SAR reader Mistral75 (Thanks!) shared some additional info and image samples about the Laowa STF 105mm f/2.0 lens on Flickr (see here). The company estimates the lens will cost $550-600 and shipment target is before summer.

Reminder:
After the [shoplink 43950 ebay]Laowa 60mm f/2.8 Macro 2:1 (here on eBay)[/shoplink] and the [shoplink 43951 ebay]Laowa 15mm f/4 Shift Macro 1:1 lenses (here on eBay)[/shoplink], the Chinese company Anhui Changgeng Optical Technology Company Limited, better known as Venus Optics (see http://www.venuslens.net/about), will launch the Laowa STF 105mm f/2 (T/3.2).

It is a portrait lens with an apodization filter that gives a more progressive and velvety bokeh than an ordinary lens (STF stands for Smooth Trans Focus). This is the same principle as for the [shoplink 43952 ebay]Minolta AF / Sony 135mm f/2.8 [T/4.5] STF[/shoplink] and close to that of the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD.

Click on images to enlarge:

The Laowa has the advantage over the Sony of being one EV brighter. Hereafter its main features:

– 11 elements, including the apodization filter, 1 element made of glass with high refractive index and 3 elements made of low dispersion glass, in 8 groups
– Manual focus (the apodization filter is hostile for phase-detection autofocus)
– Minimum focusing distance: 90cm
– Maximum magnification: 0.16x
– Filter diameter: 67mm
– Dimensions: 76 mm (maximum diameter) x 98.8 mm (length) (depending on lens mount)
– Weight: 746 g (depending on lens mount)
– Available mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax K, Sony A and Sony E
– Available in black and silver
– Launch date: January 18, 2016
– Price in China: the equivalent of €500-550 (probably more in Western countries)

Image samples:

You can find more details and many pictures taken with the lens on two threads from the Chinese forum Xitek:

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1533456-1-1-1.html

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1444928-1-1-1.html

In addition to the pictures in the threads referenced above, sample images are available for download from:

– https://yunpan.cn/OcuWqL82CSKLPX password: 9351. 9 pictures taken with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (full-resolution jpeg files)

– https://yunpan.cn/OcuWqBwTM7s9Bw password: CFAE. 1 picture taken with a Nikon D800 (full-resolution jpeg file) and 9 Canon RAW files (CR2)

You will also find a number of images (pictures of the lens, optical formula, MTF curves and a dozen of sample images as full-resolution jpeg files) in the dedicated Flickr album I have set up: https://flic.kr/s/aHsksPyYgn.

Kind regards
Mistral75

Sony Sky HDR App

A7R2 Survived the Arctic (SonyAlphaForum)
Sony A7sII tested by Photoreview.
Sony A6000 + Sony 90mm f/2.8 FE = a popular portrait pairing (Imaging Resource).
Amazing Mountain Panorama Shot with ZEISS Loxia 2/35 (Lenspire).
Top 5 reasons the Sony a7Rii is better than the Canon 5Diii (SonyAlphaForum)
Sony a7II: Why I Love This Camera for Travel Photography (Ordinarytraveler).
Never Miss a Moment with the Sony RX100 IV: A Professional Pocket Camera (Adorama Learning Center).

You can download the free issue of the latest Sony Alpha Universe magazine: iTunes (Click here) and Android (Click here).

SAR reader Tuomas noticed that there is a mention of a 150-600mm f/5.0-6.2 OSS lens inside the “Range Rover” article. I don’t think that’s a new FE lens. More likely he is using the [shoplink 44274 ebay]Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 VC lens[/shoplink].

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found via Brian Smith