Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens - L-Mount
Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Lens for Leica L is an ultra wide angle, manual focus lens with close to zero distortion. Designed for the Leica L mount, suitable for cameras such as the Panasonic S series, Sigma fp and the Leica SL. The superior optics of Laowa's 12mm provides crystal sharp images. Full frame compatible lens featuring 16 elements in 10 groups with a 7 blade aperture* and a minimum focus distance of just 18cms. All metal alloy construction housing multi-coated glass elements throughout. At a focal length of 12mm this lens is perfect for a wide range of subjects from astro photography to landscapes to architecture.
Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Lens for Leica L is an ultra wide angle, manual focus lens with close to zero distortion. Designed for the Leica L mount, suitable for cameras such as the Panasonic S series, Sigma fp and the Leica SL. The superior optics of Laowa's 12mm provides crystal sharp images. Full frame compatible lens featuring 16 elements in 10 groups with a 7 blade aperture* and a minimum focus distance of just 18cms. All metal alloy construction housing multi-coated glass elements throughout. At a focal length of 12mm this lens is perfect for a wide range of subjects from astro photography to landscapes to architecture.
Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Lens for Leica L is an ultra wide angle, manual focus lens with close to zero distortion. Designed for the Leica L mount, suitable for cameras such as the Panasonic S series, Sigma fp and the Leica SL. The superior optics of Laowa's 12mm provides crystal sharp images. Full frame compatible lens featuring 16 elements in 10 groups with a 7 blade aperture* and a minimum focus distance of just 18cms. All metal alloy construction housing multi-coated glass elements throughout. At a focal length of 12mm this lens is perfect for a wide range of subjects from astro photography to landscapes to architecture.
Laowa 12mm F2.8 Zero-D Lens for Leica L is an ultra wide angle, manual focus lens with close to zero distortion. Designed for the Leica L mount, suitable for cameras such as the Panasonic S series, Sigma fp and the Leica SL. The superior optics of Laowa's 12mm provides crystal sharp images. Full frame compatible lens featuring 16 elements in 10 groups with a 7 blade aperture* and a minimum focus distance of just 18cms. All metal alloy construction housing multi-coated glass elements throughout. At a focal length of 12mm this lens is perfect for a wide range of subjects from astro photography to landscapes to architecture.
in 20 offers
The lowest price for Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens - L-Mount right now is $898.00 at Kamerastore, compared across 15 retailers.
The all-time low was $630.20 on 11 Mar 2026 — today's price is 42% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 11 May 2026.
Last updated at 11/05/2026 15:42:12
Venus Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Ultra-Wide Angle Lens for sonyFE A7 A7M2 A9 A7R A7S A6300 A7M3 A7R3 A7s2
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Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D
Delivery between 18–26 May $59
Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D
Delivery between 18–26 May $59
Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens - Leica L Mount
Delivery between 18–20 May $8.95
Venus Laowa 12mm F/2.8 Zero-d D-dreamer Ultra-wide Angle Lens For
Free delivery
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Laowa 12mm F2.8 Ultra Wide Angle Full Frame Prime Lens For Canon
Free delivery
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Laowa 12mm F2.8 Large Aperture Ultra Wide-Angle Manual Lens for Sony E-mount
Free delivery
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Laowa 12mm F/2.8 Zero-d Lens - Leica L Mount
Free delivery
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Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens for Leica L (Black) by Onestop Digital
Free delivery between 16–21 May
Laowa Venus 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens - Leica L
Delivery $40.67
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
