Review: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D

Introduction

Sony A7rII with Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D and Sigma MC-11 adapter
Sony A7rII with Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D and Sigma MC-11 adapter

It is a very interesting time for wide angle junkies like me: after the smallish Voigtlander 10mm 5.6 and 15mm 4.5 I now get the chance to review the fast Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D. It is the fastest rectilinear lens wider than 14mm and the widest rectilinear lens as fast as f/2.8 and I am very curious to find out about the optical qualities!
Last Update:
Review finalized, Longitudinal CA, Bokeh, Alternatives, preliminary conclusion added (08/09/16)

Sample Images

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh mercedes museum stuttgart
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/8.0 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma astro astrophotography
Sony A7s | Laowa 12mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | ISO6400 | 25s | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/11 | full resolution

Specifications / Version History

I was given a prototype of the lens with Canon mount which has the following specifications:

    • Diameter: 78 mm
    • Field of view: 122° (diagonally)
    • Length: 89 mm
    • Weight: 640g
    • Filter Diameter: none (adapter for 100mm square filters optional)
    • Number of Aperture Blades: 7 (straight)
    • Elements/Groups: 16/10
    • Close Focusing Distance: 0.18 m
    • Maximum Magnification: ~1:5.7
    • Mount: Canon-EF

The lens can be ordered directly through the manufacturer’s online shop or from ebay (affiliate links) for 949$.

Disclosure

The Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D was kindly provided free of charge by Venus Optics / Laowa for reviewing purpose for a duration of a few weeks.
This review sample is a prototype. I asked the manufacturer about possible changes in the final version and while the core design will stay the same they are currently exploring the possibility of using different coatings for better flare resistance.

I intended to adapt via the Sigma MC-11 adapter. Unfortunately this adapter seems to not work properly with all manuael lenses so I tried a K&F adapter without electronic contacts which lead to awful image quality in the corners. So I am back to using the Sigma MC-11 with the adapter rotated a bit in the mount so there is no electronic connection and everything is working fine.
Keep in mind though: with ultra wide lenses the tolerances of the adapter are very important so the lens might not show it’s full potential here.

Handling / Build Quality

Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D with it's two lens hoods
Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D with it’s two lens hoods

The tested sample is a prototype and according to the manufacturer a few changes are going to be made in this regard. Nevertheless: the build quality of the prototype is very nice as the lens is an all metal construction and feels very solid.

The focus ring has a good resistance, but the throw is a little bit too long for my taste (270° from 0.18m to infinity). The aperture ring has one-stop click-stops and it takes about 45° from f/2.8 to f/22.

What is very interesting is the implementation of two lens hoods (as can be seen in the photo above). The first is very short and non detachable. It is only a tad longer than the curver front lens so you can put the lens on a flat table without worrying 🙂 The second hood is much bigger but detachable.
I haven’t seen this approach on any other lens and I think it is simply a great idea, as it allows the use of (smaller) square filters while still offering decent protection against stray light when necessary. I would love to see this approach on more lenses in the future.

Vignetting and colorcast

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh

Unlike the smaller and slower Voigtlander ultra wide angle lenses recently reviewed by me this lens has a retrofocus design and therefore vignetting improves on stopping down. Wide open I measured about 2.3 EV, stopped down to f8.0 it still is 1.0 EV. For a lens this wide this isn’t a bad performance, especially compared to the symmetric ultra wide angle lenses, as can be seen in this comparison:

 

Testing the vignetting of lenses this wide isn’t all that easy and in real world shooting things don’t look as bad as the graph may suggest. Just have a look at the sample images, I didn’t correct them for vignetting.
The lens also showed some green color cast in the corners on the Sony A7rII.

You can check out my article How to: Correcting Color Cast in Lightroom where I explain different methods to fix this.

Sharpness

infinity

I have repeated this test a few times as I got inconsistent results with different adapters. The following results were archieved using the Sigma MC-11 adapter which proved to offer the best quality especially at the edges of the frame.

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh mercedes museum stuttgart

There is also some slight field curvature visible, as can be seen when focusing at the corner of the frame, as the corners and midframe look a bit better but the center a bit worse then. This is quite a common behaviour for (ultra) wideangle lenses but should be kept in mind when aiming for critical focus across frame.

