Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Macro Shift Lens - Sony FE
Venus Optics is offering photographers the first native option to get started in the world of wide-angle macro photography with the Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens, available here for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras. Before now, wide-angle macro required the use of extension tubes and other workarounds, but now the Laowa 15mm Macro offers true 1:1 magnification without the hassle. The ultra-wide perspective on full-frame cameras allows users to get exceptionally close to their subjects with a minimum focus distance of just 4.7", and have them fill the frame, while still capturing the background for more informative scenes. Internal focusing further assists by not disturbing your subject, even when you reach the 0.2" minimum working distance. Optically, it is designed to minimize distortion that plagues wide-angle lenses with the use of an advanced 12 element in 9 group construction with one extra-low dispersion and three high-refractive elements. A multi-layer low-reflective coating further improved image quality by reducing the appearance of flare and ghosting. Also, when used on APS-C cameras, or in crop modes, the lens offers +/- 6mm of vertical shift which can help correct for perspective when shooting objects such as buildings. Full manual operation is required with this lens through the use of a physical aperture ring with a range of f/4 to f/32 and a large focusing ring. A flat front element provides room for a 77mm front filter thread for using a selection of specialized filters to enhance your scene. Additionally, it has a near circular 14-blade diaphragm for smooth out of focus elements and comes with a lens hood.
Venus Optics is offering photographers the first native option to get started in the world of wide-angle macro photography with the Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens, available here for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras. Before now, wide-angle macro required the use of extension tubes and other workarounds, but now the Laowa 15mm Macro offers true 1:1 magnification without the hassle. The ultra-wide perspective on full-frame cameras allows users to get exceptionally close to their subjects with a minimum focus distance of just 4.7", and have them fill the frame, while still capturing the background for more informative scenes. Internal focusing further assists by not disturbing your subject, even when you reach the 0.2" minimum working distance. Optically, it is designed to minimize distortion that plagues wide-angle lenses with the use of an advanced 12 element in 9 group construction with one extra-low dispersion and three high-refractive elements. A multi-layer low-reflective coating further improved image quality by reducing the appearance of flare and ghosting. Also, when used on APS-C cameras, or in crop modes, the lens offers +/- 6mm of vertical shift which can help correct for perspective when shooting objects such as buildings. Full manual operation is required with this lens through the use of a physical aperture ring with a range of f/4 to f/32 and a large focusing ring. A flat front element provides room for a 77mm front filter thread for using a selection of specialized filters to enhance your scene. Additionally, it has a near circular 14-blade diaphragm for smooth out of focus elements and comes with a lens hood.
Venus Optics is offering photographers the first native option to get started in the world of wide-angle macro photography with the Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens, available here for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras. Before now, wide-angle macro required the use of extension tubes and other workarounds, but now the Laowa 15mm Macro offers true 1:1 magnification without the hassle. The ultra-wide perspective on full-frame cameras allows users to get exceptionally close to their subjects with a minimum focus distance of just 4.7", and have them fill the frame, while still capturing the background for more informative scenes. Internal focusing further assists by not disturbing your subject, even when you reach the 0.2" minimum working distance. Optically, it is designed to minimize distortion that plagues wide-angle lenses with the use of an advanced 12 element in 9 group construction with one extra-low dispersion and three high-refractive elements. A multi-layer low-reflective coating further improved image quality by reducing the appearance of flare and ghosting. Also, when used on APS-C cameras, or in crop modes, the lens offers +/- 6mm of vertical shift which can help correct for perspective when shooting objects such as buildings. Full manual operation is required with this lens through the use of a physical aperture ring with a range of f/4 to f/32 and a large focusing ring. A flat front element provides room for a 77mm front filter thread for using a selection of specialized filters to enhance your scene. Additionally, it has a near circular 14-blade diaphragm for smooth out of focus elements and comes with a lens hood.
