p.9 #2 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
Some more . Really liking this lens . It focuses extremely close , has nice sunstars at least I like them and it is very very sharp. I also love the size the build quality and the focusing on it. I can pretty much set it to infinity which on my lens right at the infinity symbol and just shoot the dang thing. Basically i love the ease of it.
p.9 #5 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
One of the few reviews I have found of the Laowa 15mm f2 is from Chris Gampat writing as The Photoblographer. He criticizes a fairly vague aspect of build quality, writing:
"The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f2 lens is made of metal on the outside. The metal itself feels very nice and when you hold the lens, the overall build quality isn’t too bad. However, I genuinely feel like Venus Optics lenses could be a bit more solid. I’m not talking about weather sealing, I’m talking about the fact that if you shake the lens, something about it feels like the exterior is a bit loose. This isn’t the case with the company’s 15mm f4 Macro lens, which I own."
He also lists as a "Con" on the lens that when one shakes it, it feels like something is loose inside.
p.9 #8 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
I’m keeping this lens for sure. I like everything about it. I like shooting it more than anything else. Great feel to it and it’s good even at 2.8 in the corners. Hits the mark at 5.6 which I like
p.9 #9 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
I keep watching how good this lens is . . . However, I still love my ‘Son of Choppy’ Voigtlander 15 III. I got a good one and no need to change. But still, I’ll keep a 12-24G in the stable for times I need zoom flexibility in a light single lens.
p.9 #10 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
GMPhotography wrote:
Must be smoking illegal stuff.
Solid as a rock.
My only issue is a mounting symbol there really is not one but its in the middle of the declick switch . Kind of odd
This is an annoyance for me about so many lenses. I'm thinking about getting some kind of adhesive red dot to affix to my lenses so I can easily find the mount points.
p.9 #11 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
GMPhotography wrote:
I’m keeping this lens for sure. I like everything about it. I like shooting it more than anything else. Great feel to it and it’s good even at 2.8 in the corners. Hits the mark at 5.6 which I like
Ready to sell me your perfect copy of 12-24 while I am still in the return period for my good but not perfect copy?
p.9 #12 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
lightskyland wrote:
This is an annoyance for me about so many lenses. I'm thinking about getting some kind of adhesive red dot to affix to my lenses so I can easily find the mount points.
Unless there's something unique about my copy, there is a red mounting dot on the lens. It's just that the location is on the mounting ring, instead of on the body.
p.9 #14 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
billsnature wrote:
Ready to sell me your perfect copy of 12-24 while I am still in the return period for my good but not perfect copy?
Bill I sold it to a member. I know I’m crazy but honestly I like to manual focus lenses that have a lot of feel to it. I had a crazy good copy so that’s not the issue. It was more about feel . I have the Laowa 15 and I bought a Loxia 21. I’m going back to small primes down here at these focal lengths. I’m going to miss 12mm though but I gained nice sunstars. I still highly recommend the 12-24 no question.
p.9 #15 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
GMPhotography wrote:
Bill I sold it to a member. I know I’m crazy but honestly I like to manual focus lenses that have a lot of feel to it. I had a crazy good copy so that’s not the issue. It was more about feel . I have the Laowa 15 and I bought a Loxia 21. I’m going back to small primes down here at these focal lengths. I’m going to miss 12mm though but I gained nice sunstars. I still highly recommend the 12-24 no question.
Hi Guy,
Please help me figure out what I am missing. Based on all the commentary here, I got a Loawa 15mm that was delivered yesterday. While I love the smooth manual focus, I am not blown away by the IQ. At f5.6 it does not appear to be as sharp or as contrasty as the Sony 12-24 @15mm. It is good, just not quite as good as Sony. It could be that I haven't figured out how to focus it critically yet, but for my limited testing in backyard I think the Sony has more visual impact.
Am I drawing that conclusion because I am not doing sun stars, or challenging the Sony with flare? Does one need brightly colored cityscapes to really appreciate the 15mm?
The one thing it did do was make me appreciate how good my copy of 12-24 really is.
Before I send back the 15mm, tell me what I need to types of things I should shoot to appreciate its brilliance? I love the idea of screw in filters, but not sure I would keep it just for that.
p.9 #16 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
Wow you may have a bad copy. Mine is even sharp wide open on center by F4 the corners are looking really good but at 5.6 brilliant across the frame. Try some tests tommorrow Bill in some good light. Maybe upload some Raws so we can look at it
p.9 #17 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
billsnature wrote:
Hi Guy,
Please help me figure out what I am missing. Based on all the commentary here, I got a Loawa 15mm that was delivered yesterday. While I love the smooth manual focus, I am not blown away by the IQ. At f5.6 it does not appear to be as sharp or as contrasty as the Sony 12-24 @15mm. It is good, just not quite as good as Sony. It could be that I haven't figured out how to focus it critically yet, but for my limited testing in backyard I think the Sony has more visual impact.
Am I drawing that conclusion because I am not doing sun stars, or challenging the Sony with flare? Does one need brightly colored cityscapes to really appreciate the 15mm?
The one thing it did do was make me appreciate how good my copy of 12-24 really is.
Before I send back the 15mm, tell me what I need to types of things I should shoot to appreciate its brilliance? I love the idea of screw in filters, but not sure I would keep it just for that.
Bill,
15mm is the optimal focal length for the 12-24/4 zoom, therefore, even a prime lens will have a hard time beating it.
The Laowa 15/2 comes close and I would say they are very similar starting at f/4. I would not expect one lens to be much better than the other unless you have a copy of either lens not performing optimally. I've tested two Laowas (both perfectly centered) and about five 12-24/4Gs.
p.9 #20 · Laowa 15mm f/2 FE: Rolling Review and Comparisons
Hey all, I was finally able to put together my own review of this lens on an a6500. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is going to be better on APS-c than this lens on many fronts, but the Laowa still puts on a great show (likely sticking with the Laowa even if the Sigma turns out to be fantastic as I'm upgrading to full frame at some point in the future).