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh sharpness field curvature resolution infinityFirst let me remind you this is a prototype and there also comes an adapter with additional tolerances into play here. Wide open the results are spoiled by field curvature and the contrast is somewhat dampened in the corners, stopped down to f/8.0 this is probably the best lens this wide I have used so far (see following chapter for a comparison with the Voigtlander 12mm 5.6 SWH M39 and the Voigtlander 10mm 5.6 HWH E).

close focus

venus optics laowa 12mm 2.8 zero d sharpess mfd minimum focus distance

With the minimum focus distance of just 0.18 m you can get really close to your subject as can be seen above .This lens incorporates a floating elements design which leads to very good results at the minimum focus distance even wide open. Peak sharpness in the center is reached at f/4.0 here. This is a great performance.

Sharpness compared to Voigtlander 10mm 5.6 E and 12mm 5.6 M39

I haven’t shot the Laowa and the two Voigtlander lenses on the same day side by side. As camera position and weather conditions have been quite similar I decided to show you this comparison nevertheless.

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh close focus minimum distance comparison sharpness voigtlander 12mm 5.6 10mm 5.6 heliar wide super hyper

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh close focus minimum distance comparison sharpness voigtlander 12mm 5.6 10mm 5.6 heliar wide super hyper

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh close focus minimum distance comparison sharpness voigtlander 12mm 5.6 10mm 5.6 heliar wide super hyper

I don’t want to read too much into this as I haven’t shot the lenses side by side but I still think the corners of the Laowa look very good stopped down.

Flare resistance

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh stuttgart flare resistance
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/16

I really had to push this lens to produce some flares with the sun inside the frame. As with many other lenses I have reviewed the point light source placed near the corner leads to the worst results.  Compared to the other ultra wide angle lenses I have used extensively this one performs better than the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm 2.8G and the Samyang 14mm 2.8 and the Tokina 16-28mm 2.8 and may be just a tad worse in comparison to the Voigtlander 10 and 15mm lenses with their significantly smaller front elements.

Coma

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh

The Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D might not be the holy grail for landscape astrophotography we all hoped for when it comes to the coma correction. Wide open the performance isn’t very good and even on stopping down to f/5.6 there are some traces of coma left. But one should also keep in mind: there is no better 12mm as fast as f/2.8 available, there might not even be any better 12mm available in this regard.
You can also download the f/2.8 shot in full resolution here.
The manufacturer told me they will be looking into this.

Use for Astrophotography

When shooting stars coma often is not as obvious as when shooting cityscapes. Luckily I caught one night with rather decent conditions and got to shoot the milky way with this lens. Let me first start with a comparison between the Laowa and the Samyang:

Before: Samyang 14mm 2.8 (Nikon) @f/2.8, After: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/2.8 | A7s

In direct comparison you can once more spot the wavy distortion of the Samyang while the Laowa keeps things pretty straight.

For the performance regarding point light sources let’s take a look at the 100% crops:

Before: Samyang 14mm 2.8 (Nikon) @f/2.8, After: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/2.8 | A7s | 100% crop near center

In the center things look pretty much the same despite the wider field of view of the Laowa.

Before: Samyang 14mm 2.8 (Nikon) @f/2.8, After: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/2.8 | A7s | 100% crop extreme corner

The first thing the corner crops are showing you is 30 seconds is too long for stars to stay points when viewed at 100% even with 12mm and the 12mp of the A7s. For people doing some astrophotography from time to time this should not come as a suprise 🙂
Some of the brighter light sources are a little more deteoriated with the Laowa in comparison to the Samyang.
Personally I think this is hardly field relevant within normal viewing distances and I wouldn’t hesitate using this lens for astrophotography, but your mileage may vary here so I decided to upload the two photos in full resolution here so you can decide for yourself.
Processing was exactly the same for both shots, including white balance.

Distortion

Despite the “Zero-D(istortion)” in the name of the lens there is some slight barrel distortion visible even at infinity. Nevertheless, it is still very low for a lens this wide with a retrofocus design and it does not seem to be wavy as well (and therefore easy to correct in post if necessary).
You can see the distortion of the Samyang 14mm 2.8 in comparison here (I did not apply any corrections to the Laowa file):


Before: Samyang 14mm 2.8 (Nikon) @f/8.0, After: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/8.0

Bokeh


Before: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/2.8 | After: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D @  f/8.0

Because of the great minimum focus distance and the fast aperture of f/2.8 you can even throw the background a bit out of focus. Towards the corners the light circles are quite visibly deteoriated which isn’t unusual for wide angle lenses but rarely seen to such a high degree because of the unique specifications of this lens (combination of maximum aperture, focal length and minimum focus distance). Just remember: in the reviews of the Voigtlander 12mm 5.6 (M39) and the 10mm 5.6 there was not much to say about bokeh at all.

