Venus Optics Unveils Aksen Ultra Macro Parfocal Lenses for Photographers and Filmmakers
Venus Optics has launched its groundbreaking Aksen Ultra Macro Series, introducing two innovative full-frame parfocal zoom lenses designed for exceptional macro photography and filmmaking. This series features the Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1-5x Ultra Macro APO and the pioneering Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10x Ultra Macro APO, marking a significant advancement in ultra-macro lens technology. Both lenses promise to deliver unparalleled clarity and sharpness, addressing the challenges of extreme magnification.
These new lenses are engineered to maintain focus throughout the magnification range, a crucial feature for filmmakers who need to zoom without constant readjustment. The Aksen series also boasts a fixed working distance and an internal zoom mechanism that ensures the lens barrel remains static, enhancing stability and precision during use. The 5-10x model incorporates a unique coaxial block design, a technology typically found in machine vision, to provide superior contrast and shadowless illumination, opening up new creative possibilities for macro enthusiasts.
Introducing the Aksen Ultra Macro Series
Venus Optics has officially launched its innovative Aksen Ultra Macro Series, unveiling two full-frame parfocal zoom lenses: the Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1-5x Ultra Macro APO and the Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10x Ultra Macro APO. The 17.5mm f/1.7 stands out as the first-ever 5-10x ultra macro lens available in the market, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in macro photography and videography. These lenses are designed to meet the rigorous demands of both professional photographers and filmmakers, offering advanced features that enhance image quality and user experience.
The Aksen series is characterized by its parfocal design, meaning the lenses maintain a consistent focus plane even as the magnification ratio changes. This capability is particularly beneficial for videographers, as it eliminates the need to refocus when zooming in or out, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted footage. Furthermore, the lenses feature a fixed working distance—40.35mm for the 1-5x model and 22.48mm for the 5-10x model—and an internal zoom mechanism that keeps the lens barrel stationary. This design minimizes vibrations and external movement, contributing to greater stability and precision in extreme close-up shots. Venus Optics emphasizes that these lenses are built to deliver exceptional optical performance, effectively combating chromatic aberrations that typically arise at high magnification levels, thus ensuring unmatched clarity and sharpness.
Key Features and Optical Excellence
The Aksen Ultra Macro Series brings several innovative features to the forefront of macro photography. Beyond their parfocal design and internal zoom mechanism, these lenses are celebrated for their exceptional optical performance, particularly in managing chromatic aberrations at extreme magnification. The Aksen 5-10x lens integrates a coaxial block directly into its design, a sophisticated technology traditionally found in industrial machine vision applications. This unique optical configuration significantly enhances contrast at the edges of the subject and delivers shadowless illumination, which allows photographers to explore novel creative lighting setups and achieve highly detailed, vibrant images.
Both lenses in the series are meticulously engineered with complex optical structures to achieve their high performance. The 45mm f/2.8 1-5x Ultra Macro APO features 13 elements in 9 groups, with an 11-bladed diaphragm offering an aperture range from f/2.8 to f/11. In the PL mount version, it supports 37mm rear filters and has a 56mm front filter diameter, measuring 70.2 by 121mm and weighing 599 grams. The 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10x Ultra Macro APO, on the other hand, comprises 17 elements in 12 groups, with an 11-bladed diaphragm providing an aperture range of f/1.7 to f/5.6. This lens does not accept rear filters but has a 42mm front filter diameter, measuring 70.2 by 127.5mm and weighing 570 grams. Both lenses are available in multiple mounts, including Arri PL, Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Leica L, Canon EF, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds, with pricing options for both still photographers and filmmakers.