Laowa Adds a New Tilt-Shift Macro

Laowa is at it again, with another unique lens offering. Laowa today announced the 35mm f/2.8 Tilt-shift lens with a .5x Macro, named the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro. Since this lens is manual focus only and has no electronic connections to the camera body, it is also available for the Canon RF mount. The lens is released for the Z, E, and L mounts, and is also compatible with the Fujifilm GFX and the Hasselblad XCD mounts.

The lens will shift on full-frame cameras ±12mm, giving the users a pretty impressive wide range to move the lens. On the medium format sensors, because their sensors are larger than full frame sensors, the amount that is shiftable is ±8mm.

On both full frame and medium format, the tilt amount remains the sale of ±10 degrees of tilt. The range of tilt governs how much you can control the plane of focus, as what you are doing is tilting the plane of focus to get more depth of a scene in focus, or to create what is known as the miniature effect in your photos or videos.

The .5x Macro can open up new creative photography options that are more difficult without a tilt shift lens.

You can purchase this lens today from venuslens.net for $1249. It's hard not to be impressed by Laowa; these optics and precision movements are not easy, and very few third-party manufacturers have ever attempted them, and no one has covered the breadth of Laowa's offerings with now three tilt-shift lenses and three additional shifting lenses. Not only do they deliver credible lenses with movements, but they do so at a price that the OEMs would never consider.

Lens Construction and MTF

One thing I like about this lens that Canon never did is that the tripod mount is on a fixed part of the lens, and not expected to be on the camera body, allowing you to shift the camera, and not the lens when it's mounted on a tripod. This eliminates parallax if you are shooting shifted images for stitching together in post-processing.

The lens itself is 14 elements across 12 groups, including 4 extra low dispersion elements, and 1 ultra high refractive element. It also has Laowa's hydrophobic coating, which they call frog eye coating, on the front element to help repel water. I would “assume” that operationally, this is similar to Canon's fluorine coating.

The MTF looks very good as well, even though it should, because it's only showing the unshifted image circle. I guess if I had much to criticize Laowa's impressive lineup of tilt/shift lenses is that they dont' show the MTF of the shifted areas so people could get a feel of how well the lens performs shifted.

But to be fair to Laowa, Canon was rather reluctant to show that information as well.

While this is a 50mm Tilt-shift lens from Canon, the TS-E 50mm f/2.8L Macro, we can see that it has a generally similar MTF response, though keep in mind that the Canon lens is around $1000 more expensive.

Press Release

Laowa’s New Tilt-Shift Lens — 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt Shift 0.5x Macro — Take Control of Every Line & Perspective

Anhui, China – November 25, 2025 – Anhui ChangGeng Optical Technology Company Limited (Venus Optics), a leading innovator in camera lens design, proudly announces the launch of its groundbreaking Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro lens. This versatile new optic empowers photographers with unparalleled creative and technical control, blending wide-angle perspective, tilt-shift functionality, and macro capabilities into a single, compact tool.

Designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras and also compatible with GFX/XCD medium-format systems, the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro redefines precision imaging. Photographers can now take command of every line and perspective, from architectural grandeur to intricate tabletop scenes at an affordable price of USD 1,249.

Unrivaled Tilt & Shift Control

• Full Frame Systems: Offers an expansive ±10° of tilt for precise plane of focus manipulation and ±12mm of shift for advanced perspective correction.
• Medium Format Systems (GFX/XCD): Delivers ±10° of tilt and a robust ±8mm of shift, providing critical control without noticeable vignetting. These movements enable photographers to correct converging verticals in architecture, create stunning miniature effects, achieve extended depth of field across vast landscapes, and minimize reflections, all directly in-camera.

Zero-D (Zero Distortion) Optical Design

As part of Laowa's renowned Zero-D line, the 35mm f/2.8 ensures virtually no optical distortion, delivering perfectly straight lines crucial for architectural and interior photography. Its APO (Apochromatic) design further eliminates chromatic aberration, guaranteeing superior image quality and edge-to-edge sharpness across its broad 87.5° angle of view.

Exceptional Macro Capabilities

With an impressive 0.5x maximum magnification and a minimum focusing distance of just 22.8 cm (the closest in its class for tilt-shift lenses), this lens excels in macro photography. This close-focus ability, combined with tilt-shift movements, opens new avenues for detailed product shots, creative tabletop photography, and unique close-ups.

Versatile for Diverse Applications

The fast f/2.8 aperture provides excellent low-light performance, making it ideal for night scenes, long exposures, and indoor shooting. Its unique combination of features makes it a versatile companion for architectural, landscape, product, and fine art photographers seeking to push creative boundaries

Seamless Photo Stitching and Panoramic Imaging

Using the shift function, panoramas can be created with ease through photo stitching.

Photographer-Centric Design

Built-in 77mm Filter Thread: Offers practical and cost-effective filter use without bulky adapters.

Adjustable Tilt-Shift Direction: Provides flexible composition adjustments with 15° clicks for precise control.

Integrated Arca-Swiss Lens Support: A detachable support allows for quick and secure mounting to tripods, crucial for precise tilt-shift work.

Frog-Eye Coating: The front element features Laowa's water and dirt-repellent coating for easy cleaning and reliable performance in challenging environments.

Pricing & Availability:

The Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5× Macro will be available for purchase starting November 25, 2025, through the Venus Optics official website (https://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers. The U.S. retail price is USD 1,249.

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