Top 5 Laowa Lenses

#1 - Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Autofocus Full-frame Zero-D

92

The Laowa 10mm f/2.8 Autofocus Full-frame Zero-D lens is an exceptional wide-angle lens with a bright aperture and good build quality. It is perfect for astrophotography and has a very distinctive look. The autofocus system works well and the image quality is excellent.

Pros

  • Bright aperture
  • Good build quality
  • Excellent image quality
  • Capable of very good sharpness on APS-C cameras

Cons

  • Slight softness at the very edges of the image
  • Poor performance against bright lights

#2 - Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift

92

The Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift lens offers exceptional image quality, impressive build, and versatile shift functionality for architectural photography. It's a top pick for professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Pros

  • Exceptional image quality
  • Impressive build quality
  • Versatile shift functionality
  • Compact and lightweight

Cons

  • Manual focus may not suit everyone

#3 - Venus Optics Laowa 'Argus' CF 33mm f/0.95

89

The Venus Optics Laowa 'Argus' CF 33mm f/0.95 is a very well done optic with overall great image quality, attractive bokeh, and wonderful build quality. However, it does have a couple of drawbacks, such as flaring and high coma at the brightest apertures.

Pros

  • Exceptional build quality
  • Sharpness in the middle and high image quality in the corners
  • Attractive bokeh
  • Fairly reasonable price for an f/0.95 lens

Cons

  • Flaring and high coma at the brightest apertures
  • Heavy
  • Manual lens at f/0.95 requires practice

#4 - Laowa 12mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine

88

The Laowa 12mm T2.9 Zero-D Cine lens is a great addition to any cinema lens kit. It is well-designed for video with its long focus throw, stepless aperture, and good light transmission. Despite some softness in the corners at T2.9, it is very sharp overall and has minimal distortion. While it has some limitations in certain shooting scenarios, it can produce unique and high-quality images.

Pros

  • Well-designed for video with geared focus and iris control
  • Long focus throw and stepless aperture
  • Good light transmission and minimal distortion
  • Unique aesthetic for niche video production needs

Cons

  • Some softness in the corners at T2.9
  • Limitations in use on gimbals or sliders
  • Noticeable breathing during focus pulls

#5 - Laowa 90mm f/2.8 CA-Dreamer Macro 2x

88

The Laowa 90mm f/2.8 CA-Dreamer Macro 2x lens is a manual focus lens designed for mirrorless cameras with a wide two times macro capability. It has a sturdy metal build and delivers razor-sharp image quality at both normal and macro distances, with minimal chromatic aberration. The lens demonstrates good value for its price and is recommended for those comfortable with manual focus.

Pros

  • Suitable for macro, portrait, and subject photography
  • Sturdy metal build with smooth aperture control
  • Razor-sharp image quality at both normal and macro distances
  • Minimal chromatic aberration

Cons

  • Manual focus with focus breathing
  • No weather sealing
  • Softening at smaller apertures due to diffraction