This lens is currently unrivalled in the market: The Venus Optics Laowa15mm f/4 Wideangle 1:1 Macro (499) It combines an ultra-wide field of view with a very close focus ability—close enough to project objects onto the image sensor at life-size. Although it doesn't have autofocus support, this will not be an issue for many photographers.
However, the lens' wide field of vision and narrow aperture make it easy to focus. The lens isn't optically perfect—there's some barrel distortion, edges are on the soft side at wider apertures, and corners are dim compared with the center of the frame—but the unique ultra-wide macro design, and a relatively attractive price point, make this a versatile option that can create stunning images in the hands of the right photographer.
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Design
Amazon's Laowa 15mm is a compact, lightweight lens with narrow barrels and wider front elements. It costs Amazon: $499.00. It measures about 2.6 by 3.3 inches (HD) and weighs 14.4 ounces when bought for an SLR—it can be had for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, and Sony systems. Venus makes the Sony E lens, adding a few inches to its height.
Although the lens features a big front element, it isn't too bulky like ultra-wide optics. You can still use front filters up to 77mm. An included lens hood in petal style is also available. Although the hood is made of plastic, the barrel of your lens is made from metal. It has a focus ring with a knurled center and an aperture control that can be freely turned. Although photographers must be careful when setting apertures, this is an advantage for videographers who want to adjust apertures to account for changes in light.
A 15mm lens can be used to capture shots in tight places or landscapes. And while ultra-wide primes tend to have decent close focus, no others match the Laowa in capturing objects at life-size—1:1 magnification. The Laowa locks on subjects up to 4.7 inches away from the sensor so that you can concentrate on the subject closest to the front element.
You can capture pictures that look very different from what you would get using a traditional macro lens such as the Nikon AF–S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF–ED (Amazon: $556.00) It is possible to focus on tiny objects but not have them fill the entire frame. Instead of having them all in the frame you can capture the vast background. Although the focus is quite close in this shot, it's not 1:1. The photo above is from the exact same location, but it's not 1:1.
The printed focus scale is shown in meters and magnification ratio—fans of the Imperial system will have to live without having feet and inches marked on the barrel. A printed depth-of-field scale is also available. It shows marks starting at f/4 and ending at f/32, in full stop increments.
When working towards the infinity, zone focus can be used with an ultra-wide lens. However, the distance scale marks and the depth of field marks are separated by about half an inch, making it difficult to align things properly.
Shift is also supported by the lens. This means you can move it up and down 6mm. This lens is a great tool to capture architecture. It allows you to snap photos of houses without raising your tripod. You can also tilt the lens at an angle to avoid keystone distortion.
Your tripod will be 6mm higher if the lens is moved up. Full-frame photographers should be cautious when using this function. You can only shift part of your lens without moving beyond the projected image circle. But if you move all the way up to 6mm, you will get black corners. APS-C owners have full access to the shift but the view field is reduced so that it matches a prime of 22.5mm on a full frame system.
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Image quality
The Laowa 15mm was tested with the 36MP Nikon E810. Images that have at least 2,200 lines per picture are acceptable on an Imatest. evaluation. The lens scored 2,795 lines at f/4, which is a strong score with a solid center performance (2.702 lines), good quality in the middle third (2.851 lines), and softer periphery (1,338 lines).
It is not a problem for macro photos, since subjects are closer to the center, and the depth of field is shallower when working close to them. However, landscape photographers need to make sure that the lens is not used at f/4 to capture wide-angle views.
The overall score of sharpness improves to 2,981 lines at f/5.6, while edges are still weak at 1,433 line. Sharpness improves at f/8 to 3,061 lines. Edges are sharper (1,743 lines), though still on the weak side.
This lens performs at its best at f/11. The lens scores 3,134 lines in the center-weighted testing, which shows a consistent performance across most of the frame, as well as crisp edges (2,746 line). The overall score drops to 2,970 lines at f/16. However, it is not an issue up to f/22 (2.225 liens), and f/32 (1.64666 lines). While macro photographers might be tempted by narrower f-stops for increased depth of field, it is better to shoot at f/11 and f/16 with focus stacking.
Barrel distortion is present in the lens, approximately 2.5 percent, according to our test charts. This effect can be exacerbated when you focus up close. If your macro images have straight lines you will need to edit them in Lightroom ($9.99/Month, Adobe). This will help to eliminate the distortion.
Our full-frame tester found that corners and edges were noticeably darker than the middle of the frame. It's a very large difference at f/4, where corners show -4.6EV illumination compared to the center. This deficit decreases at f/5.6 (-3.55EV) or f/8 (2.9EV). At f/11 and narrower the difference is about -2.5EV—less extreme, but still noticeable. Although it is easy to lighten corners with editing software, this step will not be taken by every photographer.
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Conclusions
This optic is unrivalled by any other. The Venus Optics Laowa15mm f/4 Wideangle 1:1 Macro lens is absolutely stunning. It is rare to find an ultra-wide lens with such a close focus and shift control. The lens delivers solid center sharpness at wide apertures, and is suitable for landscape work when stopped down to f/11, so it can do more than just macros—and a relatively small, light build makes it an easy addition to your gear bag.
The ultra-wide optical design of this lens can cause barrel distortion and dimmed corners. However, a bit of editing may be able to correct these issues. The Laowa 15mm is an excellent performer and a great option for those photographers looking to capture the beauty of the natural world.