Here we go

https://www.l-rumors.com/first-images-of-three-new-laowa-lenses-including-their-first-autofocus-zoom/

A mirrorless native 8-15 fisheye is very exciting indeed, especially if they do a Sony FE mount.

Looks like this is available on all the major FF lens mounts. Minimum focal distance is the same as Nikon's 8-15 at 16cm. Behind a dome the Nikon is effectively zero cm.

• Mount: Sony E / Nikon Z / Canon RF / L Mount / Fujifilm GFX / Hasselblad XCD 

Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye

$699.00

In stock

Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is a full-frame lens designed for photographers and content creators seeking bold, creative perspectives. It delivers a dual fisheye effect with a versatile zoom range and an ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture, guaranteeing a jaw-dropping visual style for stunning imagery. An unparalleled flexibility is provided to vloggers, content creators, and photographers for capturing expansive landscapes, compact cities, action sports, and 360° panoramas.

Mount: Sony E / Nikon Z / Canon RF / L Mount / Fujifilm GFX / Hasselblad XCD 

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by Dave_Hicks

Dave I believe that is their existing MF fisheye, although likely the optics will be the same.

Whether it can outperform an adapted Canon on Sony will be interesting to see. The MF version isn't considered quite as good but perhaps having a more compact lens will be worth it. Unless it's based on some sort of DSLR focal distance with built in adapters which apparently they've done with other lenses.

Did you notice the evolution of Chinese lens brands? They are releasing more autofocus versions recently.

Their expansion seems to follow a two phase industrial strategy. First, companies like TTArtisan, 7Artisans and Meike entered the market with low cost manual lenses. These lenses were made of metal and glass and used standard optical designs. This move helped them become known, reduce buyer hesitation and build a customer base.

Later, they reinvested their profits in electronics development. The shift to autofocus was helped by the availability of cheap Asian STM motors and the opening of communication protocols by companies like Sony and Fujifilm. In closed systems, they improved their reverse engineering techniques. Another key element was adding USB C ports directly on the lenses. This system allows them to improve tracking algorithms with firmware updates after the launch.

Today the market position of these brands is rising. Advanced lines like the Viltrox Pro series or the new Sirui AF lenses offer performance and sharpness that compete with historical third party makers like Sigma and Tamron, but at a lower cost.

The simultaneous evolution of Chinese brands depends on the organization in industrial districts and a shared supply chain. Companies concentrated in the same geographical areas buy standardized components, such as STM motors, from the same third party manufacturers. Physical closeness and the continuous movement of engineers between different factories help a fast circulation of skills and mechanical solutions. Since hardware is now accessible to all brands, the real competition has moved to software development to optimize autofocus algorithms.