Laowa CF 8-16mm f/3.5-5.0 Zoom is an ultra-wide-angle zoom lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras with an impressive zoom range (equivalent to 12-24mm on fullframe sensors). It is a very compact lens and seems to fit nicely on smaller APS-C cameras. Its versatile focal length range makes it a good choice for landscape, architecture, and travel photography or whenever you want a dramatic perspective in your images. In times when it seems that all the major manufacturers (except Fujifilm) are neglecting the APS-C lens development and focusing on fullframe lenses, it is refreshing to see exciting lenses like this from third-party manufacturers. Let’s see how it behaves in real life!
I tested this lens on a Nikon Zfc You can see this review as YouTube video here
Sample Images
Nikon Z fc | Laowa CF 8-16mm f/3.5-5 C-Dreamer | 8mm | f/8Nikon Z fc | CF Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 C-Dreamer @8mm | f/5.6Nikon Z fc | Laowa CF 8-16mm f/3.5-5 C-Dreamer | @8mm |f/8
This time we take a look at another famed vintage lens, namely the legendary Helios 40. It’s an 85mm f/1.5 lens, known for, let´s see if we get it from its many titles: The King of Bokeh, The Bokeh King, the Russian Bokeh King, The Funky Bokeh King, The King of Russian Weird Bokeh, The Vintage Lenses’ King of Bokeh, etc. etc. etc. Dear child has many names. You get it, it has a reputation for its bokeh. It is also very popular among videographers seeking a dreamy vintage look with beautiful bokeh in their footage. While this lens was quite popular even back in the day, it has grown in popularity during the digital era to new heights and created kind of a cult around itself.
It was made by KMZ in the former Soviet Union for the Zenit range of SLR cameras. Like the previously reviewed “Helios 44”, there is a belief that when Russians got their hands on Zeiss Jena factory by the end of WWII, they took back the technology and drawings of many lenses to the Soviet Union, copied, and manufactured them. This one is believed to be a “copy” of Carl Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5 from 1938. While the optical formula is very similar, it is a widespread Double Gauss Planar design. Besides, it is an 85mm lens. Therefore, some claim it was designed by Russian engineers themselves “based on” the Biotar 75/1.5 in 1950. Anyway, let’s have a closer look at it!
Sample Images
Nikon Z 7II | Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 | f/1.5Nikon Z 7II | Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 | f/1.5Nikon Z 7II | Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 | f/1.5Nikon Z 7II | Helios 40 85mm f/1.5 | f/1.5
Viltrox AF 27mm 1.2 STM ASPH ED IF PRO is the company’s second lens in its APS-C PRO series lenses, 75mm f/1.2 being the first. 27mm focal length in APS-C format, roughly equivalent to 40mm full-frame. While it”s not a “real” wide-angle lens, it is wider than a normal 50mm lens, which, in my opinion, can be more useful for everyday and street photography, compared to a 50mm lens, as it allows to include more of the environment. On the other hand, it does not introduce the perspective distortion of a 35mm wide-angle lens. This lens was released with X mount earlier and now it is released with Z and E mount, with a few improvements to the original X version. I test the new Z mount version on a Nikon Z fc camera.
Sample Images
Nikon Z fc | Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 PRO | f/1.2Nikon Z fc | Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 PRO | f/1.8Nikon Z fc | Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 PRO | f/1.2
2024 is a special year for Laowa, as it marks the company’s 10th anniversary. What better way to celebrate this than with a 10mm lens? But wait, Laowa already released a 9mm full frame lens, so what is so special about this 10mm lens? For starters, this lens features a maximum aperture of f/2.8, making it the world’s fastest 10mm lens and also the world’s widest f/2.8 lens. But what might be even more important: this is Laowa’s first AF lens. The beginning of a new era.
Sample Images
Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/4.0Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/2.8Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/4.0Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/5.6Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/4.0Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/8.0Sony A7III | Laowa 10mm 2.8 AF | f/4.0
When looking for an affordable AF lens in the ultra wide angle realm my recommendation so far has usually been the Samyang 18mm 2.8 AF – also due to lack of alternatives. But in October 2023 Viltrox released this compact 20mm 2.8 AF lens and now, in February 2024 they released this super low budget lens in Nikon Z and Fuji X mount too. Not as wide as the Samyang, but noticeably cheaper. Is this my new recommendation for a low cost AF lens in the ~20mm range? Let’s find out.
Sample Images
Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 STM ASPH ED IF Z | f/2.8Sony A7III | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | f/8.0Nikon Z 7II | Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 STM ASPH ED IF Z | f/2.8Sony A7III | Viltrox 20mm 2.8 AF FE | f/5.6
Sony α | Leica M | Nikon F/Z New article every week
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I tested this lens on a Nikon Zfc
You can see this review as YouTube video here
