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Venus Optics has continued to broaden on an already in depth record of ultra-wide-angle lenses with the addition of the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer for full-frame mirrorless programs. The place many ultra-wide lenses will be huge, cumbersome, and extremely dear, this new “gradual” lens turns into much more spectacular with its comparatively small $649 value. Whereas the entry-level inexpensive lens is accessible for Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, and Leica M (for $50 extra) mounts, is it actually a “dream” to make use of? The brand new $649 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer is a completely handbook lens (Like a lot of the different lenses from Venus Optics) that includes a fastened f/5.6 aperture and an all-metal physique that, in complete, weighs solely about 500 grams. Along with it being one of many extra inexpensive ultra-wide angles lenses available on the market — it’s practically half the worth of most of its own-brand rivals — it boasts a distortion-free optical design that frees you from having to use a lens profile to your photos throughout post-processing. Most different 12-24mm ultra-wide-angle lenses come within the “quick” f/2.8 fashion, which frequently makes them bigger, heavier, and much more costly. Taking this into consideration, the slower f/5.6 lens from Laowa begins to make much more sense since when most individuals shoot with an ultra-wide lens they’ll cease down for a deeper depth of area anyway. Design and Construct High quality Regardless of the decrease value of the lens, the standard of the development of the 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer appears to be like and appears like it’s price much more. The small and dense design provides it a really high-quality really feel even when it’s not significantly quick.
The aperture ring includes a “clicking” design with stops that vary from f/5.6 to f/22 with a really small below 30-degree rotation that ensures you received’t expertise any aperture drifting whereas making zoom or focus changes. Conversely, the zoom and focus rings are clean with no click-stops alongside their respective rotations, however they’re stiff sufficient to not have to fret about them drifting when positioned at odd angles. The main target ring has a protracted journey that enables for very detailed distance markings The lens cap can be absolutely steel and locks into place securely to make sure it doesn’t fall off in transit. There’s additionally a non-traditional lens hood constructed into the physique of the optic that may enable you to keep away from damaging or scratching the glass component while you place the lens on a flat floor. The rear of the lens includes a stable steel mount with the lens parts additionally protected against injury when inserting flat on a floor.
Laowa does embody a small exterior filter ring/lens hood that gives a normal 77mm filter thread so you possibly can connect quite a lot of filters with out having to buy further step-up rings. The small kind issue and light-weight design make it straightforward to pack and journey with, however try to be conscious that the lens just isn’t weather-sealed, so remember to take that in thoughts when heading out into the weather with it and convey correct safety. Dealing with and Efficiency One thing good about ultra-wide-angle lenses is that they have an inclination to have the ability to focus extraordinarily near topics. The Venus Optics Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer isn’t any exception on this entrance with a minimal focus distance of nearly one inch from the entrance of the lens. This implies with some further lighting it’s even doable to deal with this broad angle as pesudo macro lens.
Moreover, the brand new lens provides a little bit of a welcome change to the boring and tender solar stars that most of the current lenses I’ve examined have produced with some impressively sharp ten-pointed star patterns. The draw back nonetheless, is when taking pictures broad open the lens does appear to lose lots of distinction. This is likely to be the place the corporate got here up with the “dreamer” identify since it may be somewhat softer than one would love at that aperture. Stopping down somewhat (f/11 to f/16) appears to to repair this challenge and handles the distinction so much higher whereas nonetheless offering some incredible-looking sunstars.
Being a handbook lens, you’ll have to belief the main target distance markers (tough at greatest) or leverage your digicam system’s focus-peaking instruments to make sure they get a pointy picture, however this may be difficult in shiny out of doors positions when taking pictures shallow and nearer up objects and infrequently occasions (since I’m a glasses wearer and need to put lots of religion within the autofocus/peaking programs) it wasn’t completely correct, leaving me with many throwaway barely out of focus photographs. Whereas the lens was principally distortion-free on the widest settings, there was nonetheless a considerable amount of vignetting, ghosting, and fall-off alongside the perimeters with regard to sharpness alongside the perimeters. Once more, stepping down cleans this up somewhat, however it’s a little disappointing. From testing the distortion, whereas slight, cleans up while you shoot across the 14-15mm mark after which when you get previous the 18mm mark there’s a slight pincushion kind distortion. None of this can be a dealbreaker and have been all surprisingly straightforward to appropriate in Adobe Lightroom.