Great lens. As a Nikon shooter I own, or have owned the Nikkor 14-24, 16-35, a 15mm Ziess, 14mm Samyang, 15mm macro Laowa, and my beloved Tamron 15-30. Aside from some complaints about the weight and special filters the Tamron, it was my go to wide angle lens from all my previous purchases. This little Laowa, however, is a true gem. I don't always shoot at 12mm (couldn't before this lens), but having that option is really awesome to expand my creative endevors. The amazing thing about this lens is that it is a sharp 12mm, not simply an "artistic" 12mm. At 2.8 its a great astro lens to boot. For Nikon shooters, there is no better choice than this lens when shooting ultra, ultra wide. The 14 mm Rokinon/Samyang is the best value in this range, but for those of us who ... MoreGreat lens. As a Nikon shooter I own, or have owned the Nikkor 14-24, 16-35, a 15mm Ziess, 14mm Samyang, 15mm macro Laowa, and my beloved Tamron 15-30. Aside from some complaints about the weight and special filters the Tamron, it was my go to wide angle lens from all my previous purchases. This little Laowa, however, is a true gem. I don't always shoot at 12mm (couldn't before this lens), but having that option is really awesome to expand my creative endevors. The amazing thing about this lens is that it is a sharp 12mm, not simply an "artistic" 12mm. At 2.8 its a great astro lens to boot. For Nikon shooters, there is no better choice than this lens when shooting ultra, ultra wide. The 14 mm Rokinon/Samyang is the best value in this range, but for those of us who don't want to compromise, this is the lens to have in your bag for those special times when no other focal length can give you the creative angle that this lens provides (or when you can't physically back up any further, like in a slot canyon). Plus it's as distortion free as a focal length at this width can get. 5 Star! (The only bummer is that it will require a special filter adapter and 100mm filters for the waterfall hunters out there; that's the price you must pay to set yourself apart though.)
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I typically use a Nikon 14-24mm for real estate but was noticing some photos online with much wider angles so I found this lens and decided to try it out. First off the lens is a piece of engineering genius! Absolutely ZERO barrel distortion at 12mm with such a small lens is crazy compared to the amount of warping on my Nikon lens. If you plan on using this lens for real estate I would recommend only using it for exteriors and only interiors when the home is very large or spacious. Obviously the Zero-D is not referring to perspective warp which is very exaggerated on a lens this wide, but you can get some really cool shots with that.Another thing I noticed is the lens does not communicate aperture properly with my Nikon D750. At f2.8 on the lens my camera reads f0, ... MoreI typically use a Nikon 14-24mm for real estate but was noticing some photos online with much wider angles so I found this lens and decided to try it out. First off the lens is a piece of engineering genius! Absolutely ZERO barrel distortion at 12mm with such a small lens is crazy compared to the amount of warping on my Nikon lens. If you plan on using this lens for real estate I would recommend only using it for exteriors and only interiors when the home is very large or spacious. Obviously the Zero-D is not referring to perspective warp which is very exaggerated on a lens this wide, but you can get some really cool shots with that.Another thing I noticed is the lens does not communicate aperture properly with my Nikon D750. At f2.8 on the lens my camera reads f0, f4 reads f1, f5.6 reads f2 and so on. This isn't really a problem unless you want to shoot in aperture priority since the camera will be adjusting your shutter speed to shoot at f3 when the lens is really set to f8 so you will need to leave your cameras exposure comp set a stop or two higher to compensate for the short shutter speeds.For me the biggest issue that keeps me from using this lens is the horrible vignetting on photos. I understand a lens this wide is going to have some unavoidable vignetting but even after the lens correction there is a green color cast that is hard to fix and on interior photos that is not something you want.