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Venus Optics · LAOWA Fisheye Series
LAOWA 4.5–10mm f/2.8 CF Zoom Fisheye
Two fisheye characters in one parfocal zoom
From a fully circular fisheye to a frame-filling diagonal look — without changing lenses.
🌐
180°
Maximum angle of view
🔄
Parfocal
Focus holds while zooming
💡
f/2.8
Constant aperture
One lens, two fisheye looks
Fisheye lenses normally come in two forms: circular, projecting a round image circle onto the middle of the sensor, and diagonal, filling the frame completely. Using both used to mean owning two lenses. The LAOWA 4.5–10mm f/2.8 CF Zoom Fisheye combines both characters in a single optic: at 4.5 mm you get the classic circular fisheye, at 10 mm a frame-filling diagonal look.
Between those endpoints the image circle can be scaled continuously — a creative range primes do not offer. It is particularly valuable for video and vlogging, where the framing can be changed during the take without putting the camera down. Shot at 10 mm, the fisheye distortion can also be removed in post, resulting in a field of view that reaches even wider than a conventional 10 mm wide angle.
Parfocal: focus holds while zooming
Most zoom lenses are varifocal — the focal plane shifts as you zoom and you have to refocus. This lens is built parfocal: once focused, sharpness is maintained across the entire zoom range. For video that means clean zoom moves without visible focus drift, and for stills photographers it removes the check-and-correct loop after every focal length change.
A 10 cm close focus and the bugeye effect
With a minimum focusing distance of 10 cm you can get very close to a subject. Combined with the fisheye projection this produces particularly strong distortion: whatever sits near the front element is rendered disproportionately large while the background falls dramatically away. This so-called bugeye look gives images a dynamic, almost cartoon-like quality and is an established device in skate, BMX and action sports photography.
One practical detail worth noting: the field of view is aligned so that typical intruders such as the camera grip or your own fingers stay out of the frame at 180° — by no means a given with fisheye lenses.
Ideal for
🏊 Action sports
Close-range bugeye perspectives for skate, BMX and surf.
🎥 Video & vlogging
Parfocal zoom moves with no refocusing, compact enough for gimbals.
🌌 Astrophotography
f/2.8 and a 180° field for the entire night sky in a single frame.
🗺 Panorama & VR
A circular fisheye base for spherical panoramas from very few frames.
Optical design
13 elements in 9 groups — a remarkably lean construction for a fisheye zoom covering 180°. The result is a 68.9 × 59.3 mm barrel weighing 338 g, small enough for a jacket pocket and light enough not to unbalance compact gimbals. The strongly curved front element rules out screw-in filters by design; the supplied front cap protects it in transit. Aperture and focus are purely mechanical with defined rotation angles of 42° and 77° respectively, allowing precise manual work and repeatable settings.
Manufacturer data from Venus Optics
Venus Optics describes the 4.5–10mm f/2.8 CF Zoom Fisheye as a compact, parfocal zoom for APS-C cameras that combines two fisheye characters in one barrel. The manufacturer states an angle of view of 175–180°, a 2.2× zoom ratio and an optical design of 13 elements in 9 groups with 7 aperture blades. The aperture range runs from f/2.8 to f/22.
One notable manufacturer note concerns the image circle: on Micro Four Thirds sensors the full circle appears from roughly 4 mm, on APS-C sensors from about 5 mm. The transition from circular to diagonal fisheye therefore sits at different points of the zoom range depending on the camera – the lens is deliberately designed for both sensor formats rather than APS-C only.
The 10 cm minimum focusing distance yields a maximum magnification of 0.27× according to the data sheet. Venus Optics stresses that the entire background stays in frame while the subject fills it – context is preserved. At Ø68.9 × 59.3 mm and 338 g (Sony E) it is one of the most compact fisheye zooms available and balances easily on gimbals and drones.
Parfocal and constant f/2.8 – the manufacturer’s video argument: Venus Optics engineered the lens to hold focus across the entire zoom range. Combined with the constant f/2.8 aperture, neither focus nor exposure shifts while zooming – zoom moves can be pulled off in a single take without refocusing or re-exposing.
Technical specifications
| Focal length |
4.5 – 10 mm (2.2× zoom range) |
| Angle of view |
175 – 180° |
| Sensor format |
APS-C (also usable on MFT) |
| Maximum aperture |
f/2.8 (constant) |
| Minimum aperture |
f/22 |
| Aperture blades |
7 |
| Aperture control |
manual, clicked aperture ring |
| Optical design |
13 elements in 9 groups |
| Focusing |
manual, parfocal |
| Minimum focusing distance |
10 cm |
| Maximum magnification |
1:3.7 |
| Focus / zoom / aperture rotation |
77° / 75° / 42° |
| Filter thread |
– (no front thread) |
| Dimensions (D×L) |
approx. 68.9 × 59.3 mm |
| Weight |
approx. 338 g |
| Material / colour |
metal, black |
| Available mounts |
Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Fuji X, MFT, Canon EF-M, Leica L |
| Max. magnification (Venus Optics) |
0.27× |
| Sensor format per manufacturer |
APS-C – full circle from approx. 4 mm on MFT, from approx. 5 mm on APS-C |
| Weight (manufacturer) |
338 g (Sony E version) |
| Manufacturer |
Venus Optics (LAOWA) |
In the box & warranty
In the box – lens, front cap and rear cap.
Warranty – 3 year manufacturer warranty on LAOWA lenses. Focus and aperture are set manually on the lens; there is no electronic connection to the camera.
Why MJKZZ?
✓ Authorised dealer for LAOWA / Venus Optics lenses
✓ Personal advice on choosing the right mount version
✓ Fast shipping and inspected stock directly from Germany
Prices are RRP incl. VAT. Product images may differ from the actual item.
