Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF

Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF

The "Cookie" name points to the lens's defining trait: it is one of the smallest and lightest full-frame ultra-wide lenses made, a slim disc of glass and metal that all but disappears on the front of a camera. Venus Optics introduced it on 12 November 2024 as a budget-priced ultra-wide for full-frame mirrorless systems, offered across several mounts including Leica M and Leica L [1][2]. On a 35mm sensor it delivers roughly a 110-degree diagonal angle of view, and despite the wide coverage it focuses unusually close, down to about 0.12 m from the sensor plane [1][3].

Optically the lens uses a thirteen-element, nine-group design with a five-bladed aperture whose straight blades produce well-defined sunstars; Venus Optics advertises a ten-point starburst effect [1][3]. It accepts compact 39 mm screw-in filters, a thread size familiar to many Leica owners. The Leica M version is the lightest of the line at around 104 to 105 g, is fully manual, and carries no electronics; it is a manual-aperture, manual-focus lens with no rangefinder coupling and no six-bit coding, so it is used by scale focusing or with live view and focus aids rather than through the rangefinder mechanism [3]. The very short focus throw and small barrel reflect its pancake proportions. By contrast, the Sony E and Nikon Z versions add electronic contacts and automatic aperture coupling, which the M mount does not [2][4].

The Cookie is offered in black and silver finishes, and it sits outside Laowa's distortion-corrected "Zero-D" family, a distinction that is visible in its imaging behavior [1][3]. Buyers cross-shopping the M-mount market most often compare it with the Voigtländer VM 15mm f/4.5 Super-Wide-Heliar II, which is similar in on-camera size; the Laowa's main practical advantages are its lower weight, removable hood, and lower price [3].

Optical qualities

Rendering Reviewers describe a small, fun ultra-wide that performs better than its price and size suggest, with the main caveats tied to its uncorrected, non-Zero-D design [3]. One detailed test summarized its strengths as good sharpness when stopped down, effective chromatic-aberration control, well-defined sunstars, the close minimum focus distance, and its tiny size and low weight, with vignetting, coma correction, and distortion rated only average and flare resistance as its weakest point [3].

Distortion and vignetting Because the lens is not part of the Zero-D line, it shows a noticeable amount of wavy (mustache) distortion that benefits from a correction profile for architectural work, and it vignettes appreciably wide open [3].

Flare resistance Flare control is the lens's notable weakness; against bright light sources it is prone to flare and loss of contrast [3].

Bokeh and transitions At 15mm and f/5 the lens is not built for shallow depth of field, but the 0.12 m close-focus capability allows a degree of background separation and some out-of-focus rendering when shooting small subjects up close [3].

Collector and user notes On the Leica M body used in testing, the M-mount sample showed slightly less coma at f/5 than the mirrorless versions; results otherwise track the design's general character [3].

History

Development and Launch Venus Optics announced the 15mm f/5 Cookie FF on 12 November 2024 at a launch price of 399 US dollars, positioning it as an affordable, highly portable full-frame ultra-wide [1][2]. From the outset it was offered for multiple mirrorless mounts, with Leica M and Leica L among them, broadening its appeal to rangefinder and L-mount users alike [1][2]. It extends Laowa's established "Cookie" concept of extremely thin pancake-style lenses adapted to the short flange distances of mirrorless and rangefinder cameras.

Special editions No major factory special editions are widely documented. The lens is offered in black and silver finishes and in several mounts, but no commemorative or limited variants are reported [1].

Collector Notes The lens appears under both the Laowa and Venus brand names depending on the retailer, which can cause listing confusion [4]. Buyers should confirm the specific mount, since the M-mount copy is purely mechanical with no electronic contacts or rangefinder coupling, whereas the Sony E and Nikon Z copies add auto-aperture electronics [2][4]. The included square hood and 39 mm filter compatibility are worth verifying when buying used [1].

Sources

• [1] LeicaRumors. Venus Optics launches new Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie FF lens for Leica M+L mount ($399). https://leicarumors.com/2024/11/12/venus-optics-launches-new-laowa-15mm-f-5-cookie-ff-lens-for-leica-m-mount-399.aspx/
• [2] PetaPixel. Laowa Releases 15mm f/5 "Cookie" Lens for Full Frame Mirrorless. https://petapixel.com/2024/11/12/laowas-compact-15mm-f-5-cookie-lens-is-fresh-out-of-the-oven/
• [3] Phillip Reeve (phillipreeve.net). Review: Laowa 15mm 5.0 Cookie - Tiny and Useful. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-laowa-15mm-5-0-cookie-tiny-and-useful/
• [4] CameraDecision. Venus Laowa 15mm f5 Cookie Lens Review and Specs. https://cameradecision.com/lenses/review/Venus-Laowa-15mm-f5-Cookie-L-Mount