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I bought this 12mm lens right before I took a trip to the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur, CA. I wanted to use it for landscapes at Point Lobos. There are a few scenes there that can only be shot with an ultrawide-angle lens. For example, I shot a small cove called The Pit at Granite Point, Point Lobos; and I shot some trees at the Cypress Grove Headlands --- these shots are not really possible without an ultrawide. Very nice results!I was not disappointed. This lens got the job done. On a Nikon D800, I used it in aperture priority, and it worked beautifully. I programmed into the Nikon a 13mm f/2.8 non-CPU lens, and the camera recorded all information and displayed aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. It's a "dumb" lens, but you do not have to operate ... MoreI bought this 12mm lens right before I took a trip to the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur, CA. I wanted to use it for landscapes at Point Lobos. There are a few scenes there that can only be shot with an ultrawide-angle lens. For example, I shot a small cove called The Pit at Granite Point, Point Lobos; and I shot some trees at the Cypress Grove Headlands --- these shots are not really possible without an ultrawide. Very nice results!I was not disappointed. This lens got the job done. On a Nikon D800, I used it in aperture priority, and it worked beautifully. I programmed into the Nikon a 13mm f/2.8 non-CPU lens, and the camera recorded all information and displayed aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. It's a "dumb" lens, but you do not have to operate this lens in stop-down mode; the camera will stop down to the taking aperture for you --- no need to stop down to f/8, etc and compose through a dark viewfinder to take your photo. It worked just great.Sharpness? Excellent. All my other lenses are Zeiss ZF.2 or Zeiss Milvus, and this lens compares quite favorably to an 18mm and a 25mm I have as wide-angles. Excellent build quality, all metal, no plastic at all.The lens cap kept falling off, so I may make a leather one to fit around the outside of the lens hood before taking this lens out in the field again. And the lens produced a bit of flair when it faced some very challenging sunlight from the side; I placed my hand to shield it, and it was fine. Not a real problem.Overall, a very fine lens at a very good price. I am very glad I bought it. It was a lot of fun to use out in California.
| Focal Length | 12mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Lens Mount | Leica L |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
Venus Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Ultra-Wide Angle Lens for sonyFE A7 A7M2 A9 A7R A7S A6300 A7M3 A7R3 A7s2
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D
Delivery between 18–26 May $59
Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D
Delivery between 18–26 May $59
Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D Lens - Leica L Mount
Delivery between 18–20 May $8.95
Venus Laowa 12mm F/2.8 Zero-d D-dreamer Ultra-wide Angle Lens For
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Great lens. As a Nikon shooter I own, or have owned the Nikkor 14-24, 16-35, a 15mm Ziess, 14mm Samyang, 15mm macro Laowa, and my beloved Tamron 15-30. Aside from some complaints about the weight and special filters the Tamron, it was my go to wide angle lens from all my previous purchases. This little Laowa, however, is a true gem. I don't always shoot at 12mm (couldn't before this lens), but having that option is really awesome to expand my creative endevors. The amazing thing about this lens is that it is a sharp 12mm, not simply an "artistic" 12mm. At 2.8 its a great astro lens to boot. For Nikon shooters, there is no better choice than this lens when shooting ultra, ultra wide. The 14 mm Rokinon/Samyang is the best value in this range, but for those of us who ... MoreGreat lens. As a Nikon shooter I own, or have owned the Nikkor 14-24, 16-35, a 15mm Ziess, 14mm Samyang, 15mm macro Laowa, and my beloved Tamron 15-30. Aside from some complaints about the weight and special filters the Tamron, it was my go to wide angle lens from all my previous purchases. This little Laowa, however, is a true gem. I don't always shoot at 12mm (couldn't before this lens), but having that option is really awesome to expand my creative endevors. The amazing thing about this lens is that it is a sharp 12mm, not simply an "artistic" 12mm. At 2.8 its a great astro lens to boot. For Nikon shooters, there is no better choice than this lens when shooting ultra, ultra wide. The 14 mm Rokinon/Samyang is the best value in this range, but for those of us who don't want to compromise, this is the lens to have in your bag for those special times when no other focal length can give you the creative angle that this lens provides (or when you can't physically back up any further, like in a slot canyon). Plus it's as distortion free as a focal length at this width can get. 5 Star! (The only bummer is that it will require a special filter adapter and 100mm filters for the waterfall hunters out there; that's the price you must pay to set yourself apart though.)
