Venus Optics has released their first-ever full-frame 35mm focal length lens with an ultra-fast 0.95 aperture. Known as the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF, this lens adds to the unique offerings we continue to see from this innovative Chinese manufacturer. (Head to our full lens review by clicking here)
Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF Lens for Sony E-Mount
all prices excluding sales tax/VAT
Famed for their eye-catching 24mm f/14 Macro Probe lens, Venus Optics’ Laowa lenses have broken new ground in the market. Their lenses’ features, design, and quality can’t be found anywhere else. Let’s have a look at what makes this new full-frame ultra-fast 35mm f/0.95 lens so special.
Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF key features
- Widest full frame format f/0.95 lens
- Low Focus Breathing
- Aperture Ring Click Switch
- Exquisite Bokeh
Widest f/0.95 full-frame format lens
Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF is the first ever 35mm full-frame lens with an ultra-fast aperture to be mass-produced. This ultra-wide aperture creates an extraordinary shallow depth of field and stunningly beautiful bokeh that adds a three-dimensional quality to portraits. The subject seems to just pop out of the image, aiding our cinematic compositions and helping direct the viewer’s attention where we need it.
Every cinematographer is familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s famous Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7 lenses – the ones that were designed by NASA to film the dark side of the moon. If you’re not, check out this Behind The Scene piece we posted several years ago. Those were some of the fastest lenses ever in the history of photography, and Laowa isn’t far off the mark with this 35mm f/0.95.
The Art & Science of Lenses
Lenses are one of the most important creative tools in cinematography. Learn the foundations of optics and gain the ability to design lens tests, collaborate with technicians and understand technical specifications.
The Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF offers unbeatable performance in low-light situations while still capturing very sharp images. Pairing this lens with a Sony a7s III, with its fantastic high ISO performance, can create images that nobody ever dreamed possible just a few years ago.
Low focus breathing
With its 300° focus thread and low focus breathing, the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF is perfect for professional film & video productions. Though focus breathing is common even in some of the most high-end lenses, nothing is more distracting to an audience than a massive shift in focus.
This lens eliminates that distraction. Moreover, its long 300° focus rotation makes it ideal for pulling focus accurately on set.
Aperture ring click switch
Another unique feature of the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF is its aperture ring click switch. Manual, click-free aperture rings are a must-have for professional video work. They help maintain exposure when the camera moves between locations while filming.
The aperture ring click switch provides photographers and filmmakers with the best of both worlds by allowing you to choose a clicked or de-clicked aperture without the need to modify the lens.
Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF specs
| Focal Length | 35mm |
| Aperture | f/0.95 – 16 |
| Angle of View | 63.4° |
| Format Compatibility | Full Frame |
| Lens Structure | 14 elements in 9 groups ( Aspherical Lens x 1, ED glass x 1, UHR glass x 4 ） |
| Aperture Blades | 15 |
| Min. Focusing Distance | 50cm (19.7”) |
| Dimensions | ø 76.8mm*103mm (ø 3.02 x 4.05”) |
| Filter Thread | ø 72mm |
| Max. Magnification | 0.1X |
| Focus | Manual Focus |
| Weight | About 755g (1.6lb) *without lens hood and both front cap and back cap |
| Mounts | Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon R |
The Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF is priced at $899 and is currently available on Venus Optics’ website, and all authorized resellers.
Are you ready to be able to see in the dark? What do you think about the new Laowa Argus lens? Let us know your thoughts about this new lens and Laowa’s other offerings in the comments below.