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/2.8 | full resolution

Sunstars

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh

Many of you already know I prefer 10-bladed aperture diaphragms. With it’s 7 aperture blades the Laowa produces sunstars which are not so well defined in my opinion, on the other hand they are rather unobstrusive, which is something other people than me might even like. This is a highly subjective topic so decide for yourself, what you prefer.

Chromatic aberrations

longitudinal

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh ca correction longitudinal axial
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/2.8 | 25% crop

Longitudinal CA (loCA) are nothing to worry about with this lens.

lateral


Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D |  f/8.0 | CA 100% crop before/after extreme corner

There are some lateral CA present which can easily be corrected in post.

Alternatives

Samyang 14mm 2.8 ED:
This is probably the first one you are all thinking about. Cheaper, worse build quality, better coma correction, worse flare resistance, hilarious distortion, a little worse vignetting wide open. Not as wide. There also seem to be quite some quality assurance issues with this lens, until now I had six mounted to my camera and four of them were badly decentered (3 of them new from store).

Nikon AF-S 14-24mm 2.8G:
Less vignetting, way heavier, more expensive, more (and wavy) distortion, coma might be a tad better (judging by the photos in my archives taken with this lens, haven’t shot side by side). Not as wide.

Voigtlander 10mm 5.6 Hyper Wide Heliar (E):
One of only two lenses avaiblabe to date being wider than the Laowa. Significantly slower and smaller, way more vignetting (especially stopped down), similar performance regarding distortion and better flare resistance (not available for DSLRs, just in case some DSLR user ended up here and got curious 😉 )

Canon 11-24mm 4.0L and Zeiss 15mm 2.8 Distagon:
Haven’t used these lenses yet but they will definetly burn a hole in your pocket 🙂

Preliminary Conclusion

good

  • excellent sharpness wide open at all distances in the center
  • good to very good sharpness stopped down even in the extreme corners
  • minimum focus distance
  • distortion
  • build quality
average

  • vignetting
  • sunstars
  • price
  • size/weight
  • flare resistance
  • coma correction
not good

First let me remind you of three important things:

  • The lens I reviewed here is a prototype and changes might be made to the final production model.
  • As stated above the adapter in use can have great influence on the image quality.
  • The specifications are unique, there is no other 12mm 2.8 to directly compare it to.

Nevertheless I treated this lens like any other I have reviewed on this very blog and might have even gotten a little more into detail from time to time, as I had (and still have) quite a bit of personal interest in this lens, as I intended to replace my 14-24mm 2.8G (already sold) and my Samyang 14mm 2.8 with it. Therefore I was very happy to get the chance to use this lens for two weeks.

Designing a lens always means to compromise and correcting one optical error may lead to another becoming worse. The choice of Venus Optics to design an ultra wide 12mm lens almost without distortion was quite a suprise to me, as most manufacturers are doing exactly the opposite today and totally rely on post processing here (just have a look at the Sony FE 28mm 2.0‘s uncorrected distortion).

I am doing quite some architecture photography and indeed ran into problems to fully correct distortions with the 14mm Samyang (I created my own correction profile for Lightroom, but none is perfect towards the corners, PTlens isn’t either) and even with the 14-24mm Nikon and can indeed say it is less work keeping lines straight with the Laowa in comparison.

The Coma correction isn’t as perfect as many of us have hoped but it pretty much boils down to if you prefer a little less coma in the corners or a lesser field of view with tremendous distortion (when compared to the Samyang).
Personally I have no reservations using a photo like this for prints:

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma astro astrophotography
Sony A7s | Laowa 12mm 2.8 | f/2.8 | ISO6400 | 30s

To round things up: this lens has hardly a negative aspect that stands out, which is something that rarely occurs. The Samyang 14mm 2.8 has the tremendous distortion and the somewhat questionable build quality, the Nikon 14-24mm 2.8 is very big and heavy, the Canon 11-24mm 4.0L is even heavier and bigger and also slower and more expensive and none of the aforementioned lenses can be used with decently sized 100mm filters. The small Voigtlander lenses are rather slow and suffer from severe vignetting even stopped down.
If this focal length is for you – and especially if you are into architecture photographyI hardly see a reason not to buy it if you are a DSLR user. Mirrorless users have to decide if they can make use of the maximum aperture and/or need the better corrected vignetting stopped down in comparison to the Voigtlander lenses.

