As third lens of the prestigious Otus lineup, in 2016 Zeiss released the Zeiss Otus 28mm 1.4 Apo Distagon. At that time it was the biggest, heaviest and most complex 28mm fullframe lens ever seen and it came with an eye watering price tag of $5.000, putting it far ouf of most people’s reach. On the used market you can now find this lens for less than half that – still a lot of money – is it worth saving up for this lens? Let’s try to find out!
Classic rangefinder lenses usually spot less staggering minimum focus distances compared to (D)SLR and the latest lenses for mirrorless cameras because of how focusing with rangefinder cameras works. In 2022 several manufacturers are offering close focus adapters. These adapters have their own additional helicoid which allows you to focus your lenses much closer than you could with a conventional adapter. I have used several of these myself, so let’s see which ones are worth the asking price.
Last Update: December 2024
UPDATE 20.12.2024:
Reworked the close-up sharpness section and added both 1:1 and 1:2 magnification test shots for both lenses.
The Laowa FF II TS 55mm and 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X lenses are true macro lenses, offering 1:1 magnification along with tilt-shift functionality that enhances control over the focal plane.
While major camera and lens manufacturers like Canon, Sony, Nikon, Leica, Panasonic, Hasselblad, Sigma, and Tamron have largely overlooked this niche in mirrorless cameras, Laowa has stepped up to fill the gap. Their lenses, available in almost all major mounts, feature tilt and shift capabilities that open up new creative possibilities for photographers.
The tilt function allows precise control over the focal plane, enabling photographers to either extend or limit the in-focus area. This makes these lenses perfect for capturing intricate product details or adding selective focus for artistic compositions. With such versatility, Laowa’s lenses offer greater creative control over depth of field, making them a valuable tool for specialised photography needs
Since these two lenses are almost identical in shape, build, and handling, and were released simultaneously, I decided to combine my review of both. This way, I can avoid repeating the same points and provide a direct comparison, so you can see them side by side.
I tested these lenses on a 46 Mp Nikon Z7ii (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf)
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Sample images in higher resolution here
Continue reading REVIEW/COMPARISON: Laowa FF II TS 55mm & 100mm f/2.8 Macro 1X
The APS-C 35mm focal length is equivalent to 52mm on a Fullframe camera, therefore it is in the ‘standard’ focal length category and very close to the classic 50mm lenses on fullframe cameras, with an angle of view offering none of the ‘perspective distortion’ associated with wide angle or telephoto lenses. This lens on an APS-C camera is equivalent to a Nifty Fifty on a fullframe camera. Let’s have a closer look at it!
I tested this lens on a 26 Mp Fujifilm X-S10.
You can see this review as a YouTube video here!
Most of the sample images in high resolution here.
This diary entry covers our fourth day of the trip. For details on previous days, see the ‘Further Reading’ section at the end of the article.
See the video of An Arctic Trip; Day Four on YouTube
Sample images in high resolution here.
On the fourth day of our trip, the weather was clear and at sunrise a beautiful light fell on the snow, so I went out alone to take pictures.
Nikon Z6 | Nikkor Z 24-70/4 S | f/8
