Prime 85mm T1.9
• Carl Zeiss Supreme Prime 29 mm T1.5
• Carl Zeiss Cinema Zoom 15-30mm

If your desired lens is not (yet) on that list, fear not! You can test any given lens yourself with clearance check tools, provided by Laowa. Download the according PDFs here: 1.33x Rear Anamorphic Adapter | 1.4x Full Frame Expander

Pricing and availability

Both adapters cost $999 each or $1,800 as a bundle of two units. Regardless of which you choose, these adapters come in a protective hard case with custom foam inserts.

Links: Anamorphic Adapter | Expander