My friend and I was discussing this lens vs the new Sigma 10-18/2.8. In our research we noticed one fact that very few seems to mention. Sigma's lens is actually heavily distorted and it didn't appear so thanks to in camera correction. If mounted on a body without correction, you would have to correct in post. whereas this lens achieved it optically, which is a marvel by itself.
Like the 18-50. In camera corrections hide a multitude of sins and comprises with that one. Which leads to a hot mess if you do make use of the minimum focus distance at 18mm. My last Laowa Chinese ultrawide was a 7.5mm f2. Built like a tank but dealing with the CA and colour cast in most images in post was a pain. Biggest issue with this lens is the price, though.
Nothing wrong with using software corrections. They allow for a physically smaller lens. Both Sigma f/2.8 zooms would've been impossible to make this small without them relying on corrections.
Goddamn! For years I begged for something like this. Finally someone made an ultra wide lens for apsc because FF is still goddamn heavy for lugging gear around when doing urban and landscape work.
Tbh I'm just happy that there's a company still willing to give the EF-M mount some love. I love the compact nature of the system and wish Canon hadn't basically canned it 😔
The flaws on this lens are so minor I feel you would never notice them in day to day shooting. Vignetting doesn't seem very severe, and is the easiest thing to correct, and the CA is only in the extreme corner, and also correctable. The distortion I think is the only issue since it's not even throughout the frame, but it's so minor, and that's correctable too. For such a wide lens these all seem totally reasonable. Is this the widest rectilinear APS-C lens available?
Good question! I was pretty close to the test chart here. However, with lenses like this, I always check infinity test pictures to make sure there's no real difference. If a lens is sharper at infinity, I will report it in the review.
@@christopherfrost Thanks for taking the time to reply. Would be interesting to see how software corrections, once available, will improve CAs, vignetting and distortion.
And once again a terrific video from you! Thank you so much! I also love your voice. Slow. Calm. Clear and distinct. Sympathetic. Makes it much easier for us "Gerries" to understand everything. Keep it up! You had tested the Laowa 9mm a few years ago. Because of your video I bought it for my EOS M6 MK2 and I am thrilled. How would you compare this zoom lens to the fixed focal length? Is it worth changing to the Laowa zoom (I also have the native Canon 11-22mm and the Sigma 16mm) or is the Laowa fixed focal length better in terms of image quality?
Hey Chris. Love your reviews. Factual and no BS. Will you be reviewing the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 di iii g2 vxd? Reviews on this lens are strangely absent on YT. Thanks.
I wish a lens maker made an ultra wide pancake with 0.5x magnification or more at like 12mm or less aps-c, not sure if this market is just too niche or if there are physical difficulties with creating such optics.
In my opinion, the Laowa 8-16 lens has a very nice sunlight effect, but is the 86 filter diameter too much? Why not make it smaller, but 86? Can I use rounding down to filter smaller than 86?
Tho, I would rather see sony bring the manual lens distortion correction to e mount cameras. 4mm laowa fisheye would make awesome shots, sharp only in the center, but that width. And price 250 euro or less for other fisheye lens.
Hello Christopher. Thank you for the review. Do you know if this lens is the sharpest ultra wide zoom option for Canon R7 at the moment? I intend to use for real estate. Stopped to f8. 10mm mainly. Autofocus does not matter either. Thank you
0:11 another lens without EXIF. How am I suppose to apply profiles to correct distortion or vignetting and make IBIS work? Way too much effort to cheap out for this incomplete lens. I can tolerate a prime lens without EXIF, but a zoom wide angle without EXIF is a big red flag.
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Despite some minor optical flaws we can really thank Laowa for providing very unique affordable lenses that are really nice for the price.
For a 12-24 FF equivalent lens, the absence of a bulbous front element is an accomplishment already.
My friend and I was discussing this lens vs the new Sigma 10-18/2.8. In our research we noticed one fact that very few seems to mention. Sigma's lens is actually heavily distorted and it didn't appear so thanks to in camera correction. If mounted on a body without correction, you would have to correct in post. whereas this lens achieved it optically, which is a marvel by itself.
Like the 18-50. In camera corrections hide a multitude of sins and comprises with that one. Which leads to a hot mess if you do make use of the minimum focus distance at 18mm.
My last Laowa Chinese ultrawide was a 7.5mm f2. Built like a tank but dealing with the CA and colour cast in most images in post was a pain.
Biggest issue with this lens is the price, though.
Nothing wrong with using software corrections. They allow for a physically smaller lens. Both Sigma f/2.8 zooms would've been impossible to make this small without them relying on corrections.
Wow EF-M caught me off guard. I dont remember the last time Chris reviewed a new lens being offered on the system
rip efm
Goddamn! For years I begged for something like this. Finally someone made an ultra wide lens for apsc because FF is still goddamn heavy for lugging gear around when doing urban and landscape work.
Tbh I'm just happy that there's a company still willing to give the EF-M mount some love. I love the compact nature of the system and wish Canon hadn't basically canned it 😔
Interesting lens, though I feel for a slightly higher price, the Sigma 10-18mm is a much better proposition.
