@BastianK at Phillipreeve.net just posted a review on the just released Laowa 11mm f/4.5 lens. ($699)
Specifications:
Diameter: 63.5 mm
Field of view: 126° (diagonally)
Length: 58 mm
Weight: 254g
Filter Diameter: 62 mm
Number of Aperture Blades: 5 (straight)
Elements/Groups: 14/10
Close Focusing Distance: 0.19 m
Maximum Magnification: 1:10
Mount: Sony E, Leica M and Nikon Z
Here is an excerpt:
"This 11mm is the widest lens with a normal filter thread. This is a clear benefit over the Voigtlander 10mm 5.6, 12mm 5.6 and the Laowa 9mm 5.6 as it makes using a polarizer (which I used for many of the sample images) easy and convenient, but unfortunately the non removable lens hood makes using a generic filter system impossible.
The overall optical performance is similar to the Laowa 9mm 5.6 and the Voigtlander 12mm 5.6 at shared apertures and slightly better than Voigtlander 10mm 5.6, compared to the Voigtlander lenses you are not getting electronic contacts and exif readout here though.
All in all a very solid ultra wide angle lens and an interesting alternative to Voigtlander’s 10mm and 12mm offerings"
Fred, reading your site and all your reviews definitely costs me way too much money!
With all the restraint I could possibly muster, I held back on ordering the Sony GM 12-24mm f2.8 (for now), but I definitely need this 254g gem for travel to compliment my GM 16-35, instead of my larger 609g Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D.
This little Laowa even takes 62mm screw-in front filters!
InFocus2014 wrote:
Fred, reading your site and all your reviews definitely costs me way too much money!
With all the restraint I could possibly muster, I held back on ordering the Sony GM 12-24mm f2.8 (for now), but I definitely need this 254g gem for travel to compliment my GM 16-35, instead of my larger 609g Laowa 12mm f2.8 Zero-D.
This little Laowa even takes 62mm screw-in front filters!
Jeff
It also caught my attention Jeff. I own the Voigtlander 12/5.6 III and I'm curious how the new Laowa 11/4.5 compares to it.
Similar flare resistance? Same amount of astigmatism? Lower lateral CA? The Voigtlander is unfortunately discontinued.
It still puzzles me why Laowa didn’t include any electronic contacts that would enable exif transmissions. Just charge a little more for that feature... , although it shouldn’t be that much more.
AGeoJO wrote:
It still puzzles me why Laowa didn’t include any electronic contacts that would enable exif transmissions. Just charge a little more for that feature... , although it shouldn’t be that much more.
Yes, these days there is no excuse for not have CPU contacts for a FE mount lens.
Aug 28, 2020 at 11:59 AM
Steve Spencer Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
GMPhotography wrote:
Like to test this for sure. Maybe I will sell my CV 15 with petals cut off and go 11 and 21instead. Funny im all setup for 62mm filters too
Samples look pretty good too
Guy, keep in mind they also have a 14 f/4 coming in this series of lenses. The 9 f/5.6, 11 f/4.5, and 14 f/4 give us some really interesting new ultra wide choices.
As I have read elsewhere everything is dandy with this compact lens except for, expected, vignetting which doesn’t lessen by stopping down. Otherwise, this seems to be a fine travel lens which when compared to the wide end of the Canon 12-24 (or 12-24 Sony?) is a substantial bargain.
The Voigtlander 10 and 12 have much better flare resistance, less corner color casts, and overall better IQ in my opinion - especially color/contrast across the frame. Not to mention electronic contacts to the camera and classic Voigtlander ergonomics that match my CV 21 and 40.
The Sony 12-24/4 I had was sharper at 12mm in the corners but the pictures lacked the great color and contrast of the VC12. I have never looked at any of my Voigtlander 12 shots and wished they were sharper in the corners on my A7R2/3. I just recently got the 10, but am surprised how sharp it also is across the frame. I seem to get better results from my CV 10/12's than Bastian reports. I would only consider the Laowa 11 if I needed to use filters, but I never use them at that focal length. I keep the A7R2 for the SR app that I can use with any lens.
pdmphoto wrote:
The Voigtlander 10 and 12 have much better flare resistance, less corner color casts, and overall better IQ in my opinion - especially color/contrast across the frame. Not to mention electronic contacts to the camera and classic Voigtlander ergonomics that match my CV 21 and 40.
The Sony 12-24/4 I had was sharper at 12mm but the pictures lacked the great color and contrast of the VC12. I have never looked at any of my Voigtlander 12 shots and wished they were sharper in the corners on my A7R2/3. I just recently got the 10, but am surprised how sharp it also is across the frame. I seem to get better results from my CV 10/12's than Bastian reports. I would only consider the Laowa 11 if I needed to use filters, but I never use them at that focal length. I keep the A7R2 for the SR app that I can use with any lens. ...Show more →
The extreme corners never match the GM even at f/8 but I am always amazed by the images it produces. (color rendering, contrast, flare resistance, sunstar definition). In real landscape images, this difference in corner resolution at 1:1 is not as apparent as it may seem.
I like the size and price, but I would like to have seen the 11 be F/4 and the 14 be F/2.8 at least. With no improvements over the Laowa 9 - which I have - I will take a pass.
That pic has the Lightroom Lens Profile, supplied by Venus Optics, applied.
I wasn't really unhappy with the distortion, but maybe I just don't see it.
I dialed back the vignette to ~75% because I think it is way over-corrected.
Yea it's bowing at the door frame and the wall art. I can try in PS see if I can fix it. Any interior type shooter wants to know if it can get straight lines
This is the original with no Lens Profile Correction.
I'm a portrait guy, so no eye for straight lines
(But even I can see some barrel in the original)
Laowa 9mm f/5.6 No Lens Profile Correction - A7iii
