Laowa has just launched an ultra-wide Cookie camera lens for all full-frame mirrorless mounts
(Image credit: Venus Optics)
Got the creative munchies? A spot of GAS? Try feeding your new gear cravings with the tasty new Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF lens.
Available for all full-frame mirrorless mounts, this ultra-wide lens offers a huge 110° angle of view – though of course, that 15mm focal length will become 22.5mm if mounted to an APS-C body (or 24mm on a Canon APS-C camera).
While its size fluctuates across the different mounts, it clocks in as small as 25mm in length and as light as 104g for Leica M. However, as you can see in the image below, its design is different for every brand:
Image 1 of 5
The Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF lens for Canon RF…(Image credit: Venus Optics)
… Sony E…(Image credit: Venus Optics)
… Nikon Z…(Image credit: Venus Optics)
… L-Mount…(Image credit: Venus Optics)
… and Leica M(Image credit: Venus Optics)
In addition to the physical differences, the Sony and Nikon versions both feature electronic contacts to communicate with the camera – so you can control the aperture from the body, and full EXIF data is recorded with your images.
Canon, L-Mount and Leica users, meanwhile, will enjoy / endure fully manual control via the aperture ring (with no aperture detail recorded in your EXIF information).
While the Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF lens is tiny compared to most primes (such as the slim Canon RF 50mm f/1.8, at 69.2 x 40.5mm) it's actually not as slim as a traditional cookie or pancake lens (like the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8, at 69.2 x 24.7mm).
It is, however, narrower than most of them thanks to its slightly conical shape. And as you can see in the image at the top of this article, it's definitely the size of a stack of cookies!
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Laowa 15mm f/5 FFⅡ Cookie
Mount
E / M / RF / Z / L
Aperture
f/5 - f/22
Diaphragm blades
5
Construction
13 elements, 9 groups
Min. shooting distance
0.12m
Max. magnification
0.2x
Filter diameter
39mm
Dimensions
53 x 35.2mm E Mount • 53 x 25mm Leica M
Weight
138g E Mount • 104g Leica M
The announcement video for the lens is definitely depicting it as a video lens, with lots being made of its suitability for POV-style shots and creative close-ups (thanks to its 12cm minimum focusing distance).
It's definitely going to be useful for plenty of photographic applications, too – I personally love this kind of field of view for immersive architecture shots, and I'm also excited to try it for some landscapes.
The Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF lens is available now priced $399 / £429 (Australian pricing to be confirmed).
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
