Venus Optics introduced a ‘Piano White’ version of the Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine (RF mount) and its affordable cinema zoom glass – OOOM (Out-Of-Our-Minds) 25-100mm T2.9 Cine. Looking good, especially if you own the Stormtrooper Komodo:-) The white OOOM will cost you $1,000 more, which is still pretty affordable for that kind of lens, in case you’re eager for the ‘NASA look’. All details are below.
OOOM Zoom
The OOOM stands for ‘Out-Of-Our-Minds’ and was developed as Venus Optics’ answer to the affordable cinema zoom market. The focal length of the lens is 25-100mm which is an outstanding focal length that allows wide shots, as well as long shots. The lens was praised by reviewers who liked the robust metal design, the good quality for the price, zoom range, and… again, the price, which is half from what the competitors offer. Keep in mind that the OOOM is not the sharpest lens. However, it grants a bit of a warm look (defined as ‘vintage look’ by Venus Optics), through the entire focal length. Moreover, the OOM is parfocal, and that’s a huge advantage, especially in a pulling focus. This is a heavy lens though, and the focus rotates 300 degrees. Thus, it might be a bit of a challenge to use it for solo shooters, although the lens is considered as a great shift to cinema zoom lens from a still lens.
‘Piano White’: Marketing trick learned from the best (RED)
Venus Optics has release the Piano White version of Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine for Canon RF mount and OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine. The Piano White version of these two lenses is priced at USD 649 and USD 6,000 (USD 7,500 for the bundle with 1.4x full-frame expander and 1.33x rear anamorphic adapter) respectively. Why releasing a ‘Piano White’? Well, why not? The Chinese company has learned from the best. Turning major products into white is a marketing trick (a smart one) made by RED Digital Cinema. However, RED paints white before the final models are shipped to the mass market (those pre-market models called Stormtroopers). In this case, Venus Optics has decided to call it ‘Piano White’. Anyway, it’s the same lens with a different color.
Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9
The all-in-one Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine includes a default ARRI PL mount with Canon EF and Sony E mount bayonets for interchange. A Canon RF mount bayonet is exclusively added in the piano-white version of the OOOM lens.
Covers Super 35+
The lens covers a super35+ format, maximum in 4k UHD on Alexa Mini and 8k HD on Red Helium / 5k HD on Red Gemini. The constant maximum t-stop T2.9 makes low light filming easier throughout the whole zoom range. Focus breathing is compressed to minimal to keep the composition when changing focus. Nevertheless, there’s noticeable breathing.
Covers full-frame with 1.4X expander
The 1.4x full-frame expander and the 1.33x rear anamorphic adapter are bundled with the OOOM lens. Cinematographers are able to expand the usage of the lens to fit different camera settings and filming purposes. The expander converts OOOM into a full-frame lens while the anamorphic adapter creates 2.4:1 widescreen cinematic looks.
The white for the wide
Venus Optics has designed a Piano White version with a smooth paint finish to its widest zero distortion lens as well, which is the Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine. The company states that it matches the color of some camera bodies in the market like the RED Komodo Stormtrooper. The compressed small size of the 9mm T2.9 also matches the compact design of RED Komodo, making them a great combo for filming mobile and shooting FPV.
Wide-angle lens for different shooting settings
According to Venus Optics, the Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine is currently the widest cine prime lens with a native Canon RF mount, which features a 120° angle of view on the Super35 sensor. The fast-maximum t-stop i.e. T2.9 is well suited and more flexible for filming under a low light environment. As its name stated, the lens is designed with a sublime optical distortion control with all straight lines retained, becoming the world’s widest T2.9 cine lens with the “Zero-D” feature. Its tiny size i.e. 54 x 62.4mm and lightweight i.e. 247g match perfectly with mirrorless Canon-RF-mounted cameras with gimbals or drones. The standard 55mm filter thread for mounting screw-in filters brings convenience and places less burden on outdoor filming.
Pricing and Availability
The Piano White versions of Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine and OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine are currently available to purchase via authorized dealers. It is priced at USD 649 and USD 6,000 (USD 7,500 for the bundle with 1.4x full-frame expander and 1.33x rear anamorphic adapter) respectively. Now you can decorate your Stormtroopers! For more info, explore the ‘buy links’ in the Product List below.
Product list
Here’re the products mentioned in the article, and the links to purchase them from authorized dealers.
- Venus Optics Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lens (White)
- Venus Optics Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine Lens (Black – regular)
- Venus Optics Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine Lens (White)
- Venus Optics Laowa 9mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine Lens (Black-regular)
- RED DIGITAL CINEMA KOMODO 6K Digital Cinema Camera
