LAOWA Ultima 25-600mm Exhibited at NAB 2026

NAB2026 Exhibition Report

At NAB 2026, the biggest draw in the broadcast lens category was Canon’s “CN30×40.” This 30x zoom lens, covering a range from wide-angle 40mm to telephoto 1200mm in a single lens, is a groundbreaking product that breaks the limits of broadcast lenses. Meanwhile, another lens from LAOWA attracted just as much attention at the venue. At the LAOWA booth, the newly developed “Ultima 25-180mm T3.8 FF” and “Ultima 25-600mm T4 S35” were on display.

LAOWA Ultima 25-600mm – Continuing the Ultima Series of Cine Lenses

LAOWA launched its “Ultima” series of cinema and broadcast lenses in 2024, releasing the “Ultima 25-180mm T4 S35” as its first product. This exhibition expands the lineup following that success. Among them, the “Ultima 25-600mm T4 S35” is attracting considerable interest, especially considering that it is designed exclusively for Super 35mm.

The demo unit features a PL mount and supports 24x optical zoom. It achieves a field of view equivalent to approximately 37.5-900mm in 35mm format, and it is noteworthy that it maintains this telephoto performance while keeping the body size compact. Furthermore, the design maintains T4 throughout the entire zoom range, enabling stable operation without exposure fluctuations.

At the booth, the lens was displayed mounted on Fujifilm’s “FUJIFILM X-S20.” It was being used via a PL mount to X mount conversion adapter, allowing us to actually experience the feel of the 24x zoom. The effect of the high-magnification zoom was clear even from the images on the monitor, and it is easy to imagine that it will be a great asset in situations where there is no room for retakes, such as sports broadcasts and documentaries.

The lens was a PL mount specification, but it was converted to a Fujifilm X mount via a mount adapter and attached to the camera body, the “X-S20”.

This is the widest (wide-angle) image. When zoomed to the telephoto end, the area indicated by the red frame will be magnified.

Monitor display when set to the most telephoto setting

LAOWA Ultima 12-120mm T3.8

The other lens, the “Ultima 12-120mm,” was on display mounted on Blackmagic Design’s “URSA Broadcast G2.” This model is intended for full-frame broadcast use. It features a design that maintains a constant T3.8 exposure throughout the entire zoom range.

The demo unit was equipped with an optional servo grip from Movcam, demonstrating attention to operability. This lens is highly effective in situations where mobility is required, such as sports and wildlife photography, and live events.