"Out Of Our Minds"? Laowa drops two new cine lenses with silly names
Laowa is renowned for manufacturing fantastic and affordable photography lens options, and it also produces a well-regarded lineup of cine lenses – and has just added two new cine zooms to its OOOM lineup.
The OOOM Cine Zoom Series 14-60mm T2.9 MFT Cine and OOOM Cine Zoom Series 20-85mm T4 S35 Cine lenses, are available in Micro Four Thirds and Arri PL mount respectively (where they offer equivalent 28-120mm and 30-127.5mm focal ranges, again respectively).
These lenses offer an affordable cine zoom option, perfect for aspiring Four Thirds and Super35 filmmakers, and the image quality punches far above its weight.
The OOOM Cine Zoom series has been left a little sparse over the past four years, with its only lens being 2020's Laowa OOOM 25-100mm T2.9 Cine – a great lens, but odd considering the range was promised to feature "Out Of Our Minds" (OOOM) cine lens options.
Can the two new lenses deliver on the OOOM promise? At first glance, yes. They offer an impressive zoom range of over 4.2x, offering versatility and reducing the frequency of the need to change lenses. The lenses employ a parfocal design that enables the user to keep the subject in focus while changing the focal length.
Although the lenses offer a substantial zoom range, they are relatively compact compared with other cine zooms on the market, measuring just 80mm x 172mm. This extends their versatility as lenses that can be packed and carried in a filmmaking kit bag without taking up much of the precious real estate.
Optical performance has always been present in Laowa lenses, and continues even in the more affordable ranges. "The new cine zooms offer exceptional color rendition and contrast, thanks to its meticulous optical design," says Laowa.
"With its ability to produce natural-colored images, colorists will save valuable time on color grading during post-production. This is particularly advantageous for interview/documentary projects where a quick turnaround is essential."
Other notable features include low focus breathing, a 56cm minimum focus distance, and compatibility with cine housing.
Above: A video of the new Laowa cine zoom lenses and sample footage
The lenses are available now from Laowa for the very competitive price of $1,999 / £1,999 each (Australian pricing to be confirmed).
It must be said that we haven't had these lenses in for testing, and can't attest to the statements firsthand. However, looking at the example footage in the video above, the lenses look exceptional and can provide a great affordable cine zoom option for new and established filmmakers.
You may also be interested in our guides to the best cine lenses, the best cinema cameras, and the best cameras for filmmaking.
