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Laowa 'Argus' 28mm f/1.2 Review

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The Laowa 'Argus' 28mm f/1.2 is a very bright aperture angle lens offering a wide angle field of view and snappy shutter speeds. However, the image quality is disappointing at F 1.2, with softness, low contrast, and serious vignetting. It is a fully manual lens with no weather sealing, and the build quality is just okay.

Laowa's 'Argus' 28mm f/1.2 is an ambitious design, aiming to be the world's brightest full-frame lens. It does offer a dramatically wide angle field of view with nice bokeh and fast shutter speeds, making it suitable for darker situations. However, the image quality at F 1.2 is disappointing, with softness and low contrast, and significant vignetting.

Pros
  • Very bright aperture angle
  • Wide angle field of view
  • Nice bokeh
  • Fast shutter speeds
Cons
  • Disappointing image quality at F 1.2
  • Fully manual with no weather sealing
  • Lacks electronic components

The lens is fully manual, with no weather sealing and an aperture ring that might not be evenly spaced. In terms of build quality, it's not exceptional, but it gets the job done.

Laowa's 'Argus' 28mm f/1.2 is an ambitious design, aiming to be the world's brightest full-frame lens. It does offer a dramatically wide angle field of view with nice bokeh and fast shutter speeds, making it suitable for darker situations. However, the image quality at F 1.2 is disappointing, with softness and low contrast, and significant vignetting. The lens is fully manual, with no weather sealing and an aperture ring that might not be evenly spaced. In terms of build quality, it's not exceptional, but it gets the job done. The lens is available for Sony E RF, Nikon Z, and L Mount cameras at a price of $600. The lens is rather light for an F 1.2 lens, weighing only 600 grams, and it's packed with glass. However, it lacks electronic components and weather sealing, which might be a downside for some photographers.

The lens is rather light for an F 1.2 lens, weighing only 600 grams, and it's packed with glass. However, it lacks electronic components and weather sealing, which might be a downside for some photographers.

Source

This article is based on the review by

Christopher Frost

Christopher Frost

Christopher Frost is a YouTube channel dedicated to providing in-depth reviews and analyses of photography equipment, particularly lenses. Christopher Frost, the creator and host of the channel, is known for his thorough and detailed evaluations of various lenses from different manufacturers, including Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, and others.  To learn more, please visit the channel here.

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