{"id":73593,"date":"2025-06-10T20:27:05","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T19:27:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=73593"},"modified":"2025-06-13T15:42:01","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T14:42:01","slug":"review-laowa-8-15mm-f-2-8-ff-zoom-fisheye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-laowa-8-15mm-f-2-8-ff-zoom-fisheye\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: Laowa 8-15mm f\/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom on Nikon Z7ii<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Laowa 8-15mm f\/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is a full-frame lens that combines the characteristics of two distinct fisheye types in one: circular and rectangular. Fisheye lenses are already uncommon in the mirrorless world, and fisheye zooms are even rarer\u2014this is, in fact, the only fisheye zoom ever made for any mirrorless system, and the fastest fisheye zoom ever made. Let\u2019s see how it performs!<\/p>\n

\"camera-icon2\"I tested this lens on a 46 Mp<\/a> Nikon Z7ii<\/a> (Sample images were taken with a Nikon Zf<\/a> )
\n\"\"You can see this review as\u00a0a\u00a0YouTube\u00a0video\u00a0here<\/a>!
\n\"\"Sample images in high resolution here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sample Images<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm f\/8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @13mm f\/8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @mm f\/5.5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm f\/5.6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Z7ii | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm f\/2.8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm f\/8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @8mm f\/11<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @14mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @8mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nikon Zf | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom | @15mm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the sample images in this review and many m<\/span>ore can be found in higher resolution here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Specifications<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Focal Length<\/td>\n8-15mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Angle of View<\/td>\n175\u00b0-180\u00b0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
# of Aperture Blades<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Max Aperture<\/td>\nF\/2.8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Aperture<\/td>\nF\/22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Min Focus Distance<\/td>\n0.16 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Filter Size<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lens Mount<\/td>\nE , Z , L , RF<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>\n650 g<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Size (D x L)<\/td>\n\u00d876.4mm x 94. 5mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elements\/Group<\/td>\n13 \/ 9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Lens construction | LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Buy new:<\/strong> LAOWA Store<\/a>, B&H<\/a>, Amazon<\/a> (anywhere) for $699 (Affiliate links)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom on Nikon Zf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Disclosure<\/span><\/h2>\n

Laowa kindly lent me this lens for a couple of weeks to test and review. That said, this review is completely independent.<\/p>\n

Handling<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Laowa 8\u201315mm f\/2.8 fisheye zoom is a fully manual lens\u2014manual focus, manual aperture, and no electronic contacts. There\u2019s no built-in image stabilization, and while it lacks weather sealing, the construction feels solid, with no noticeable wobble.<\/p>\n

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LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom on Nikon Zf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lens feels dense and durable, made entirely of metal and glass.<\/p>\n

Starting from the front, the focus ring is generously wide and marked with distance scales in both feet and meters, distinguished by two colors. It offers a smooth resistance with a 70\u00b0 throw.<\/p>\n

Next is the zoom ring, located in the middle, marked from 8mm to 15mm in 1mm increments. The front element extends a little when zooming to 8mm focal length.<\/p>\n

Closest to the mount is the aperture ring, which features gentle clicks at each full stop.<\/p>\n

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LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is no front filter thread and no option for rear-mounted filters.<\/p>\n

The lens comes with a standard rear cap and a friction-fit metal front cap.<\/p>\n

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LAOWA 8-15mm f\/2.8 Fisheye Zoom fornt\/rear caps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When set to 8mm on a full-frame camera, the lens delivers a fully circular fisheye image with a 180\u00b0 field of view in every direction. It maintains a 180\u00b0 horizontal field of view up to around 12\u201312.5mm; at 14mm, the field of view is 180\u00b0 diagonally; and by 15mm, it’s reduced to about 175\u00b0 diagonally.<\/p>\n

Below are image samples at different focal lengths: the first five taken on a full-frame camera, and the last five on an APS-C camera.<\/p>\n