The Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE zoom lens is the latest in the growing lineup of Zero-D lenses from Venus Optics.This new optic will be available for Sony's range of full-frame mirrorless cameras like the Alpha A7 III, while versions for Canon's new RF mount (EOS R) and Nikon's new Z mount (Z6 and Z7) will be coming soon.Despite the extreme viewing angle, Venus Optics has managed to design the Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE to be just 70cm wide and 90cm long, while it weighs just 496g.The lens design is made up of 14 elements in 10 groups, which includes two aspherical elements and one extra-low dispersion element, which Venus Optics says will minimize distortions and chromatic aberrations, while delivering excellent optical performance from corner to corner.The lens features a modest five-blade aperture diaphragm, but there is a reason for this, as it's designed to produce a well-defined, sharp and clean 10-stroke sunstars effect (sometimes referred to as a starburst).
A nice touch is that the rear of the lens has a 37mm filter thread for adding filters, while Laowa has developed a magnetic front filter holder to fit 100mm-wide slot-in filters.The lens is currently available for pre-order priced at $849 (about 660 or AU$1,200), with the first 50 pre-orders through Laowa's site receiving a free 100mm magnetic filter holder system.