Venus Optics is offering photographers the first native option to get started in the world of wide-angle macro photography with the Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens, available here for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras. Before now, wide-angle macro required the use of extension tubes and other workarounds, but now the Laowa 15mm Macro offers true 1:1 magnification without the hassle. The ultra-wide perspective on full-frame cameras allows users to get exceptionally close to their subjects with a minimum focus distance of just 4.7", and have them fill the frame, while still capturing the background for more informative scenes. Internal focusing further assists by not disturbing your subject, even when you reach the 0.2" minimum working distance. Optically, it is designed to minimize distortion that plagues wide-angle lenses with the use of an advanced 12 element in 9 group construction with one extra-low dispersion and three high-refractive elements. A multi-layer low-reflective coating further improved image quality by reducing the appearance of flare and ghosting. Also, when used on APS-C cameras, or in crop modes, the lens offers +/- 6mm of vertical shift which can help correct for perspective when shooting objects such as buildings. Full manual operation is required with this lens through the use of a physical aperture ring with a range of f/4 to f/32 and a large focusing ring. A flat front element provides room for a 77mm front filter thread for using a selection of specialized filters to enhance your scene. Additionally, it has a near circular 14-blade diaphragm for smooth out of focus elements and comes with a lens hood.
in 9 offers
The lowest price for Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Macro Shift Lens - Sony FE right now is $630.39 at AliExpress.com - AliExpress-226247430, compared across 8 retailers.
The all-time low was $525.00 on 27 Feb 2026 — today's price is 20% above the lowest ever. That's a little above the best price we've seen.
Prices last updated 22 July 2026.
Last updated at 22/07/2026 16:06:31
Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f4 Wide angle Macro 1:1 Lens for Sony E for Canon EF for Nikon F Pentax K
Free delivery
Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f4 Wide angle Macro 1:1 Lens⊰ for Sony E for Canon EF for Nikon F Pentax K
Free delivery
Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro Sony FE
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Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Lens with Shift - Sony FE Lens
Free delivery between 27 July – 3 Aug
Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens for Sony E
Delivery $9.90
Laowa 15mm F4 Wide Angle Lens with Shift - Sony FE Mount Laowa Camera Lens
Free delivery between Fri – Mon
LAOWA 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Camera Lenses With Shift - Sony E
Delivery between 27–30 July $12
Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro w/Shift Sony E
Delivery $9.95
Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Lens - Sony E Mount
Delivery between 29 July – 3 Aug $8.95
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
First, I'm not a professional photographer or lens tester. However, it's pretty well known that for the sharpest images from a wide lens stay towards the middle of f stops and the middle of the lens. This lens is no different. I like that it's entirely manual (aperture and focus) because it forces you to slow down and get your settings right. I always use a tripod with a macro lens because I can't keep my body still enough to achieve consistent focus. Do these things and you'll get good images from this lens.The build quality of this lens is very good with the exception of the shifting mechanism. It's awkward to push the little tab in while physically moving the lens up or down. It takes some practice to get the feel of how it locks into place. It either shifts up, ... MoreFirst, I'm not a professional photographer or lens tester. However, it's pretty well known that for the sharpest images from a wide lens stay towards the middle of f stops and the middle of the lens. This lens is no different. I like that it's entirely manual (aperture and focus) because it forces you to slow down and get your settings right. I always use a tripod with a macro lens because I can't keep my body still enough to achieve consistent focus. Do these things and you'll get good images from this lens.The build quality of this lens is very good with the exception of the shifting mechanism. It's awkward to push the little tab in while physically moving the lens up or down. It takes some practice to get the feel of how it locks into place. It either shifts up, down or middle with no in between positions. While it's generally thought to use a shifting lens in architecture photography to correct for parallax distortion, perhaps some clever lens designer realized it too can be used to achieve interesting angles in macro photography albeit there is no tilt feature. My sense is the shift feature was thrown in as a low cost after thought. But it works.All in all, this is a really cool lens and I'm glad I bought it. I plan on having a lot of fun with it for years to come.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
Solid build, but my copy didn't lock at the center or top positions (only at the bottom position), which brings up another issue which is that the shift function only has three options (6mm up and 6mm down on the horizontal axis). For what I had in mind with this lens that alone could be a deal-breaker. Also, focused at infinity my copy was noticeably soft on one side (about the outermost 2mm), but it was sharp enough across the rest of the frame, so I'm considering trying another copy. Also, on my D800 there is some vignetting when I shifted the lens 6mm and stopped it down to f/11.On the positive side, due to its impressive wide AOV, even my moderately flawed copy of this lens has the real potential to open up creative shots you just aren't going to get with ... MoreSolid build, but my copy didn't lock at the center or top positions (only at the bottom position), which brings up another issue which is that the shift function only has three options (6mm up and 6mm down on the horizontal axis). For what I had in mind with this lens that alone could be a deal-breaker. Also, focused at infinity my copy was noticeably soft on one side (about the outermost 2mm), but it was sharp enough across the rest of the frame, so I'm considering trying another copy. Also, on my D800 there is some vignetting when I shifted the lens 6mm and stopped it down to f/11.On the positive side, due to its impressive wide AOV, even my moderately flawed copy of this lens has the real potential to open up creative shots you just aren't going to get with more common macro lenses. A little edge softness isn't going to be an issue for macro or close-up shots unless you manage to put critical detail at the far edge using a 135/FX format camera. Also, for a APS-C/DX camera this lens is really good, I could easily take shots with my copy fully shifted at f/5.6 and not have any problems with its acuity.
