This week, I acquired to check out a model new lens from Laowa, the 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF. Numerous the perks within the lens are proper there within the title, however let’s have a better look to see if it is likely to be best for you.
First off, let’s get via the essential specs. The 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF is a full body lens. At launch, will probably be out there for the Nikon Z mount (which was the model I examined) and the Sony E mount, with plans for added mounts coming quickly. At 12mm, the lens qualifies as a fisheye, however the Zero-D a part of the identify displays the corporate’s aim to make a lens that offers you excessive width however with restricted distortion. I’ll share my ideas on that momentarily. However 12mm offers you a 122-degree area of view on a full body physique. The closest focusing distance is 14mm, and the utmost magnification is 0.021x. The filter thread dimension is 72mm, and the lens weighs a paltry 377 grams. Add to all that the top-line function that this lens additionally gives autofocus, and it appeared price trying into.
After all, deciding the best way to greatest take a look at this lens—or any lens, for that matter—is half the battle. I attempt to use merchandise in the way in which they’re probably for use by finish customers, and lots of the clear advantages of this lens, in my humble opinion, go to content material creators and gimbal fans who wish to journey mild whereas nonetheless capturing dynamic imagery. Let’s dig into what I imply.
Very first thing to know is that this lens is extraordinarily compact and very mild. I hooked up it first to a Nikon Z6III and rapidly discovered the package deal immediately moveable and straightforward to hold. If, as an example, you’re a panorama shooter and wish to pack mild when scaling the mountain to achieve the optimum location, this may very well be an enormous plus for you. However that dimension is also what motivated me to interrupt out my gimbal to see if the autofocus may sustain. It did. The compact package deal of the Z6III and the 12mm Zero-D balanced simply. Even for me, a person who has in all probability purchased extra gimbals through the years than has put any of them to precise use resulting from my hatred for the gimbal balancing course of. However I took the unit with me to the park and performed the a part of run-and-gun shooter with it mounted to my Ronin, and that mixture made once more for a lightweight and moveable setup for that sort of shooter. That’s solely enhanced by the huge 12mm lens. With the 122-degree area of view and the ability of autofocus, that is the kind of setup you may mount to a gimbal and basically let it seize the total width of a scene, even in a decent area.
That will, in fact, be the following level I’d prefer to make. The width of 12mm makes this a really helpful lens for tight interiors. Whereas I like my residence of the final 22 years, I’ll admit that the rooms in my home are a bit, shall we embrace, “tight.” To the purpose the place I very not often trouble taking pictures something at residence resulting from my lack of ability to again up far sufficient to get something past a medium shot with most lenses. However even in my home, the 12mm was sufficient to make my small rooms look downright cavernous.
Now, in fact, the added width of the lens does include some bowing on the edges (simply correctable in put up). However for 12mm, the distortion of this lens is tremendously effectively contained. However it’s nonetheless 12mm. So I don’t know that that is the lens you’d wish to use should you have been planning a collection of tight close-ups of your stunning main woman or good-looking main man. Effectively, possibly you’d should you have been going full Terry Gilliam. However for my style, I discovered principally medium photographs and wider to be the place I’d wish to dwell with this lens when taking pictures an individual. That stated, protecting your topic nearer to the middle of the body reduces many indicators of distortion if that choice is on the market.
Talking of heart framing, due to the dimensions and weight of this lens, my subsequent thought was {that a} content material creator who would possibly wish to each seize the width of a full scene but in addition flip the digicam round on themselves might also like a lens like this. We already mentioned the smaller payload at 377 grams and the autofocus function. I attempted a couple of walk-and-talk, direct-address model passes with the lens and located, at arm’s size, the distortion wasn’t too dangerous for taking pictures vlog-style content material.
One choice that full body shooters have is the power to shoot in crop mode as effectively. On my full body Z9, I can shoot in crop mode, which basically makes 12mm round an 18mm equal. This fast in-camera change might be one thing I’d use so much with this lens when the total width of the 12mm isn’t required.
That is additionally vital, as I discovered, as you would possibly anticipate, that the lens is far sharper within the heart than towards the sides. I arrange my normal decidedly non-scientific brick wall take a look at to see what texture the lens was capable of resolve. I observed a tiny little bit of vignetting on the edges when mounted to my Z9, in addition to a bit of curvature on the very corners. However once more, as this lens is a fisheye that is available in at $699, a few of that’s par for the course. The vignette appears to step by step lower as you cease down the lens.
With a minimal focusing distance of 14mm and f/2.8, it’s fairly simple to get shallow depth of area whenever you need it. However taking pictures this lens at a deeper cease does actually will let you take within the full scene, and 12mm, generally, is a lens you’re in all probability going to make use of whenever you need extra depth of area quite than much less. Focus respiration was current, however affordable. Listed here are a pair photographs close to and much so you may see the quantity of shifting on the edges.
Talking of focus, I’m positive you have got the identical query I did: Does it truly work? I’ll admit, I’m all the time skeptical of third-party lenses versus having a digicam and lens made by the identical producer, however the AF held up effectively throughout testing. I didn’t do a side-by-side pace take a look at towards native Nikon glass. However I did do a variety of assessments to see how effectively the Laowa lens would observe a topic in comparable modes equivalent to AF-F that I’d use with different native lenses in comparable conditions. I believe, on the subject of autofocus with a fisheye lens, you’re usually probably going to be granted a little bit of leeway because of the probably huge depth of area as effectively. Even taking pictures at a decrease f-stop, it didn’t have any bother getting a excessive hit charge doing high-speed bursts whereas shifting the digicam.
I did discover the pentagonal flares to be fascinating. I observed this in some strongly backlit photographs after which sought to recreate it later with an inside mild supply. This can be a results of the 5-aperture-blade development and provides a singular look to the footage.
Professionals
Cons
Conclusion
So, is that this a lens you must add to your package? That will rely upon what and the way you shoot. However I’ll say that the phrase that entered my thoughts essentially the most whereas testing the lens was “enjoyable.” As a result of it’s so mild and so huge, it conjures up you to get near the motion and discover. As I stated, it made me bust out the gimbal for the primary time in perpetually just because the width of the lens paired with autofocus supplies a way of freedom. I liked the way in which the sunshine lens balanced on the Z6III, and I think about it will be a very good match for any equally sized physique. In comparison with different choices within the worth vary, the lens supplies loads of high quality. Even in a package that accommodates quite a lot of higher-cost lenses, I can see this being a product that you could be wish to have round to make use of when particular duties come up—as an example, taking pictures in tight areas, gimbal work, and when needing to seize so much with out carrying lots of weight.
However what do you suppose? Is the 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF the form of lens you’d prefer to have in your package?
