Venus Optics maintains its busy release schedule with the new Laowa Proteus Series featuring a constant 2x squeeze ratio for Super 35 sensors.
It’s only been six months since Laowa launched the world’s smallest anamorphic lenses – Nanomorphs. The Proteus Series is the company’s next substantial step in its exploration of all things anamorphic.
The Proteus comes in 35mm, 45mm, 60mm and 85mm featuring a universal T2 aperture. Built with optimized optical design and reliable anamorphic glass, the lenses are able to create sharp close-ups shots at a 55cm (1.8 feet) distance, feature smooth elliptical bokeh, and have the nice touch of offering signature flares that include a classic sci-fi blue, warm and elegant amber, and a neutral silver flare color options (the silver flare will change color according to the light source).
The lenses work comfortably with 4:3 or 6:5 sensors (which are usually defaulted in professional cinema cameras to deliver a 2.66:1 or 2.4:1 image after de-squeeze). Cinematographers and filmmakers can use the footage entirely or crop it to a 2.39:1 with minimal loss of resolution.
The iris ranges from T2 to T22 for the entire series. A back focus adjustment mechanism allows users to calibrate the back focus with the lens mounted on the camera directly without going through a tedious shimming process. A unified gear position also enables all Proteus lenses can be switched quickly between focal lengths to work with the same set of gears.
All Proteus lenses are also compatible with the Laowa 1.4X full frame expander to cover full-frame sensor
The Proteus lens is selling at $4,999 each or equivalent, with a 2-lens set price for $9,499. Eligible customers can join the company’s #ProteusOnSet program to enjoy a cash rebate of $1,200 for each set order.
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