Laowa has recently released a compact pancake-style wide-angle 15mm F/5 full-frame lens. This lens is available in multiple lens mounts, including Sony E and Nikon Z, with electronic contacts compatible with auto-aperture modes, as well as Canon RF, Leica M, and L-Mount in full manual. So, let’s take a closer look at this tiny lens!
Chinese lens manufacturer Venus Optics is well-known for creating one-of-a-kind lenses, whether for the photo or cinema market. After many releases over the past couple of months, including the Laowa Ranger, Nanomorph LF, and Sword series of lenses, to list a few, the company is back with a more “simple” prime lens, nearly entirely manual, that feels like a come back to their roots: the 15mm F/5 Cookie.
Laowa 15mm F/5 Cookie – features
The Laowa 15mm F/5 Cookie is a compact and lightweight lens that only measures around 35.2mm/1.38in for a weight of 138g/4.76oz for the Sony E and Nikon Z mount versions and 25mm/0.98in for the Leica M, Canon RF, and L-Mount versions that ticks the scale at 104g/3.66oz. So why is there a difference in size and weight, as all lenses cover full-frame image sensors?
As you can see, the Nikon Z and Sony E-Mount versions feature electronic contacts on the lens mount. While all lenses are manual focus only, the latter doesn’t have an iris ring, as you can adjust the exposure in the camera. Also, the Sony and Nikon versions of the Laowa 15mm F/5 Cookie are compatible with Auto-Aperture modes.
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With a large field of view of around 110° on a full-frame camera, the 15mm F/5 Cookie sounds like a great companion for landscape photography, especially if you want to travel, hike, or explore with a compact camera setup.
Lens design
The lens design of the 15mm F/5 Cookie consists of 13 elements in 9 groups, including four ultra-high refraction lenses, two aspherical lenses, and four extra-low dispersion lenses for improved color accuracy, enhanced image quality, and reduced chromatic aberration.
The lens has a very close minimum focusing distance of only 12cm/4.72in. Moreover, the 5-blade aperture will produce an interesting 10-point Sunstar. Lastly, this 15mm F/5 Cookie has a removable sun hood and a 39mm front filter thread.
Pricing and availability
The Laowa 15mm F/5 Cookie is available now for $399/€517.
For more information, please visit Laowa’s website here.
What do you think about this compact ultra-wide angle prime lens? Did you already shoot with Laowa lenses? What is your go-to ultra-wide angle lens? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!
