Would appreciate insights from people who have experience with these two lenses - these seem to be the two best choices for RF at the moment for aurora. (Laowa 15 f2, Sigma 14 1.8).
What would you choose? The Sigma is heavy so if it's the same quality, I'd rather get the lighter one.
I think this is a tough one (commenting only in theory here out of personal interest):
There's nothing wrong with the Laowa from what I can tell, but you'll obviously want some dedicated astro feedback. Being fully mechanical isn't going to be a problem for this kind of photography and might be an advantage instead.
On the other hand, the Sigma brings automatic everything, and that could be a plus for other usecases. As you state though it's massive and heavy, whereas the Laowa is small enough to take 72mm filters.
Final thought - I can't find the Sigma new on sale for EF mount in the US, only for L mount, so it's difficult to compare prices, but the Sigma appears to go for about three times the price of the Laowa at MSRP (though only two times the price right now on sale for L mount).
I would also consider the Canon 20/1.4. I have the Sigma and Canon and I find the Canon 20 to be amazing for stars (never tried both for aurora, only the 20, and it was lovely.)
Yeah I'm considering the 20 but most people say to get something wider for Aurora. I'm sure Canon will eventually have a 14 VCM but until then....what to do? Must confess I'm pretty jealous of the Sony options.
I’ve used both and they’re actually pretty different in practice. The Sigma 14mm f/1.8 is optically excellent for aurora, very sharp wide open, great contrast and noticeably better coma control in the corners, which matters a lot when the lights are active and you’re shooting fast. The downside is exactly what you mentioned it’s big and heavy and that’s something you really feel if you’re hiking or traveling specifically for aurora.
The Laowa 15mm f/2 is a solid lighter alternative and much easier to live with, especially if weight matters. It’s sharp in the center and perfectly usable for aurora, but the corners aren’t quite as clean wide open and you’ll usually want to stop down a touch if possible. If ultimate image quality is the priority, I’d pick the Sigma every time; if portability and simplicity matter more and you’re okay with slightly softer corners, the Laowa makes a lot of sense.
ThanksRoadRnrA. What do you think about the 20 VCM? Were there a lot of times you would miss big parts of the aurora using a 20? (I'm ok trading off foreground if that is the main compromise). Thank you!
A lot depends on what kind of aurora you are seeing. In many cases it stays closer to the ground, in which case 20-24mm (I have the 24mm VCM which is also excellent) can provide a better composition and better emphasize the light. If you have aurora filling the sky, then you'll want the 14mm.
If I was making an aurora trip, I would bring lenses that cover both focal lengths. I actually used the RF 15-35 f/2.8 for almost all of my shots in Lofoten in 2024. I did bring the Sigma 14 also though...
