Laowa - Lente Venus Optics Ultima S35 12-120mm T4 Zoom (ARRI PL)

The Laowa Ultima S35 12-120mm T4 Zoom Lens (model VE1212040PL) represents Venus Optics’ entry into the professional 8K broadcast and cinema zoom market. Designed for Super35 sensor cameras, this ARRI PL-mount lens delivers an extraordinary 10x zoom range covering focal lengths from ultra-wide 12mm to telephoto 120mm – all while maintaining a constant T4 aperture throughout the entire zoom range.

Engineered for electronic news gathering (ENG), electronic field production (EFP), documentary filmmaking, reality television, and live event coverage, the Ultima 12-120mm combines cine-quality optics with broadcast-ready versatility. With support for up to 8K resolution capture and a 29.5mm image circle that slightly exceeds standard Super35 sensor dimensions, this lens delivers exceptional sharpness and clarity across its entire focal range.

Key Features

10x Zoom Range (12-120mm)
The Ultima S35 offers a remarkable 10x zoom ratio, allowing cinematographers and camera operators to capture sweeping wide-angle establishing shots and tight intimate close-ups without changing lenses. This extensive focal range makes it an ideal single-lens solution for fast-paced production environments where every second counts.

Constant T4 Aperture
With a constant T4.0 aperture across the entire zoom range, the lens delivers consistent exposure and depth of field regardless of focal length. The T4 maximum aperture provides excellent low-light performance while maintaining a compact and manageable form factor for a lens of this focal range.

Parfocal Design
The professional parfocal design ensures that focus remains locked when zooming in or out, eliminating focus drift and enabling smooth, confident zoom transitions during live shots. This feature is essential for broadcast and documentary work where quick zoom adjustments must not compromise image sharpness.

Low Breathing Effect
Advanced optical engineering effectively suppresses focus breathing, meaning the angle of view remains virtually unchanged when adjusting focus. This results in smooth, professional-looking focus pulls that maintain compositional stability – particularly valuable for narrative filmmaking and interview setups.

8K Resolution Support
The optical system is designed to resolve detail for up to 8K capture, making it future-proof for the highest-resolution Super35 cameras available today and tomorrow. The 29.5mm image circle provides full Super35 coverage with additional room to spare, ensuring consistent image quality across the entire zoom range.

Cine-Style Gearing
The lens features industry-standard 0.8 MOD (metric) gearing on focus, iris, and zoom rings, ensuring seamless compatibility with follow focus units, lens control motors, and other professional lens control accessories.

9-Blade Iris
The 9-blade iris design produces smooth, natural-looking bokeh and pleasing out-of-focus highlights, adding a cinematic quality to images that sets broadcast productions apart.

Optional Movcam Servo Unit
For ENG and EFP applications requiring remote or automated lens control, the Ultima 12-120mm is compatible with the separately available Movcam servo drive system. This servo unit enables precise motorized control of focus, zoom, and aperture, making it ideal for studio operations, live broadcasts, and shoulder-mounted run-and-gun shooting.

Aperture Full-Close Mechanism
The lens incorporates a full-close aperture mechanism, allowing the iris to be completely closed for clean black transitions during multi-camera studio productions and live broadcasts.

Use Cases
Broadcast and ENG Production
The 12-120mm focal range makes this lens a powerhouse for electronic news gathering and live broadcast environments. From wide shots of sports arenas to tight close-ups of interview subjects, the Ultima S35 covers the full spectrum of broadcast needs without requiring a lens change.

Documentary Filmmaking
Documentary cinematographers working in unpredictable environments will appreciate the lens’s versatility and robust construction. The parfocal design and low breathing effect enable smooth, professional-looking shots even in fast-moving situations.

Reality Television
Reality TV production demands quick reflexes and flexible optics. The 10x zoom range and constant T4 aperture allow camera operators to adapt instantly to changing action while maintaining consistent exposure and image quality.

Corporate and Event Videography
From corporate interviews to large-scale events, the Ultima S35 provides the focal length flexibility to capture both establishing wide shots and detail-oriented close-ups with a single lens, streamlining production workflows and reducing equipment changes.

Music Videos and Commercial Production
The cinematic optical characteristics – including smooth bokeh, minimal breathing, and 8K resolution capability – make this lens equally suited for high-end music video and commercial productions where image quality is paramount.