It was a joy to use this lens and I look forward to the final production version!

The lens can be ordered directly through the manufacturer’s online shop or from ebay (affiliate links) for 949$.

Sample images

sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/11 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh stuttgart
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/8.0 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/2.8 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh mercedes museum stuttgart
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/8.0 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/2.8 | full resolution
sony a7 a7rii a7rm2 laowa venus optics zero distortion wide angle 12mm 2.8 fast coma bokeh mercedes museum stuttgart porsche
Sony A7rII | Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D | f/8.0 | full resolution

Further Reading

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My name is Bastian and I am your expert here when it comes to ultra wide angle lenses, super fast portrait lenses (ranging from a 50mm f/0.95 to a 200mm f/1.8) and I also have reviewed way too many 35mm lenses. Don't ask me anything about macro or wildlife shooting though.

68 thoughts on “Review: Laowa 12mm 2.8 Zero-D”

  1. The dollar bill looks reasonably sharp, will be curious for a direct comparison (in sharpness) to the V10, V12 and Samsung 14. Any chance for a side by side by side by side approach?

    1. Up close this would hardly make sense, the other lenses have a maximum magnification of ~1:10 to 1:15
      so the dollar bill would only be a third as big and hardly comparable.
      Oh, my 10mm 5.6 is currenty @NiSi Filters for the development of a filter holder.
      But I will of course compare it to the other lenses I have used so far.

  2. Another nice review, Bastian
    Next month Voigtlander will launch 12mm hope too see your review too.
    I really like this lens but the flare resist and the sun stars are hold me back. Checked other review the flare resistant not so good.

    1. I have also read about problems with the flare resistance but actually didn’t encounter these problems yet,
      I actually wasn’t able to generate lens flares with the sun inside the frame so far.
      Because this differs from I have read elsewhere I didn’t post the results yet and decided to further investigate this.

      Oh, I also hope Voigtlander will send me a review sample of their new 12mm 5.6, I am curious to find out what improvements could be made.

      1. I am a bit confused by the statement regarding flares – the test picture in this review shows a big reddish blob near the left edge of the frame and two dart-like shapes on the diagonal between that blob and the sun, all of which I would classify as flares. Has this shot been taken after the above comment was posted? Thanks!

          1. Ok, thanks. I do realize that your test shot with f/16 into the sun a fair bit above the horizon is a tough test, but those large reddish blobs that appear here and on photozone, too, are a bit worrisome. Not sure if other similar lenses (less wide) are much different though. Do you have any insight on this? Thank you!

          2. The Voigtlander 15mm 4.5 is just a tiny bit better, with the Zeiss Batis 18mm 2.8 you get a crescent instead of a blob.
            With native E-mount the widest lens being visibly better to date is the Zeiss Loxia 21mm 2.8 (but 12 and 21mm are not really in the same league).
            Also taking into account other mounts the relatively new Nikon AF-S 18-35mm 3.5-4.5 is the best lens in this regard
            being wider than 20mm I have used so far, but it isn’t real fun to adapt. And 18mm are also something entirely different than 12mm.
            Bastian

          3. Thanks, Bastian! Yes, I do have the Nikon 18-35 AF-S, and I think I got spoiled by this lens. I’m looking for something that’s wider, but as good in terms of handling flare. Seems to be a tough task. Thanks again!

  3. The coma present in the Laowa corner crops is pretty damning, especially when compared to the Samyang (Rokinon, etc) corner crops with practically zero coma.

    Yes, the exposure was too long and made trails, but that being said – the Laowa has nasty coma in the corners, and it matters. Especially when there are other comparable lenses that do not.

  4. How did you you find the light metering? Other reviews have said that this lens throws out the cameras metering.

    1. Absolutely no problems with that, as you have stopped down metering when attached to an A7 series camera I have no idea how anything could go sideways here.
      Bastian

  5. If i read correctly, this lens is rated 122 degree wide at 12mm. in my knowledge, this DOES NOT make it the widest FF lens at f/2.8. The Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 is also FF and is rated 180 Degree, a HUGE difference, now i understand Rokinon is far from ZERO-D, but still, to state that it is the WIDEST 2.8 is a false statement. Also, considering the voigtlander 15mm f4.5 is rated 110 Degree wide, to me it feels that this LAOWA is going to be more of a 14mm looking than a true 12mm!… Unless i got this wrong and its not a 122 Degree ? but those are the specs here mentioned and i have not been able to confirm this from anywhere else!!! ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?