I typically use a Nikon 14-24mm for real estate but was noticing some photos online with much wider angles so I found this lens and decided to try it out. First off the lens is a piece of engineering genius! Absolutely ZERO barrel distortion at 12mm with such a small lens is crazy compared to the amount of warping on my Nikon lens. If you plan on using this lens for real estate I would recommend only using it for exteriors and only interiors when the home is very large or spacious. Obviously the Zero-D is not referring to perspective warp which is very exaggerated on a lens this wide, but you can get some really cool shots with that.Another thing I noticed is the lens does not communicate aperture properly with my Nikon D750. At f2.8 on the lens my camera reads f0, ... MoreI typically use a Nikon 14-24mm for real estate but was noticing some photos online with much wider angles so I found this lens and decided to try it out. First off the lens is a piece of engineering genius! Absolutely ZERO barrel distortion at 12mm with such a small lens is crazy compared to the amount of warping on my Nikon lens. If you plan on using this lens for real estate I would recommend only using it for exteriors and only interiors when the home is very large or spacious. Obviously the Zero-D is not referring to perspective warp which is very exaggerated on a lens this wide, but you can get some really cool shots with that.Another thing I noticed is the lens does not communicate aperture properly with my Nikon D750. At f2.8 on the lens my camera reads f0, f4 reads f1, f5.6 reads f2 and so on. This isn't really a problem unless you want to shoot in aperture priority since the camera will be adjusting your shutter speed to shoot at f3 when the lens is really set to f8 so you will need to leave your cameras exposure comp set a stop or two higher to compensate for the short shutter speeds.For me the biggest issue that keeps me from using this lens is the horrible vignetting on photos. I understand a lens this wide is going to have some unavoidable vignetting but even after the lens correction there is a green color cast that is hard to fix and on interior photos that is not something you want.
I bought this 12mm lens right before I took a trip to the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur, CA. I wanted to use it for landscapes at Point Lobos. There are a few scenes there that can only be shot with an ultrawide-angle lens. For example, I shot a small cove called The Pit at Granite Point, Point Lobos; and I shot some trees at the Cypress Grove Headlands --- these shots are not really possible without an ultrawide. Very nice results!I was not disappointed. This lens got the job done. On a Nikon D800, I used it in aperture priority, and it worked beautifully. I programmed into the Nikon a 13mm f/2.8 non-CPU lens, and the camera recorded all information and displayed aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. It's a "dumb" lens, but you do not have to operate ... MoreI bought this 12mm lens right before I took a trip to the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur, CA. I wanted to use it for landscapes at Point Lobos. There are a few scenes there that can only be shot with an ultrawide-angle lens. For example, I shot a small cove called The Pit at Granite Point, Point Lobos; and I shot some trees at the Cypress Grove Headlands --- these shots are not really possible without an ultrawide. Very nice results!I was not disappointed. This lens got the job done. On a Nikon D800, I used it in aperture priority, and it worked beautifully. I programmed into the Nikon a 13mm f/2.8 non-CPU lens, and the camera recorded all information and displayed aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. It's a "dumb" lens, but you do not have to operate this lens in stop-down mode; the camera will stop down to the taking aperture for you --- no need to stop down to f/8, etc and compose through a dark viewfinder to take your photo. It worked just great.Sharpness? Excellent. All my other lenses are Zeiss ZF.2 or Zeiss Milvus, and this lens compares quite favorably to an 18mm and a 25mm I have as wide-angles. Excellent build quality, all metal, no plastic at all.The lens cap kept falling off, so I may make a leather one to fit around the outside of the lens hood before taking this lens out in the field again. And the lens produced a bit of flair when it faced some very challenging sunlight from the side; I placed my hand to shield it, and it was fine. Not a real problem.Overall, a very fine lens at a very good price. I am very glad I bought it. It was a lot of fun to use out in California.