Moreover, there’s a slight inexperienced shade solid current when taking pictures on the broad finish of issues as seen within the “macro” photos above and some of the opposite samples right here. For probably the most half, that is simply cleaned up in submit with a white steadiness adjustment, however nonetheless price being conscious of as one thing that wants addressing as soon as again on the pc. Utilizing filters on the lens works easily with no points so long as the filters are tailored 77mm and used along with the supplied filter ring/lens hood. In the event you occur to make use of a step-up ring to make use of bigger filters or sq. programs, when taking pictures broad at 12mm you’ll nearly at all times see the filters within the corners of the shot. If that is within the playing cards for you, remember to simply zoom in somewhat bit to say 14mm or 15mm and issues needs to be okay.
General, the lens is sharpest throughout at in regards to the f/8 to f/11 vary and that is fairly constant from 12mm to 24mm which is a fairly large enchancment from the opposite broad angle lenses from Laowa which beforehand have been greatest performing on the widest area of view. Sadly although, the corners nonetheless are inclined to fall off noticeably throughout the board. Chromatic aberration could be very minimal within the corners of this lens, but there will be some flare-ups close to the middle of the body in sure conditions. It’s nothing big although and could be very simply corrected in submit. Stopping all the way down to f/8 or f/11 helps clear this up fairly considerably as nicely. Nonetheless although, sharpness general dissatisfied me. Lastly, since that is a wholly handbook lens with no electrical parts in-built, try to be conscious that there will probably be no EXIF information transmitted to the digicam. For many customers this shouldn’t be a lot of a problem, however for individuals like myself who do lots of testing and have to hold monitor of the f-stop and focal ranges, it may get slightly irritating to observe. Somewaht Helpful, however Not So Dreamy Whereas the lens is beneficial and inexpensive, it isn’t the sharpest of lenses, leaving me feeling prefer it wasn’t a lot of an precise “dream” to make use of. Very like the “cookie” lens I reviewed lately, there are positively use case eventualities for this lens, however I didn’t actually discover a lot pleasure in bringing it out to shoot with in comparison with lots of my different lenses.
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 C-Dreamer will get some factors for a way inexpensive it’s and it may present some attention-grabbing and enjoyable photos, however past the low value, you’ll most probably spend most of your time with this lens dwelling within the f/8 to f/11 vary to get probably the most out of it, and that feels fairly limiting for a lens that’s already quickest at f/5.6. I believe if Laowa was to enhance the design by making it sharper wide-open whereas additionally offering some electrical connections to permit for the transmission of EXIF information it might be way more interesting, even when the worth needed to transfer up somewhat bit to accommodate the enhancements. As is, it feels area of interest. Are There Alternate options? The excellent news is there are fairly a couple of various choices for the ultra-wide angle lenses for mirrorless programs on the market, and a few are even near the identical value as the brand new Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6. These embody the $699 Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 C-Dreamer FE and the $899 Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL. Moreover you possibly can nab the $1,299 Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Artwork DG DN or in case you are prepared to leap up a good bit, the $2,998 Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 , the $2,497 Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 or the $2,299 Canon RF 14-35mm f/2.8 are all stable choices for his or her respective mounts. Ought to You Purchase It? Most likely not. In the event you want an ultra-wide angle lens on your equipment and might’t justify paying $1,500 to $3,000 one of many bigger f/2.8 ultra-wide choices with autofocus, then I might see it. In any other case, this lens in all probability isn’t for you.
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