Venus Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye

Focal length: 8–15 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Weight: 650 g
Filter diameter: –
Min. focus distance: 16 cm
Length: –

Overview

The Venus Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is a manual focus fisheye zoom for full frame mirrorless cameras with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It is offered for Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Leica L and Fujifilm GFX, and it was announced in June 2025. Laowa describes it as a lens for expansive landscapes, astrophotography, action footage and 360 degree panoramas, and it targets photographers who want both a full circle fisheye and a frame filling one in a single lens.

Optical design

The lens has 13 elements in 9 groups and 9 aperture blades. At 8 mm it gives a circular image with a 180 degree angle of view on full frame. Zooming to 15 mm lets the image fill the frame, and the angle of view narrows to about 175 degrees according to Laowa. The aperture stays at f/2.8 through the zoom range and closes to f/22. The maximum magnification is 0.23x at the minimum focus distance of 16 cm.

Focusing and handling

Everything is manual: focus, zoom and aperture each have their own ring. Laowa lists a focus throw of 70 degrees, a zoom throw of 75 degrees and an aperture throw of 42 degrees, plus a dual scale focus window. The specifications list neither autofocus nor electronic aperture control. A stabilizer is not part of the design.

Build and size

The weight is about 650 g without caps. Laowa gives a length of 94.5 mm for the Canon RF version with a diameter of 76.4 mm, and 101.2 mm for the Fujifilm GFX version. The bulbous front element is typical for a fisheye, and the specifications list no filter thread. Laowa notes that the GFX and Hasselblad XCD versions do not fully cover the sensor even at 15 mm, which suits them to cropped aspect ratios.

Where it fits

Among fisheye zooms in the database, the Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM and the Nikon AF-S Nikkor Fisheye 8-15mm F3.5-4.5E ED cover the same focal range for DSLR mounts, but with a slower aperture and with autofocus. For a fixed circular image on APS-C, the Venus Laowa 4mm F2.8 Fisheye is a smaller option, and the AstrHori 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye is a full frame prime alternative.

Pros and cons

Pros

Constant f/2.8 through the whole zoom range
Circular and frame filling fisheye looks in one lens
Minimum focus distance of 16 cm
About 650 g, compact for a full frame fisheye zoom
Five mounts, including Fujifilm GFX

Cons

Fully manual, with no autofocus
No filter thread listed
GFX version does not cover the full sensor, according to Laowa
No stabilizer
Strong distortion is built into the design and needs a deliberate style

Verdict

The Venus Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is a specialist lens with a fast constant aperture and a modest weight. It fits photographers who work with circular and diagonal fisheye looks and accept manual operation. Focusing is purely manual on all mounts.

Technical Specifications

min focal length: 8 mm
max focal length: 15 mm
max f (min zoom): f/2.8
max f (max zoom): f/2.8
min. aperture: f/22
Elements: 13
Groups: 9
Weight: 650 g (1.43 lb)
Filter diameter: –
min focus distance: 16 cm (6.3 in)
Length: –
Diameter: –

Simulate depth of field and angle of view

Which cameras does the Venus Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye fit?

The Venus Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is a full-frame lens for L-Mount cameras. On full-frame bodies it uses the whole sensor; on APS-C L-Mount cameras its field of view equals 12-23 mm in full-frame terms.

L-Mount cameras

Full frame:: Leica SL3-P, Leica SL3-S, Sigma BF, Panasonic Lumix S1II, Panasonic Lumix S1IIE, Panasonic Lumix S1RII, Leica SL3, Panasonic Lumix S9, Blackmagic PYXIS 6K, Panasonic Lumix S5II, Panasonic Lumix S5IIX, Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, Panasonic Lumix BS1H, Leica SL2-S, Panasonic Lumix S5, Sigma fp L, Leica SL2, Panasonic Lumix S1, Panasonic Lumix S1R, Panasonic Lumix S1H, Sigma fp, Leica SL (Typ 601)
APS-C:: Leica CL, Leica TL2, Leica TL, Leica T (Typ 701)