I've loved the 12mm f/2.8 zero-d on DSLRs (Nikon F-mount cameras) and this lens does the same job on the Nikon Z-mount. Problem though is that these are manufactured with an extension to fit the Z-mount, making the lens longer and heavier than the ones for the DSLRs/F-mount. So if you're looking for the benefits of a lighter/smaller lens by going the mirrorless route, then this lens may be somewhat disappointing. With that said, like the other 12mm lenses for DSLR mounts, it does a great job with almost no barrel distortion, keeping verticals pretty much vertical. It does have a lot of vignetting, typical of these super wide lenses, and corners are fairly soft. For real estate video work though this does a great job. Additionally, this produces much better starburst ... MoreI've loved the 12mm f/2.8 zero-d on DSLRs (Nikon F-mount cameras) and this lens does the same job on the Nikon Z-mount. Problem though is that these are manufactured with an extension to fit the Z-mount, making the lens longer and heavier than the ones for the DSLRs/F-mount. So if you're looking for the benefits of a lighter/smaller lens by going the mirrorless route, then this lens may be somewhat disappointing. With that said, like the other 12mm lenses for DSLR mounts, it does a great job with almost no barrel distortion, keeping verticals pretty much vertical. It does have a lot of vignetting, typical of these super wide lenses, and corners are fairly soft. For real estate video work though this does a great job. Additionally, this produces much better starburst flairs than the 15mm f/2 version of the lens, since it has two more blades than the 15mm. It also has more elements than the 15mm. Build quality is outstanding, and very durable.
I have been using this lens as a tilt-shift with a Kipon tilt-shift adaptor for my Fuji X-T2. I was looking for a minimal distortion wide angle that could serve the need as a perspective control lens for architecture work. This lens really is brilliant. It is sharp nearly edge-to-edge on APS-C and vignetting isn't much of an issue. The biggest draw for me however was the minimal distortion. It's true, this lens has the least distortion I believe in its class and serves me perfectly as a 18mm equivalent shift lens on my APS-C Fuji. It is a great choice for architecture where distortion reveals itself very easily. The all-metal build quality lends a very assured feeling during use and the focus ring provides a very enjoyable experience with enough smooth throw. No ... MoreI have been using this lens as a tilt-shift with a Kipon tilt-shift adaptor for my Fuji X-T2. I was looking for a minimal distortion wide angle that could serve the need as a perspective control lens for architecture work. This lens really is brilliant. It is sharp nearly edge-to-edge on APS-C and vignetting isn't much of an issue. The biggest draw for me however was the minimal distortion. It's true, this lens has the least distortion I believe in its class and serves me perfectly as a 18mm equivalent shift lens on my APS-C Fuji. It is a great choice for architecture where distortion reveals itself very easily. The all-metal build quality lends a very assured feeling during use and the focus ring provides a very enjoyable experience with enough smooth throw. No complaints about the aperture ring, except I wish it had indents between full-stops. You can only use full-stops, 2.8, 4, 5.6, etc. The only other areas I think the lens could be improved is the lens hood. It is metal and the lens barrel is metal. Taking off or putting on the lens hood inevitably leads to some metal on metal grinding and I'm sure over time there will be wear marks to show for it.
Now onto my second copy, at best it's slightly better. But the issue is overall the same. Its not possible to focus this lens to infinity. With this second sample the center appears sharper than the first copy, yet the focus falls off quickly and not far from center at all. And again, the closest I can get to infinity is hitting the stop. If the stop could be adjusted, then maybe just enough extra adjustment could be made.Venus Optics was of little help, basically saying I dont know how to focus a lens and not to go by the infinity icon. Duh! Of course they say the center is sharp and the focus issues is because of the aperture. Meaning that while it's an ƒ2.8 lens wide open, it should not be used as such. True, most lenses are soft wide open. But they are still ... MoreNow onto my second copy, at best it's slightly better. But the issue is overall the same. Its not possible to focus this lens to infinity. With this second sample the center appears sharper than the first copy, yet the focus falls off quickly and not far from center at all. And again, the closest I can get to infinity is hitting the stop. If the stop could be adjusted, then maybe just enough extra adjustment could be made.Venus Optics was of little help, basically saying I dont know how to focus a lens and not to go by the infinity icon. Duh! Of course they say the center is sharp and the focus issues is because of the aperture. Meaning that while it's an ƒ2.8 lens wide open, it should not be used as such. True, most lenses are soft wide open. But they are still able to give a fairly even field of focus less edges/corners. The focus fall off with this lens is so bad that I have to go to at least ƒ8. Then its "better" but certainly will not help with astro work. My Tokina 16-28 has no issue with focusing to infinity, for example, but the corners are much, much softer than the Venus.If you are using this lens for real-estate, close-ups and even wide-macro, then all of the above will not matter and in fact the lens performs incredibly well. This is why, for me, it is such a disappointment. Its so dang good at so much with minimal CA and great looking corners. It just fails in one major area where I need it to perform well.Returning this second copy and I will not try a third. Based on what I have read on forums, I am not alone with this issues. The suspicion is this is a mount issue for Nikon bodies. It must be out of spec and why other bodies seem to not have this issue.