originally posted on adorama.com
I have been looking for an affordable ultra wide shift lens for a number of years. Lens offerings by the camera manufacturer are not quite wide enough and are very expensive. This 15 mm lens projects a rectilinear image on to the sensor without any barrel or fisheye distortion. The image circle is wide enough to cover a full size 35mm sensor with some limited shift displacement. The images produced are very sharp. The depth of field is exceptional with sharp focus at f16 from 1.5 feet to infinity. On the down side, despite product descriptions to the contrary, this is shift only lens and does not have a tilt function. The shift function can not be rotated so an upward or downward shift can only be made on a landscape oriented composition. The mechanical construction ... MoreI have been looking for an affordable ultra wide shift lens for a number of years. Lens offerings by the camera manufacturer are not quite wide enough and are very expensive. This 15 mm lens projects a rectilinear image on to the sensor without any barrel or fisheye distortion. The image circle is wide enough to cover a full size 35mm sensor with some limited shift displacement. The images produced are very sharp. The depth of field is exceptional with sharp focus at f16 from 1.5 feet to infinity. On the down side, despite product descriptions to the contrary, this is shift only lens and does not have a tilt function. The shift function can not be rotated so an upward or downward shift can only be made on a landscape oriented composition. The mechanical construction leads to stiff lens movements. There is no calibration of offset for the shift function. As expected there is no automatic function of the lens focus or iris setting. Unlike more expensive lenses, the shift function is push-to-position rather than a thumbscrew controlled shift. Also there is no preset function for the lens aperture. Once the image is composed the photographer will need to manually set the aperture by visually observing the f stop markings on the lens barrel. That being said, this lens is ideal for architectural interior photographs, especially for real-estate promotional photographs. This lens is not for beginner photographers. To use the lens effectively a tripod will need to be employed to level the camera and preserve the composition while lens adjustments are made. Using the shift function can save lots of time in post production where straightening out converging and tilted images can be tedious.
| Focal Length | 15mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/4 |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
| Focus Type | Manual Focus |
Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f4 Wide angle Macro 1:1 Lens for Sony E for Canon EF for Nikon F Pentax K
Free delivery
Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f4 Wide angle Macro 1:1 Lens⊰ for Sony E for Canon EF for Nikon F Pentax K
Free delivery
Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro Sony FE
Free delivery
Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Lens with Shift - Sony FE Lens
Free delivery between 27 July – 3 Aug
Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro Lens for Sony E
Delivery $9.90
First, I'm not a professional photographer or lens tester. However, it's pretty well known that for the sharpest images from a wide lens stay towards the middle of f stops and the middle of the lens. This lens is no different. I like that it's entirely manual (aperture and focus) because it forces you to slow down and get your settings right. I always use a tripod with a macro lens because I can't keep my body still enough to achieve consistent focus. Do these things and you'll get good images from this lens.The build quality of this lens is very good with the exception of the shifting mechanism. It's awkward to push the little tab in while physically moving the lens up or down. It takes some practice to get the feel of how it locks into place. It either shifts up, ... MoreFirst, I'm not a professional photographer or lens tester. However, it's pretty well known that for the sharpest images from a wide lens stay towards the middle of f stops and the middle of the lens. This lens is no different. I like that it's entirely manual (aperture and focus) because it forces you to slow down and get your settings right. I always use a tripod with a macro lens because I can't keep my body still enough to achieve consistent focus. Do these things and you'll get good images from this lens.The build quality of this lens is very good with the exception of the shifting mechanism. It's awkward to push the little tab in while physically moving the lens up or down. It takes some practice to get the feel of how it locks into place. It either shifts up, down or middle with no in between positions. While it's generally thought to use a shifting lens in architecture photography to correct for parallax distortion, perhaps some clever lens designer realized it too can be used to achieve interesting angles in macro photography albeit there is no tilt feature. My sense is the shift feature was thrown in as a low cost after thought. But it works.All in all, this is a really cool lens and I'm glad I bought it. I plan on having a lot of fun with it for years to come.
