Venus Optics announces the Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95 FF for the RF mount

Darecinema

Addicted to lenses.
CR Pro
Sep 8, 2018
55
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I would like this or the 35mm, I'd never spend the $4000+ for a Canon L version with AF.... that will never happen anyway.
If you had your choice between this or the Mitakon Speedmaster f.95 which would you choose? Why? I’m guessing videographers would choose this lens because of the ability for in lens de clicking, pretty smart of Laowa.
 
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cayenne

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Mar 28, 2012
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If only could support AF then it would be a no brainer lens even with a 300$+ price for the af mechanism...! Damn it I feel everytime there is that little missing piece that holds back from perfection...
As others have said, with mirrorless and the included tools like focus peaking, its easy to use these MF lenses....even if you have really poor vision like I do.

I like MF lenses with the distance markings....I just set hyperlocal distance, etc....and just shoot ....

And if it's macro, really close up high mag stuff, I have it on a tripod anyway....
 
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cayenne

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Mar 28, 2012
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If you had your choice between this or the Mitakon Speedmaster f.95 which would you choose? Why? I’m guessing videographers would choose this lens because of the ability for in lens de clicking, pretty smart of Laowa.
I'm a big fan of adapting lenses both old and new to mirrorless.
I often get Leica M Mount lenses to go on my M10 Monochrom, but these are also very adaptable to EF or R mounts...I plan to get a RF mount camera in the near future, I'm looking out now to see what R3 looks like and what R1 might look like....or even the R5c....I've not made my mind up.

Anyway....I've got my eye on the new Voightlander 50mm f/1.0 coming out this month.

I had been eyeballing the Mitakon, as well as the TTArtisan version of the 50mm f/0.95 for my M10M, to turn it into a real low light monster, that can virtually see in the dark.

But those Chinese lenses come with some issues and the way Voightlander has been pumping out the very high quality glass lately....I think sacrificing, what a quarter of a stop for higher quality...I lean that direction.

I have played with Laowa lenses...and I own the 15mm macro lens that is EF mount, but I've adapted so far for M and GF mounts and that things is awesome, such an unusual thing to shoot macro but have so much background in focus too.

Anyway, I'd look at this Laowa, but for now, so as to be able to adapt to as many cameras as possible that I own, I'm leaning towards the VM mount lens....if you're interested in this one, you might give that one a look when it comes out in the new couple weeks.

My $0.02,

cayenne
 
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I thought focus peaking would work on ANY manual focus lens you hooked to a RF body....?
Yes, focus peaking works e.g. on FD lenses adapted to my RP really well. Focus peaking is a method where the camera evaluates the contrast between pixels. If the contrast is high, the camera cpu/software assumes that this region of the sensor is in focus and exhibits detail ... with contrast.

I use a Novofl ex adapter (RP + RF 35 was offered at a bargain price so I bought a higher priced adapter to give some intrinsic tip to the photo dealer!).

I keept a line of FD lenses (17, 28, 50 macro, 50 1.4, 135 3.5 & 2.5) if I will ever make a small movie with a story. The RP was a low budget way to check if these lenses are worth it: They are at least for Full HD which is, well mastered, good enough to tell a story (if you have one ... my problem :) And the rendering of bright point sources is great, great aesthetic flare where you will pay for today: Special lens series with bad coating :)
 
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SwissFrank

1N 3 1V 1Ds I II III R R5
Dec 9, 2018
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Since going mirrorless, the manual focus is much less of a liability. Focus peaking makes this pretty functional, although I have to say I haven't tried this with a lens with quite that big an aperture.
Oh, I think the bigger the aperture the BETTER the focus peaking would work as it'd be so clear in the viewfinder what portions of the scen aren't in focus at all.
 
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Fran Decatta

EOS R6
Mar 6, 2019
95
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If it heps to someone.... I purchased this lens on june of 2023. I've been using it in weddings/photoshoots. I Must say that it's tremendously adictive and fun to use, much easier than expected, once you've been working with it during an hour the first time. Nowadays, I have no problem in nail facus relatively fast, even with moderate moving subjects, everything at 0.95. Focus peaking helps a lot!
 
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Aug 10, 2021
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What I particularly love about my Summilux M 1,4/75 is the rendering at f 1,4, thanks to the numerous aberrations, resulting in dreamy, almost "glowing" pictures.
And the fact that I gets tack-sharp from f 2,8.
It may sound silly, but I'd rather buy the EF 1,2/85 than the RF 1,2/85, even though I know, having tested it, that the RF is absolutely stunning.
if you don't need the AF speed or wide open sharpness of the RF, I don't think it's silly. The lower price isn't bad either.
 
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Aug 10, 2021
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I thought focus peaking would work on ANY manual focus lens you hooked to a RF body....?
It will. You can even use it with a lens with no electronics. The only difference is the camera wont display distance (but you'll probably have it on older lenses anyway) and the red arrows that become green when in focus also won't display. More useful than peaking, to me is the magnification feature.
 
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