    1. The Samyang/Rokinon 12mm 2.8 is a fisheye lens and therefore hardly comparable to a rectilinear lens (as is the Laowa 12mm).
      You can read about the different kinds of projections here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisheye_lens#Mapping_function
      The 12mm 2.8 Laowa has a gnomonical projection while the 12mm 2.8 Samyang has a stereographic projection.
      I now clarified this by adding the word “rectilinear” in the first paragraph a few times.
      Bastian

    1. I don’t think it is possible to give a useful answer to that without having tested the lens on an optical bench (which we won’t),
      as the only way I know how to summarize astigmatism is the difference between the horizontal and vertical MTF values.
      If you care how point light sources are rendered I think all is said in the review.
      Bastian

  6. Thanks for the great review! One thing I’m curious about, is the transmission of this lens good or not? For example, when LAOWA 12F2.8 and Samyang 14F2.8 both shooting the same scene at F2.8+30s+ISO3200 (typical astrophotography settings) using the same camera, is the image produced by one lens brighter than the other?

    1. You are welcome!
      You can take a look at the astroshots I took with the Laowa and the Samyang in comparison.
      Same scene and same settings for capture and post.
      The Laowa has a little less vignetting and a different color reproduction, in the center I think brightness is pretty much the same.

  7. Hi Bastian!

    Nice review! I saw you make review only for FF lenses, but can you make a recommendation for Sony a6000.
    As a all around lens for landscape and architecture. Which UWA lens would you chose E 10-18mm , Samyang 12 mm native aps-c or the Laowa 12mm , Voigtlander 10mm which can also be used on FF.

    1. In case you value a faster aperture more than the flexibility of a zoom lens (I do) get the 12mm 2.0 Samyang. I think it is the smartest choice for APS-C.

  8. Hi Bastian,

    Thanks for the review of this wonderful lens. I really enjoy your architecture shoots. Have you spoken to Venus about testing the Laowa 15mm f2 fe due in couple of month and is it worth waiting for when I have a A7?

    1. Thank you Eske!
      We have briefly checked out the 15mm 2.0 lens at Photokina and asked for a review sample.
      We hope we will get one and I will wait for it 🙂

  9. Hi. I have just received my Laowa 12mm for E-Mount. But unfortunatly the adaptor is VERY large! I had ordered it to be native E-Mount. And the adaptor on your pictures is WAY smaller. How come?

      1. Not clear for me, does the 12mm always need and come with an adapter ?
        Thought it would come with a fixed adapter…
        If so it could maybe be better to buy a Canon or Nikon mount.
        thanks for any reply

        1. There is also a version with fixed adapter.
          If you intent to get the upcoming Tilt/Shift converter you should not buy that one, as you will need the Nikon or Canon version (not sure yet) for it.

          1. So, you mean the glass is exactly the same for the Sony FE version and the Canon/Nikon version.
            Importend because for some glasses it was not always like this…
            So would prefer the Canon version, have quit a serie of different adapters (Canon to Sony)
            And I’ve some good experiences with a “moon & skyglow” filter mounted inside an adapter used with the 24mmF1.4 and a modified A7s (H-alpha).
            Used this combo while filming the Aurora. Was not my intension for this purpose but the conversion was done before I did the trip and have only this modified A7s.
            See: https://vimeo.com/209420902

            Friendly greetings

          2. Optics are the same.
            You might want to wait for the Laowa 15mm 2.0 though (native e-mount, true mirrorless design), which is what I am doing.

            Nice Aurora video, better than mine I took with A7s and 20mm 1.8 🙂

          3. Think would I prefer a Canon version if the only difference is the fixed adapter and the glas and IQ is the same on the A7 series.
            Have a Mirex T/S so that’s ok as well. Don’t know if you really need a TS on such a wide angle.

  10. Looking to get more into landscape photography and wanting a wide angle lens to use on Sony A7rII. To date, I’ve been using my 10-18mm at around 13-16mm. I also have the 24-70mm, but like shooting a lot wider. What would you suggest? 10mm or 12mm Voigtlander, 12mm Laowa or 16-35 Sony? I’m thinking the 16-35 might not be wide enough. But, might be more flexible.
    Thanks in advance and I would great appreciate any feedback or suggestions.