Solid build, but my copy didn't lock at the center or top positions (only at the bottom position), which brings up another issue which is that the shift function only has three options (6mm up and 6mm down on the horizontal axis). For what I had in mind with this lens that alone could be a deal-breaker. Also, focused at infinity my copy was noticeably soft on one side (about the outermost 2mm), but it was sharp enough across the rest of the frame, so I'm considering trying another copy. Also, on my D800 there is some vignetting when I shifted the lens 6mm and stopped it down to f/11.On the positive side, due to its impressive wide AOV, even my moderately flawed copy of this lens has the real potential to open up creative shots you just aren't going to get with ... MoreSolid build, but my copy didn't lock at the center or top positions (only at the bottom position), which brings up another issue which is that the shift function only has three options (6mm up and 6mm down on the horizontal axis). For what I had in mind with this lens that alone could be a deal-breaker. Also, focused at infinity my copy was noticeably soft on one side (about the outermost 2mm), but it was sharp enough across the rest of the frame, so I'm considering trying another copy. Also, on my D800 there is some vignetting when I shifted the lens 6mm and stopped it down to f/11.On the positive side, due to its impressive wide AOV, even my moderately flawed copy of this lens has the real potential to open up creative shots you just aren't going to get with more common macro lenses. A little edge softness isn't going to be an issue for macro or close-up shots unless you manage to put critical detail at the far edge using a 135/FX format camera. Also, for a APS-C/DX camera this lens is really good, I could easily take shots with my copy fully shifted at f/5.6 and not have any problems with its acuity.
I have been looking for an affordable ultra wide shift lens for a number of years. Lens offerings by the camera manufacturer are not quite wide enough and are very expensive. This 15 mm lens projects a rectilinear image on to the sensor without any barrel or fisheye distortion. The image circle is wide enough to cover a full size 35mm sensor with some limited shift displacement. The images produced are very sharp. The depth of field is exceptional with sharp focus at f16 from 1.5 feet to infinity. On the down side, despite product descriptions to the contrary, this is shift only lens and does not have a tilt function. The shift function can not be rotated so an upward or downward shift can only be made on a landscape oriented composition. The mechanical construction ... MoreI have been looking for an affordable ultra wide shift lens for a number of years. Lens offerings by the camera manufacturer are not quite wide enough and are very expensive. This 15 mm lens projects a rectilinear image on to the sensor without any barrel or fisheye distortion. The image circle is wide enough to cover a full size 35mm sensor with some limited shift displacement. The images produced are very sharp. The depth of field is exceptional with sharp focus at f16 from 1.5 feet to infinity. On the down side, despite product descriptions to the contrary, this is shift only lens and does not have a tilt function. The shift function can not be rotated so an upward or downward shift can only be made on a landscape oriented composition. The mechanical construction leads to stiff lens movements. There is no calibration of offset for the shift function. As expected there is no automatic function of the lens focus or iris setting. Unlike more expensive lenses, the shift function is push-to-position rather than a thumbscrew controlled shift. Also there is no preset function for the lens aperture. Once the image is composed the photographer will need to manually set the aperture by visually observing the f stop markings on the lens barrel. That being said, this lens is ideal for architectural interior photographs, especially for real-estate promotional photographs. This lens is not for beginner photographers. To use the lens effectively a tripod will need to be employed to level the camera and preserve the composition while lens adjustments are made. Using the shift function can save lots of time in post production where straightening out converging and tilted images can be tedious.