The flaws on this lens are so minor I feel you would never notice them in day to day shooting. Vignetting doesn't seem very severe, and is the easiest thing to correct, and the CA is only in the extreme corner, and also correctable. The distortion I think is the only issue since it's not even throughout the frame, but it's so minor, and that's correctable too. For such a wide lens these all seem totally reasonable. Is this the widest rectilinear APS-C lens available?
Sony Apsc mount is truly the best in the world! We are so spoiled! 😊
Apparently, third party manufacturers only covers 3 mounts lately :/
...and I amazed that your sony A5100 really lives beyond its age 😊
Yeah it seems like this could be used on MFT
Being 100% manual and a bit expensive, I'd hoped for a better performance.
Chris, how close were you to the test chart at 8mm? Does image quality improve once you're focused closer to infinity?
Good question! I was pretty close to the test chart here. However, with lenses like this, I always check infinity test pictures to make sure there's no real difference. If a lens is sharper at infinity, I will report it in the review.
@@christopherfrost Thanks for taking the time to reply. Would be interesting to see how software corrections, once available, will improve CAs, vignetting and distortion.
And once again a terrific video from you!
Thank you so much!
I also love your voice.
Slow. Calm. Clear and distinct. Sympathetic.
Makes it much easier for us "Gerries" to understand everything.
Keep it up!
You had tested the Laowa 9mm a few years ago. Because of your video I bought it for my EOS M6 MK2 and I am thrilled.
How would you compare this zoom lens to the fixed focal length?
Is it worth changing to the Laowa zoom (I also have the native Canon 11-22mm and the Sigma 16mm) or is the Laowa fixed focal length better in terms of image quality?
Shwmae, I have the Laowa 9mm on my Sony a6600 after watching your review, it's an excellent lens for architecture.
Would've been nice to see it in full-frame mode also Chris!
Can’t wait to see your XF 8mm f/3.5 review
Manufacturers are limiting the APS-C format on all sides; there should be more such lenses and they should have autofocus.
Hey Chris. Love your reviews. Factual and no BS.
Will you be reviewing the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 di iii g2 vxd? Reviews on this lens are strangely absent on YT.
Thanks.
I wish a lens maker made an ultra wide pancake with 0.5x magnification or more at like 12mm or less aps-c, not sure if this market is just too niche or if there are physical difficulties with creating such optics.
Finally the lens I wanted 8-16
Less expensive and manual focus version of XF 8-16mm f/2.8?
How would this compare to the Sigma 8-16mm that you gave a great review back in the day.
This lens should’ve been tested on a Fuji XT5/XH2 to see how the 40MP pushes the limits
In my opinion, the Laowa 8-16 lens has a very nice sunlight effect, but is the 86 filter diameter too much? Why not make it smaller, but 86? Can I use rounding down to filter smaller than 86?
I prefer pin cushion distortion as I am slightly overweight!
Don't work as model, take the camera and shoot the models of your weight class preference ;-)
Sigma A mount I think it was, 8-16mm, super old lens with AF. This one will be light and sharp tho.
Nice lens!!
Tho, I would rather see sony bring the manual lens distortion correction to e mount cameras. 4mm laowa fisheye would make awesome shots, sharp only in the center, but that width. And price 250 euro or less for other fisheye lens.
Is the Sigma 8-16mm quite a bit sharper?
Hello Christopher. Thank you for the review. Do you know if this lens is the sharpest ultra wide zoom option for Canon R7 at the moment? I intend to use for real estate. Stopped to f8. 10mm mainly. Autofocus does not matter either. Thank you
I wonder if the Sigma 8-16mm, with an adapter, would be sharper.
Chris, please do a comparison with the Sigma 8-16 mm
thanks for great sharing 😍😍
New sigma seems gives you more bang than this. Almost similar price range but with AF and better IQ even with in camera correction.
You only show the distortion at the ends of the focal range, why not show how the distortion pattern changes wile you zoom in or out?
It's a shame that shooting video in crop on my A7ii looks so much worse than uncropped mode or this would have been a very cool option to have =D
Unfortunately it costs around 679€ here, which is about double the price I would expect.
sad how they made an option for ef-m but not mft
0:11 another lens without EXIF. How am I suppose to apply profiles to correct distortion or vignetting and make IBIS work? Way too much effort to cheap out for this incomplete lens. I can tolerate a prime lens without EXIF, but a zoom wide angle without EXIF is a big red flag.
Sigma 10-18 without any doubt!
Uncle: “Everyone get together closer!”
Me: Moving closer to group.
Uncle: “Why are you so close?!!”
Me: 😑
Just buy a samsung mini with an 8 mm lens
Yay First!
Llongyfarchiadau!
@@christopherfrostThank you! Lovely review 😍
550 for a manual focus, apsc Chinese lens? It's not even great. Bonkers.
Second 😂
LAOWA = SOFT CORNERS
500$ trash
One more crappy lens from Laowa. BTW, thanks for the great video as usual.