    1. If you want to shoot wider than 13mm only the 10mm 5.6 makes real sense to me.
      You might want to keep the 10-18mm for now to check whether you still need
      the 13-16mm range as 10mm offers a pretty dramatic perspective.

  11. Hey, thanks for the awesome Review. Would you recommend the Laowa 12mm or Sony 12-24mm for Interior / Real Estate shooting & Videography ?

        1. This is like asking me whether you should buy a pick up or a compact car: both have 4 wheels, but how could I know what is better for you?
          One is a 12-24mm zoom with AF, the other is a 12mm prime with manual focus.
          Furthermore I don’t know what focal lenghts you usually need and what other lenses you have.
          Only a 12mm for that application does not sound like a great idea to me.
          On the other hand you can turn the 12mm Laowa (Canon or Nikon version) into a 17mm 4.0 shift lens,
          which has some advantages for that application and might in the end give you more flexibilty than the zoom.

  12. Dear Bastian, thank you very much for this review!

    In terms of usability. You have tried Voigtlander 12mm (m39), 10mm (new version) and this LAOWA.

    Which one is more practical? offsets the diference of quality of LAOWA the size increase compare with the Voigtlander? specially, VM 12mm m39 looks terribly tiny.

    The VM for sony mount look larger than the leica mount ones.

    What is your opinion?

    Also concerning the usage of filters. It seems that all of them require an special dedicated holter…

    Regards and thanks in advance!

    1. First you should figure out what maximum aperture you need.
      f/2.8 versus f/5.6 is a very significant difference.
      The 10mm 5.6 and the 12mm 5.6 M39 look very similar in the corners at f/8.0, the Laowa looks a bit better.
      For all you need a filter adapter, but different ones: for the 12mm 5.6 M39 there is a 77mm adapter. You can use screw in 77mm filters or 100mm holder system.
      For the 12mm 2.8 there are 2 100mm holders I know of: NiSi and Laowa (who have two different one themselves). To my knowledge neither is perfect (vignetting), but NiSi seems to be the best one.
      For the 10mm 5.6 there is a holder for 150mm filters from NiSi and a 100mm holder from Vietnam, but apparently the latter only works with 2 filters and not with filters with foam gasket.

  13. Hello Bastian,

    just a quick question. You have tested both this lens (Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D) and the Laowa 15mm 2.0 Zero-D for E-Mount. From your sample images I would infer that the sharpness of the Laowa 15mm is noticeable better than the sharpness of the Laowa 12mm (used with an adapter on E-Mount, as you did here). Is this correct? I know that it is not really fair and appropriate to compare a 12mm to a 15mm lens because of the different field of view. But set that apart, it seems that in terms of sharpness (and also in other aspects of image quality) the 15mm surpasses the 12mm, right?

    Best regards,
    Roman

  14. Hi,

    I have recently changed from Nikon D800 to Sony A7R3 and realise when I use the laowa 12mm on nikon lens, it’s sharp from center to corner. But when I use the lens on Sony, it’s sharp at center and out of focus at corner, when i manual focus to let the corner sharp, the middle becomes out of focus.

    Any ideas?

    Sony A7R3 + Nikon to E mount non AF + Laowa 12mm Nikon mount.

  15. Hi,

    Thank you very much for the review!
    By the way, as I’m quite new for architect or interior photography. I would like to ask for your opinion about choosing a lens.

    Actually, I would like to try this lens before making a purchase.
    But there is no trial product at any shop near my place, the only way I can get this lens is to order online.

    If I already have 24-105 FE lens and looking for another wide angle lens for an interior/exterior photo shoot, which lens will you recommend? Laowa 12mm or 15 mm? As it seems like 15mm has better image quality and has more occasion to use. But 12mm will be more beneficial for the wider angle.

    Thank you in advance.

      1. Thank you for your prompt reply!

        What if I use 12mm for Sony A7III without the Magic Shift Converter, is the 12mm still be a good choice? Or I should go for 15mm instead.

  16. I can see from the comparison with the Voigtländer that there is a significant colour cast in the corners. I can’t believe you didn’t comment on it

    1. Quote from the review: “The lens also showed some green color cast in the corners on the Sony A7rII”
      And the section is even called “Vignetting and Colorcast”

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