I've been shooting nature macro photography for about 5 years now. I've always used a Canon 100mm USM lens often with extension tubes or a Raynox DCR 250 lens attachment for extra magnification. I'd been interested in wide-angle macro photography for a while. Many times, I'd found myself in scenarios in which a wide-angle macro lens would be perfect. Now with this lens, I can finally get those shots I've imagined and with a level of detail and quality that I strive for.I've had this lens for about 5 months now and I'm very happy with it! Being a manual aperture and manual focus lens makes it more difficult to use than most macro lenses, but I got used to it very quickly. I typically combine this lens with Laowa's macro dual flash and a homemade diffuser for ... MoreI've been shooting nature macro photography for about 5 years now. I've always used a Canon 100mm USM lens often with extension tubes or a Raynox DCR 250 lens attachment for extra magnification. I'd been interested in wide-angle macro photography for a while. Many times, I'd found myself in scenarios in which a wide-angle macro lens would be perfect. Now with this lens, I can finally get those shots I've imagined and with a level of detail and quality that I strive for.I've had this lens for about 5 months now and I'm very happy with it! Being a manual aperture and manual focus lens makes it more difficult to use than most macro lenses, but I got used to it very quickly. I typically combine this lens with Laowa's macro dual flash and a homemade diffuser for lighting. I tend to bring the aperture up to 16-22 to achieve a greater depth of field to capture more of the subject which necessitates a lot of light to have the subject lit well.This lens comes with a petal hood that seems well built, but honestly, I took it off the first time I used the lens because it constantly got in the way of macro subjects. I suspect it would be nice to have for landscape shots, but I haven't really tested it on landscapes yet.The lens is capable of 1:1 magnification, however there is a catch, to achieve this, the subject pretty much must be touching the glass or be mere millimeters from touching it. This presents obvious issues with live subjects, but it also introduces difficulty with properly lighting the subject. While I haven't successfully gotten a great 1:1 shot yet (I don't really try to be honest), shots at 1:2 and 1:4 are much more reasonable and tend to be closer to the framing that I usually have in mind anyway.The shift capability is fairly useful for macro. It shifts the lens slightly lower in relation to the sensor which means that you don't have to get quite as low to get a lower angle perspective.The image quality from this lens is superb! The details in the raw images are impressive. Even at high f-stops, I barely notice diffraction artifacts. There is some significant chromatic aberration sometimes in high contrast areas, but it can easily be taken care of in post-processing, so this isn't an issue at all to me. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this lens produces a nice sunstar effect at higher f-stops!Please keep in mind that I shoot with a crop sensor camera (Canon 7D Mark II), so the field of view of this 15mm lens functions more like a 24mm lens on a full frame sensor. I would love to try this out on a full frame in the future!One piece of advice at least for Canon users: turn off Exposure Simulation. This will allow you to use Live View mode to see your subject better; it won't appear too dark when shooting at high f-stops. Just keep in mind that the exposure on the live screen no longer resembles what the photo will look like!Overall, I am very impressed and satisfied with this lens. Whenever I'm out in the field for work or pleasure, I typically bring this along with me. I love the ability to capture habitat context with subjects. I think the slightly higher difficulty of use might turn some people away from using this, but I find that it's easy to get used to and you're limited mostly by your imagination (and proper lighting...). When I successfully take a shot that I like with this lens, I'm even more proud of it knowing the extra effort that went into it. I continue to be impressed by Laowa/Venus Optics and look forward to the innovative products they will generate in the future!I've got my eye on their upcoming 24mm macro probe lens...
The optical and build quality of the lens is excellent. It sounds amazing to have a 1:1 15 mm lens, BUT, for most people this will be a 1:2 to 1:4 lens. Lighting is very difficult at 1:1 - the subject is ~4 mm from the front element, and lens and camera will typically cast a shadow on a subject this close. Ordinary macro lighting doesn't cut it - it's even hard to use LEDs on stalks because the light is hard to position to get any front light at all. So, use at 1:1 is on hold until I learn to light it, maybe with a custom rig. However, use at 1:2 and lower is delightful in the right natural light. I am still going to be fiddling with lighting of the conventional macro flash design - haven't had much time to do so. The manual stepdown on the aperture ring can make it ... MoreThe optical and build quality of the lens is excellent. It sounds amazing to have a 1:1 15 mm lens, BUT, for most people this will be a 1:2 to 1:4 lens. Lighting is very difficult at 1:1 - the subject is ~4 mm from the front element, and lens and camera will typically cast a shadow on a subject this close. Ordinary macro lighting doesn't cut it - it's even hard to use LEDs on stalks because the light is hard to position to get any front light at all. So, use at 1:1 is on hold until I learn to light it, maybe with a custom rig. However, use at 1:2 and lower is delightful in the right natural light. I am still going to be fiddling with lighting of the conventional macro flash design - haven't had much time to do so. The manual stepdown on the aperture ring can make it very challenging to focus stopped down, at least for Canon dSLRs - there is no communication with live view, either. I view this lens as a fun challenge to more experienced macro shooters. Beginners, DO NOT get this as your first macro lens. The learning curve looks to be steep. But I will have fun figuring out how to get the best out of this lens - lots of avenues for creativity.
