Category Archives: Laowa

Review: Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D M-mount

April 30, 2023 BastianK 11 Comments

Introduction

laowa 15mm 2.0 zero-d m-mount leica m10 m10r m11 review sharpness contrast coma distortion vignetting 42mp 24mp 61mp — Laowa 15mm 2.0 M-mount on Leica M10

Photokina in 2016 was the first time I saw the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D for Sony E-mount, I bought it as soon as it was available and have used it since. Already at that time there was talk about the lens being released for M-mount but it never happened and admittedly I kinda forgot about it.
But what happened at CP+ 2023? We see an M-mount version of the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D. And for M-mount it might be even more spectacular, pushing the boundaries of the system quite a bit. So let’s see what has changed compared to the Sony version!
Lens is being reviewed on Sony A7rII and Leica M10

Sample Images

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Laowa, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Laowa 28mm 1.2 FFII Argus – The world’s fastest 28mm lens

March 28, 2023 BastianK 24 Comments

Introduction

laowa 28mm 1.2 review fast super f/0.95 bokeh sharpness contrast a7riv a7riii a7iv a9 a1 resolution coma vignetting review — Laowa 28mm 1.2 FFII Argus on Sony A7rII

Laowa was already responsible for releasing the world’s fastest 35mm lens and now they are back doing the same for the 28mm focal length. This time it isn’t f/0.95, but f/1.2 at 28mm – in a more compact package – is just as impressive, especially when most manufacturers seem to have neglected the 28mm focal length altogether. But is it only impressive on paper or does it also deliver in the field? Let’s find out in this review.

Sample Images

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Laowa, Leica M, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Laowa 9mm 5.6 FF-RL

January 11, 2023 BastianK 135 Comments

Introduction

laowa 9mm 5.6 ultra wide w-dreamer uwa hyper wide heliar 10mm distortion zero-d — Laowa 9mm 5.6 on Sony A7rII

The king is dead, long live the king! After the Voigtlander 10mm 5.6’s field of view has been matched by the Samyang 10mm 3.5 XP and the Laowa 10-18mm 4.5-5.6 it has now been surpassed by this Laowa 9mm 5.6 FF-RL. Can a lens be wider and at the same time better? Let us try to find out!
Lens is being tested on 42mp Sony A7rII and 24mp Leica M10
Last Update: January 2023

Sample Images

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Laowa, lenses, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D for Sony FE

January 9, 2023 BastianK 162 Comments

Introduction

laowa 15mm 2.0 fe venus optics review — Sony A7rII with Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D

When announced in at Photokina in 2016 the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D was one of the first lenses making actual use of the narrow flange distance of mirrorless cameras, opening up new lens design possibilities needed to create a compact yet fast ultra wideangle lens.
I have been using this lens for years, so let’s have a look together how it fared in this long term review.
Jan 2023: Alternatives Section updated, new samples added, general update

Sample Images

laowa 15mm 2.0 fe venus optics review architecture 42mp 61mp sony a7riv a7rv — Sony A7III | Laowa 15mm 2.0 | f/2.0 | no tripod

laowa 15mm 2.0 fe venus optics review architecture landscape sunstars — Sony A7rII | Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D | f/8.0

laowa 15mm 2.0 fe venus optics review coma astro astrophotography milkyway milky way — Sony A7s | Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D | f/2.0

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Laowa, lenses, Review, Sony E-mount

Review: Laowa 12-24mm 5.6

July 7, 2022 BastianK 38 Comments

Introduction

laowa 12-24mm 5.6 zoom uwa ultra wide 42mp 61mp 24mp sony a7rIv a7riii a7rii a7iii a7iv a74 review sharpness contrast distortion venus optics sunstar sunstars — Laowa 12-24mm 5.6 on Sony A7rII

The Laowa 12-24mm 5.6 is Laowa’s second ultra wide angle zoom, the first being the Laowa 10-18mm 4.5-5.6. The 10-18mm offers a very appealing focal length range in a compact package, but there were some optical compromises hard to overlook. This 12-24mm lens is supposed to yield better optical performance at the cost of a less extreme angle of view at the wide end. Is it the better lens at the end of the day? Let us find out in this review.