Venus Optics Expands DL Lens Lineup for DJI Drones

Venus Optics has recently introduced two new wide-angle lenses, the Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL and the 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D, specifically designed for DJI’s higher-end drones, such as the DJI Inspire 3, and gimbals that support interchangeable camera systems and DL lenses. These additions to the company’s existing DL library aim to provide DJI pilots with more options for aerial photography and videography.

Compact and Lightweight Design

The new Laowa lenses are built with drone compatibility in mind, featuring a compact and lightweight design. The 11mm f/4.5 FF RL weighs just 8.04 ounces (228 grams), while the 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D tips the scales at 8.96 ounces (254 grams). This makes them ideal for use on drones, where weight is a critical factor in maintaining flight stability and efficiency.

Manual Focus and Specific Shot Types

Both lenses are reportedly manual focus, which limits their use on drones to specific types of shots where precise focus is not required, such as wide-angle shots of distant objects. This characteristic is essential for drone pilots to consider when planning their aerial photography or videography projects.

Expanding the Laowa DL Lens Lineup

The Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL and 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D join the existing Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens in Venus Optics’ DL mount lineup. These three options provide a range of wide-angle focal lengths suitable for various aerial or gimbal-based photo and video work.

In addition to the wide-angle primes, Venus Optics also offers a series of Laowa Nanomorph S35 1.5x anamorphic lenses in DL mount, including 27mm T2.8, 35mm T2.4, 50mm T2.4, 65mm T2.4, and 80mm T2.4 primes. However, these lenses are more expensive, costing $1,000 or more each, and are primarily designed for handheld video work rather than aerial photography.

Pricing and Availability

The new Laowa 11mm f/4.5 and 14mm f/4 primes for DL mount are priced at $449 and $549, respectively, making them an affordable option for DJI pilots looking to expand their lens collection. The lenses are also available for various other mounts, including E, L, RF, Z, and Leica M. The existing Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens is available in DL mount for $399.

With the introduction of the Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL and 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D lenses, Venus Optics has expanded its offerings for DJI pilots using drones and gimbals with interchangeable camera systems. These compact and lightweight wide-angle primes provide additional options for aerial photography and videography, although their manual focus design may limit their use to specific shot types.

The affordable pricing of these lenses makes them an attractive choice for DJI pilots looking to enhance their creative possibilities in the sky.