The headline above says it all. This is a wonderful lens that produces great images. However, it really is best used as a macro lens. it is very sharp thru most of the image. A bit soft in the corners (sharpens up when stopped down but never completely) but that is to be expected in such a wide lens. Note that this is not listed as one of Laowa's Zero D lenses. When used as a wide lens for landscapes and such, there are distortions. Not horrible, but they are there. The tilt feature I have found to be handy. Really didn't think I would use it at first because I had read that it was only for APS-C cameras. It is true that when tilted all the way up or down you will get dark corners on a full frame lens. However, it is not nearly as bad as I had expected and very easy ... MoreThe headline above says it all. This is a wonderful lens that produces great images. However, it really is best used as a macro lens. it is very sharp thru most of the image. A bit soft in the corners (sharpens up when stopped down but never completely) but that is to be expected in such a wide lens. Note that this is not listed as one of Laowa's Zero D lenses. When used as a wide lens for landscapes and such, there are distortions. Not horrible, but they are there. The tilt feature I have found to be handy. Really didn't think I would use it at first because I had read that it was only for APS-C cameras. It is true that when tilted all the way up or down you will get dark corners on a full frame lens. However, it is not nearly as bad as I had expected and very easy to just crop in a little to get rid of the dark corners. As a wide macro lens it delivers. Buy it if that is what you are looking for. However, if your primary reason for looking at this lens is for landscape wides, then I suggest looking elsewhere (Laowa 15mm f2 or Voigtlander 15mm f4.5 for example) as other lenses will be better suited for landscapes (not that it can't be used for this, just not the best option).
You may be able to get semi-similar results using wide-angle lenses with extension tubes etc. but you will still be missing the tilt feature... and the quality of this glass is fantastic. This is my first macro lens for my A7ii and the images below were all shot with nothing but daylight and hand-held with no flash. Since you will want manual 99% of the time to accomplish great macro shots it's a bonus that the lens doesn't rely on any electronics etc. to function. I photograph dogs often and this lens is difficult to use--you really want autofocus for those types of subjects. But generally, the depth of field is so wide once your subject is more than a few feet away (and there is very very little focus travel so it's quick to focus on subjects at this distance) ... MoreYou may be able to get semi-similar results using wide-angle lenses with extension tubes etc. but you will still be missing the tilt feature... and the quality of this glass is fantastic. This is my first macro lens for my A7ii and the images below were all shot with nothing but daylight and hand-held with no flash. Since you will want manual 99% of the time to accomplish great macro shots it's a bonus that the lens doesn't rely on any electronics etc. to function. I photograph dogs often and this lens is difficult to use--you really want autofocus for those types of subjects. But generally, the depth of field is so wide once your subject is more than a few feet away (and there is very very little focus travel so it's quick to focus on subjects at this distance) things will be mostly in focus and you should be fine in most cases, just don't expect perfect sharpness in eyes etc. unless you use the focus assist and zoom to ensure eyes are in perfect focus. It's hard to achieve 1:1 but the images are so fantastic with such character that I'd rather supplement my gear with another macro lens once I can afford it for those extreme-closeup cases. Because it can focus to infinity, it's a versatile lens that you can leave on the camera and take with you. Distortion around edges is bad, but as long as your subjects are somewhat centered it still works well for any photos where a wide angle is desired. The tilt feature is amazing for architecture and real-estate photography and gives you even more flexibility and versatility in a lens that is still amazing at handling it's primary design purpose which is wide-angle macro. I imagine the video below would look incredible in 4K on a A7S or A7S ii sensor... If you want to do macro video production this would produce incredible results with the right setup... In this video, it's just propped up by my wallet, no additional lighting, etc.