I am surprised by the rave reviews this lens is getting. I got 2 copies for my Sony A7R3 and I was shocked by the softness of the images even when stopped down to f11. Shooting on a tripod also yielded poor results. My Sony 28mm f2 lens (which is not a pro grade lens by any means) is noticeably sharper than the Laowa without even pixel peeping. The lenses also exhibited quite a bit of chromatic aberration at both wide and significantly stopped down apertures. On the upside, distortion is very well controlled and it is one of the best built lenses I have handled. I also noticed that when used with the Laowa magic converter there isnt any degradation in optical quality. It could be that a 42mp sensor is simply too demanding a sensor for this lens or that I received ... MoreI am surprised by the rave reviews this lens is getting. I got 2 copies for my Sony A7R3 and I was shocked by the softness of the images even when stopped down to f11. Shooting on a tripod also yielded poor results. My Sony 28mm f2 lens (which is not a pro grade lens by any means) is noticeably sharper than the Laowa without even pixel peeping. The lenses also exhibited quite a bit of chromatic aberration at both wide and significantly stopped down apertures. On the upside, distortion is very well controlled and it is one of the best built lenses I have handled. I also noticed that when used with the Laowa magic converter there isnt any degradation in optical quality. It could be that a 42mp sensor is simply too demanding a sensor for this lens or that I received back to back duds; in any event, Im giving up on it and will be trying the samyang 14mm xp.
I was in to purchase a 15mm, 2.8 Laowa Venus Lens, a wide lens to landscape and taking all a museum piece from a small distance. I have researched the Laowa Venus 15mm 2.8 lens for my Sony a7iii. It seemed the right choice. The counter salesman (very helpful and awesome attendant) got out from his desk computer a lens that seemed my choice but was a 100 bucks more pricey. Well that seemed wrong, but ... which one was that (?) a Laowa 12 mm 2.8 ? Hey, wait, more aperture for a 100 bucks more. Well it's...a good idea, isn't it? So I took it with in. And ... I just enjoyed it (another positive point to you, counter guy).My Best pictures , ever, of: The Metropolitan Museum (The Met),The Brooklin Bridge, The Atlas Statue at the Rockefeller Center, wow, and many more, ... MoreI was in to purchase a 15mm, 2.8 Laowa Venus Lens, a wide lens to landscape and taking all a museum piece from a small distance. I have researched the Laowa Venus 15mm 2.8 lens for my Sony a7iii. It seemed the right choice. The counter salesman (very helpful and awesome attendant) got out from his desk computer a lens that seemed my choice but was a 100 bucks more pricey. Well that seemed wrong, but ... which one was that (?) a Laowa 12 mm 2.8 ? Hey, wait, more aperture for a 100 bucks more. Well it's...a good idea, isn't it? So I took it with in. And ... I just enjoyed it (another positive point to you, counter guy).My Best pictures , ever, of: The Metropolitan Museum (The Met),The Brooklin Bridge, The Atlas Statue at the Rockefeller Center, wow, and many more, within great quality, a good amount of lighting in, and minimum distortortion.Believe me, if you want an full frame E mount (FE) wide angle this is it : this is the right choice.----about the author: advanced amateur photographer and B&H addicted.
