For 11 years the Canon TS-E 17mm 4.0L was the widest shift lens available and now it is not Nikon but Laowa who challenges them with their 15mm 4.5 Shift. May this be the new king for wide angle architectural photography?
Laowa introduced 3 ultra wide angle lenses at roughly the same time in Summer 2020. This 11mm 4.5 FF-RL is in the one in the middle in terms of focal length and maximum aperture, but is it the goldilock’s lens in this set or should you rather stick to the record breaking 9mm lens or the low distortion 14mm lens? Let’s have a closer look!
This lens costs $449. It’s a 100mm f2.8 macro, which focuses down to twice life-size. A feat no other lens in its class achieves. It also focuses to infinity. It claims to be apochromatic. How good can it be? Is it, as some suspected when they first heard about it, good for macro but only an emergency lens for infinity use? Or is it the deal of the century? I’m afraid I’m going to make you read further if you want to find out!
UPDATE at the end I have some info which might make the lens more attractive than most of my review suggests.
Continue reading Laowa 100mm f2.8 CA-Dreamer Macro 2x: A review