Laowa 10mm f/2.8
130º Full-Frame Autofocus Ultra-Ultrawide
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
Venus Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8, Nikon Z Mount (metal 77mm filter thread, 15.9 oz./450g, 0.4'/0.12m close focus, $799). bigger. It comes in autofocus mounts for Nikon Z and for Sony. It also comes in mounts for Canon RF and for LEICA L, but those are only in primitive non-electronic manual-focus mounts. I'd get it at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
February 2024 Better Pictures Canon Nikon Sony Fuji OM SYSTEM LEICA Zeiss HASSELBLAD All Reviews
Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
More samples throughout this review at Falloff and Sunstars.
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as BASIC ★ JPGs; no tripods, NORMAL or FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed.
BJ's Pizzeria, Chicago, 11:40 AM, Thursday, 04 January 2024. Nikon Zf, Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8, f/8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0 ), Radiant Photo software. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP 5 MB JPG file.
BJ's Pizzeria, Chicago, 11:42 AM, Thursday, 04 January 2024. Nikon Zf, Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8, f/2.8 handheld at 1/10 at Auto ISO 360 (LV 4.44), Radiant Photo software. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP 4.3 MB JPG file.
Costco, 1:40 PM, Thursday, 04 January 2024. Nikon Zf, Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8, f/2.8 at 1/30 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 7.9 ), Radiant Photo software. bigger or camera-original © 24 MP 5.4 MB JPG file.
No distortion!
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
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This is a very-well made domestic Chinese ultra-ultra wide autofocus lens with surprisingly good optics as off-brands go. It performs very well, assuming its software works properly with whatever camera you have.
It's reasonably sharp, especially considering that it's the most insanely wide lens I've ever shot on Nikon. It takes normal 77mm filters. As an autofocus lens it has full communication with the camera, and it's so well made it's unlike anything I've ever seen from the domestic Chinese lens companies. If it said ZEISS T✻ ULTRA-DISTAGON 10/2,8 I'd believe it.
It's all metal: not only the barrel and mount, but even the hood and the AF/MF switch are metal as they should be. Even LEICA M Lenses today have more plastic on them.
It comes in autofocus mounts for Nikon Z and for Sony. It also comes in mounts for Canon RF and for LEICA L, but those are only in primitive non-electronic manual-focus mounts.
I'd get it at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
New intro top
First Full Frame Autofocus fixed 10mm lens of which I know. (Canon makes a full-frame RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM.)
First autofocus lens from Laowa.
Good intro top
If AF works on your camera, it works and communicates well.
Solid all metal construction.
Very good optics:
Very sharp and
No visible distortion.
AF/MF switch.
Bad intro top
Nothing, other than not being a camera-brand lens and there there is never any guarantee that it will work with newer camera models in the future.
Missing intro top
No 
AF 10mm f/2.8. bigger.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
I'd get my 10mm f/2.8 at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
AF 10mm f/2.8. bigger.
Optics specifications top
Internal Optical Construction.
15 elements in 9 groups.
3 ED elements: magic Extra-low Dispersion glass for reduced axial secondary chromatic aberration.
2 aspherical elements.
6 ultra-high refractive index elements.
Magic front coating.
Diaphragm specifications top
Venus Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8 at f/2.8 (blades not seen). bigger.
5 straight blades.
Electronically actuated.
Stops down to f/22.
Filters specifications top
Metal 77mm filter thread.
Angle of View specifications top
130.4º diagonal on full-frame.
Focus Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infinity Focus Stop specifications top
No.
You have to focus somehow to get precise focus at infinity, just like at every other distance.
Depth of Field Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infrared Focus Index specifications top
No.
Close Focus (distance from subject to image plane) specifications top
0.4 feet (0.12 meters).
Image Stabilizer specifications top
None.
Caps specifications top
Standard 77mm front cap.
Hood specifications top
Comes with a metal hood with plastic mating surface.
Size specifications top
3.23" ø maximum diameter × 2.79" extension from flange.
82 mm ø maximum diameter × 70.8 mm extension from flange.
Weight specifications top
15.9 oz./450g,
Quality specifications top
Made in China.
Announced specifications top
20 February 2024.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
February 2024
$799 in autofocus mounts for Nikon Z and for Sony. It also comes in mounts for Canon RF and for LEICA L, but those are only in primitive non-electronic manual-focus mounts — all for the same price 😡.
AF 10mm f/2.8. bigger.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Distortion
Ergonomics Falloff Flare & Ghosts Mechanics
Sharpness Sunstars Weather Sealing
I'd get my 10mm f/2.8 at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Overall performance top
I'm very impressed by this all-metal lens that does things that no Nikon or Sony lens can do. Ha!