The Laowa is exceptionally sharp in most of the picture with the corners falling off at big apertures. Corners get much better at F8.. This is my second copy (first was blurry in corners). I originally reported blurry corners in my 2nd lens review. Laowa saw my original review and emailed questions to diagnose the lens. I learned from them that corners far out of the plane of focus (90 degrees off-or right angles) will show sharpness fall off and this is common with very wide lenses. To summarize: Do not expect the bottom of your shot, such as your feet, to be in focus when farther objects (like buildings) are clear, even if the depth of field scales show it should be in focus. The Laowa renders straight lines and little distortion as long as the camera is level. ... MoreThe Laowa is exceptionally sharp in most of the picture with the corners falling off at big apertures. Corners get much better at F8.. This is my second copy (first was blurry in corners). I originally reported blurry corners in my 2nd lens review. Laowa saw my original review and emailed questions to diagnose the lens. I learned from them that corners far out of the plane of focus (90 degrees off-or right angles) will show sharpness fall off and this is common with very wide lenses. To summarize: Do not expect the bottom of your shot, such as your feet, to be in focus when farther objects (like buildings) are clear, even if the depth of field scales show it should be in focus. The Laowa renders straight lines and little distortion as long as the camera is level. You will still get stretching of the sides of the image, common to all wide lenses.Vignetting is strong wide open, them gets better a few stops down. Remember, this is a manual lens with no info given to the camera. Auto corrections will not work and must be manually done.Build seems very good...In addition to the removable lens shade, a permanent one sticks out 1 mm farther than the lens to protect the lens from scratches. To summarize, this will be a fun lens when extreme wide angle is required. I can imagine uses for interior architecture and landscape.
Although I've had the lens for several weeks, I hadn't really road tested it till yesterday. I am very pleased with the results. It is extremely sharp edge to edge at F11, which is the only aperture tried. There is a bit of a learning curve because it is fully manual and there are no electronic connections to my 5D MK4. It also has some quirks that are to be expected with an ultra wide angle. For shooting big wide landscapes it is fantastic. For people not such a good idea.To be more specific.Good stuff1. Beautiful color and sharpness.2. Very little distortion if held level.3. Incredible way to capture a breathtaking wide view.4. Because of the incredible angle of view it's virtually impossible not to have everything in focus if you use F11 and set the ... MoreAlthough I've had the lens for several weeks, I hadn't really road tested it till yesterday. I am very pleased with the results. It is extremely sharp edge to edge at F11, which is the only aperture tried. There is a bit of a learning curve because it is fully manual and there are no electronic connections to my 5D MK4. It also has some quirks that are to be expected with an ultra wide angle. For shooting big wide landscapes it is fantastic. For people not such a good idea.To be more specific.Good stuff1. Beautiful color and sharpness.2. Very little distortion if held level.3. Incredible way to capture a breathtaking wide view.4. Because of the incredible angle of view it's virtually impossible not to have everything in focus if you use F11 and set the distance at infinity.Not so good stuff1. Extreme distortion of verticals if not held level.2. Although the manufacturer says you should be able to get an accurate exposure using aperture priority, I didn't find that to be the case. On the other hand, it took no time to figure out the right exposure settings.3. I could not get my EOS R shutter to activate no matter what I did. I used the ring adapter, which works fine with my Canon lenses,, and I also think with Zeiss.I am uploading two shots. The first is a shot of a fire going on now at Cedar Breaks National Monument. The second is a photo of my wife and me taken by a person at the view spot. Quite obviously he tilted the camera body. I can assure everyone that my wife and I are not 10 feet tall and 1 foot wide. Also note the converging verticals in the railing. No editing done on either.Net, net is that I am thrilled with the lens and would recommend it highly. Build grade also seems very good.
| Focal Length | 12mm |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f/22 |
| Lens Mount | Leica L |
| Lens Format Coverage | Full-Frame |