This lens renders the exact perspective I was hoping for. As a biologist and photographer, I prefer the concept of the main subject shown as a macro image in the foreground with its environment in the background. I was surprised at the image quality this lens provides. I have two micro Nikkor lenses, the 60mm and the 105mm, which are superb and take sharp images, so I am used to the optics of fine quality glass.Before purchasing, one must justify how often the lens will be used since it is pricey. A few downfalls: first and foremost, you must understand the concepts of photography...to get the best images. It is totally manual in terms of focus and settings. I find the lower to the ground the lens is positioned, the most interesting/exaggerated effects are ... MoreThis lens renders the exact perspective I was hoping for. As a biologist and photographer, I prefer the concept of the main subject shown as a macro image in the foreground with its environment in the background. I was surprised at the image quality this lens provides. I have two micro Nikkor lenses, the 60mm and the 105mm, which are superb and take sharp images, so I am used to the optics of fine quality glass.Before purchasing, one must justify how often the lens will be used since it is pricey. A few downfalls: first and foremost, you must understand the concepts of photography...to get the best images. It is totally manual in terms of focus and settings. I find the lower to the ground the lens is positioned, the most interesting/exaggerated effects are obtained, which is my preference. This brings up the second issue, when using outdoors, it is advisable that the foreground be highlighted with a fill or diffused flash. So to use, you must be aware of how to deal with flash and differences in light values throughout the image. To get a great end result, it takes time to set up the shot.The third comment is about the cheaply built button that is used to change the axis of the lens, I imagine after usage, it will break. This is surprising since the construction of the other parts of the lens seem sturdy and well built.Overall, if you have a good knowledge of photography and are willing to be patient in the field, go for it.
I've one copy of the Rokinon (good), and two of the Samyang (one poor and the other very good), and I would give those lenses a solid four stars based on the excellent corner to corner performance even at relatively wide apertures. Those lenses cost less than this lens, hence the three stars for this lens.I tested this lens on my D800 and found that the copy I tried was noticeably weak on the right 2mm or so of the frame, at all apertures. On my D500 it wasn't a problem. It's a well constructed lens, but my copy wouldn't firmly lock in the center or top shift positions while it did lock in the bottom position -- which raises another issue, there are only three shift positions (6mm above or below the center of the short axis, and centered), and they can only be ... MoreI've one copy of the Rokinon (good), and two of the Samyang (one poor and the other very good), and I would give those lenses a solid four stars based on the excellent corner to corner performance even at relatively wide apertures. Those lenses cost less than this lens, hence the three stars for this lens.I tested this lens on my D800 and found that the copy I tried was noticeably weak on the right 2mm or so of the frame, at all apertures. On my D500 it wasn't a problem. It's a well constructed lens, but my copy wouldn't firmly lock in the center or top shift positions while it did lock in the bottom position -- which raises another issue, there are only three shift positions (6mm above or below the center of the short axis, and centered), and they can only be applied up or down in landscape orientation or right and left in portrait orientation, and as marginally useful as 6mm is for shifting (I will take it) being an all-or-nothing option makes it a bit less useful. On a DX camera the shift goes from 25% to 37.5%, and the vignetting I saw fully shifted on my D800 didn't show up on my D500. There is a wavy distortion which is only partially addressed using PT Lens, and it was present on my D500 as well. A tilt function would be nice to have on this lens.This lens has a good deal of creative potential. The bokeh is nice (14 rounded aperture blades), and it does 1:1 magnification. Used for that purpose the softness at the edge of one side of the D800's frame that I saw when focused at infinity practically becomes a non-issue. Here's the thing though, when you start working at such short distances (4.7 focus distance) perspective distortion becomes an issue, and the .2 working distance means that you will very often be blocking the light reaching your subject.
This lens changed the way I worked with closeups/macro, typically those photos are telephoto style. They often lack environmental context... but not with this lens. I use it for conservation storytelling and it allows for interesting and previously very challenging images to be made with relative ease. Also its been great for adding variety to commercial food photography. The lens allows a photographer to have a more robust visual variety that most clients will appreciate. Also, it is very well-built, all-metal construction.It isn't perfect. There is no autofocus so fast moving subjects are tough. The focal plane is hard to work with at the macro distances, as one might expect. And, as is usual, you want the primary subject to stay out of the corners, though it ... MoreThis lens changed the way I worked with closeups/macro, typically those photos are telephoto style. They often lack environmental context... but not with this lens. I use it for conservation storytelling and it allows for interesting and previously very challenging images to be made with relative ease. Also its been great for adding variety to commercial food photography. The lens allows a photographer to have a more robust visual variety that most clients will appreciate. Also, it is very well-built, all-metal construction.It isn't perfect. There is no autofocus so fast moving subjects are tough. The focal plane is hard to work with at the macro distances, as one might expect. And, as is usual, you want the primary subject to stay out of the corners, though it performed better in this way than I expected for such a wide lens.Don't expect an incredible all-around performer but to have an extra visual tool in the kit, this lens is awesome.
| Focal Length | 15mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/4 |
| Lens Mount | Sony E |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
| Focus Type | Manual Focus |
