Venus Optics has announced its popular Laowa 100mm F2. 8 Ultra Macro APO lens is now available for Pentax K mount cameras and is also available in a stepless aperture version for Canon EF mount.
When the Laowa 100mm F2. 8 Ultra Macro APO lens was announced back in 2018, it was supposed to be available for Pentax K mount systems alongside Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mounts. However, the K mount version never came to fruition, with Venus Optics even announcing RF and Z mount versions back in April of this year before any news of the K mount version came out.
A macro shot of the aperture coupling on the new Pentax K mount version of the Laowa 100mm F2. 8 Ultra Macro APO.
Now, the wait is over. As with the previous versions of the lens, the Pentax K mount version is constructed of 12 elements in 10 groups, features an aperture range of F2. 8-F22, uses a seven-blade aperture diaphragm and has a maximum 2x magnification ratio. The lens features an automatic aperture coupling lever, which allows the lens’ aperture to be controlled through the camera, but if you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can adjust the aperture using the manual aperture ring as well.
In addition to the Pentax K mount model, Venus Optics has also released a variation of its EF mount model that features manual stepless aperture control. This video-oriented version of the lens makes it easier to get just the right exposure and the inclusion of a 13 aperture-blade diaphragm over the seven-blade aperture diaphragm in the automatic aperture EF mount version should make for even smoother bokeh.
Below is a sample gallery of images taken with the Laowa 100mm F2. 8 Ultra Macro APO lens by photographer Thomas Shahan, provided by Venus Optics:
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Both the Pentax K mount and Canon EF mount stepless manual focus versions of the Laowa 100mm F2. 8 Ultra Macro APO are available on the Venus Optics online shop and through authorized retailers for $449.
. dpreview.com2020-11-14 20:51