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is fine, if it works with your camera.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focusing is entirely electronic in the autofocus versions; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Manual focus is mechanical in the manual-focus-only lenses.
Distortion performance top
It miraculously has no visible distortion
For more critical scientific use use a correction factor of +1.0 in Photoshop's lens distortion filter.
Ergonomics performance top
|
|
AF 10mm f/2.8. bigger. |
AF 10mm f/2.8. bigger. |
It's a chubby lens, and otherwise it has but one big focus ring and that's it.
Falloff performance top
It has some falloff which usually improves the wide-angle effect.
I've greatly exaggerated it here by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, Nikon Zf, correction at its default of NORMAL:
© 2024 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Falloff on full-frame at infinity, Nikon Zf, correction turned OFF:
© 2024 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Flare & Ghosts performance top
Flare and ghosts are very well controlled.
See examples at Sunstars.
Mechanical Quality performance top
Venus Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8, Nikon Z mount. bigger.
It's all alloy, even more so than LEICA's M lenses.
Finish
Anodized aluminum.
Hood
Solid alloy with plastic mating surface.
Front Bumper
None.
Filter Threads
Anodized aluminum.
Hood Bayonet Mount
Anodized aluminum.
Front Barrel Exterior
Anodized aluminum.
Focus Ring
Anodized aluminum.
AF/MF Slide Switch
Anodized aluminum.
Rear Barrel Exterior
Anodized aluminum.
Identity
Laser engraved around front of lens, also on a plate on the top of the barrel.
Dust Gasket at Mount
Yes.
Mount
Chromed metal.
Serial Number
Laser engraved in white-on-black around front of lens.
Date Code
None found.
Made in
Made in China.
Sharpness performance top
Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.
If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 or smaller at ISO 1,600 or above at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.
People worry waaaaay too much about lens sharpness. It's not 1968 anymore when lenses often weren't that sharp and there could be significant differences among them; ever since about 2010 all new lenses are all pretty much equally fantastic.
This lens is surprisingly sharp corner-to corner, with regions of less sharpness. All lenses are limited by diffraction at the smallest apertures. Avoid f/22 and unless you really need it for extreme depth of field because diffraction takes its toll. See also How to Calculate the Sharpest Aperture.
Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8 MTF.
Sunstars performance top
With a straight 5-bladed diaphragm, I get pretty good 10-pointed sunstars on brilliant points at most apertures other than f/2.8.
Click any to enlarge:
Click any to enlarge.
Weather Sealing performance top
This lens claims no weather sealing. Neither does any LEICA M lens, nor did anything other than dedicated underwater cameras claim this up until a few years ago. "Weather sealing" is mostly a marketing feature to get you to pay more for more expensive lenses.
People have worried way too much about this ever since camera companies started FUD campaigns to make us think that our gear will melt unless it has weather sealing. How do you think we shot in the rain for the first 190 years of photography?
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Performance Recommendations
I'd get my 10mm f/2.8 at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This is easy: if you need the widest possible practical (autofocus) lens for for Nikon Z or for Sony, get this. Neither Nikon nor Sony make anything this wide, and this is the only autofocus lens for these cameras this wide. Not that you need autofocus, but we do need data communication so we can shoot quickly, and other Chinese and Korean domestic off-brand lenses are primitive manual focus with no data communication, which blows us back to the 1940s in terms of convenience.
Be sure you know How to Use Ultrawide Lenses. Very few people do; ultrawides are for getting closer and exaggerating space, angles and near-far relationships, not for "getting it all in."
I'd pass for Canon RF or for LEICA L, for which this lens is sadly only manual focus with zero data communication, and there are also much better alternatives. For Canon there is the far superior Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM. LEICA is a luxury brand, so it's plum crazy to soil a LEICA with a cheap lens.
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap (exactly like an iPhone) so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.
The best protective filter is the 77mm Hoya multicoated HD3 UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.
For less money, the the B+W multicoated 010 MRC is an excellent filter, as is the 77mm Nikon Clear (NC - UV) and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.
Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt, and will outlast this lens.
All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. Since filters last a lifetime or more, there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 40 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s!
Keep your filter clean. This lens has such huge depth of field that you will see any fingerprints as dark patches in the sky, and dirt and pits may be well-enough in focus to mar your images, especially if light is shining on the filter.
I'd get my 10mm f/2.8 at B&H or at at Adorama (each page has options for the different mounts), or get it used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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