Review: Laowa 15mm F4.5 Zero-D shift lens

Рет қаралды 8,544

3 жыл бұрын

Keith Cooper looks at the Laowa 15mm f/4.5 shift lens. The videos shows examples of how such a lens is used with shift, along with a quick comparison to the Canon TS-E17mm F4L tilt/shift lens. The lens is initially available in Canon EF and Nikon F lens mounts.
There is much more detail and photo examples in the review of the lens Keith has written at www.northlight-images.co.uk/re...
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Пікірлер: 83

@Cerocchi Жыл бұрын

This is the only review of this lens with ACTUAL PRINTS, and I’ve watched a lot of them. This video certainly help me make a decision on whether or not buying it. Thank you Keith! I’m very thankful.

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Thanks - glad it was of interest. I've also tested the G mount version on the 100MP GFX100S

@jimitav 3 жыл бұрын

At last, a real professional and experienced photographer that makes useful KZfaq videos and not a “KZfaq” photographer. Just ordered your book, I hope it arrives in Greece in due time. Cheers!

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much - I'm still new to doing these videos, so your feedback is much appreciated. I hope you find the book of interest!

@taktsing4969 3 ай бұрын

I bought this lens recently and I find it is awesome.

@KeithCooper 3 ай бұрын

Yes, excellent lens

@neilmankingdom2188 3 жыл бұрын

Wow!! Absolutely brilliant review. What can I say, this is what reviews should be like. You are a real Professional. Well done and keep it up.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - and I wrote the book! ;-) :-)

@ishanr8697 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this and your series on shift (and tilt), I'm learning a lot for free. Really appreciate!

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Glad it's of help!

@borromine 3 жыл бұрын

Great review. Enjoy your articles very much. I started off architectural work with Pentax 67. Got an Arca Swiss 69. Love that camera but 47mm not wide enough and 38mm too pricey. I now shoot with fuji GFX canon 24mm TSE and pentax 645 with tilt shift adapters. (35, 45-85, 80-160). I really cannot tell the difference between P645 45-85 and Fuji GF 45-100. Which surprised me a lot. I was debating about Canon 17mm and the Laowa GF17mm but this Laowa 15shift seems a little more useful. Coming from view camera lenses for 69 format it’s hard to wrap one’s mind around a lens this wide. The more I think about it the more applications I am starting to see. Your comments on diagonal shift were extremely helpful !!!

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, glad it's of interest. The 15 is an interesting option and pretty good quality. I'm curious to see how the new (rumoured!) Canon T/S 14mm for RF mount will perform - when using a normal 14mm, I've often wished for a few mm of shift. Now, that will take some experimenting...

@cbnewham5633 2 жыл бұрын

Great review. Thanks for taking the time to do it. BTW, I estimate the Laowa is about 10mm and the Canon about 11mm equivalent focal lengths (for 35mm film's 43mm image circle, the image circles are 65mm Laowa and 67mm Canon).

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

Yes that seems a reasonable estimate - glad the review was of interest!

@helloholmes 3 жыл бұрын

Great review! Really excited for the Sony E mount version to be released next month. I tested out the EF version of this on my Sony for my real estate work and it’s fantastic.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I used it the other day to photograph some Christmas lights, where the stars it gives on light sources were rather useful ;-)

@SimonLachapelle 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Keith for doing this great review! I will probably order the Laowa after seing this. Cheers!

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks - if you've not seen it, do check the written review as well, I put more detail in them.

@keithphillips1737 3 жыл бұрын

Very interesting and I really appreciate the real world examples! Thanks for the video 😁

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - do check the written review as well, with more details and higher res examples

@keithphillips1737 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper thanks for the reminder - I have book marked the page for reading later!

@mickphotos 3 жыл бұрын

talked me into buying the lens its now also in z mount for nikon and also ordered your book thanks for a great video

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - I hope you find the book helpful

@johnjon1823 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video - thanks!

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it! Do check out the written review as well, where there is more detail

@friedhelf 3 жыл бұрын

I did learn something. Thank you.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - do have a look at the full review as well. The video is more of an overview. There's lots more about such lenses on the site.

@friedhelf 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Oh, thanks. No, I din't.

@thomaseriksson6256 2 жыл бұрын

I have 24mm, 45mm and 85mm TC for Nikon F-system. I have used them for fine art landscape and woodland on Nikon D300. I will test to do a panorama with them. Some thought about getting a 19mm TC but I cannot use my 100mm Lee ND filters on it. Or getting a Zeiss 15mm non TC lens. My widest lens is Zeiss 18mm. Today I use D700 since my D300 broke down and saving for a 2 hand D850. I will not get any Zed S-lenses but maybe a camera as Z8 or get a Fuji GFX 50Sii for my old HB and Mamiya MF lenses. But if I print large as A2 some softening at the edges may be a problem with some of my lenses so I upgrade slowly to 24-70mmF2.8 E VR and 70-200mmF2.8 E VR and a 500mmF 5.6 E VR.

@KeithCooper 2 жыл бұрын

The laowa 20mm shift lens does take ordinary filters.

@thomaseriksson6256 11 ай бұрын

That is an interesting alternative and I will check on it. How often do you use the Tilt function on your 17mm? I had problem with my old Nikon 20mmF4 non PC lens when I took a picture with an unsharp leaf in the foreground and mountain in the background. A tilt function had solved that problem. I desided to upgrade my old Zeiss 18mmF3.5 to a Milvus 18mmF2.8 because it is sharper and have less CA on my new D850 camera for hand holding when I take woodland photos. But I still need a PC lens that is winder than 24mm mostly because I will use it to take panorama with a dominant foreground... I have looked the 20mm up but the 15mm has a better optic quality. Because I have a 24mm PC and Nikons 19mmPC is to close, I think the 15mm is a better fit for wood land. I’m not sure how to use a ND grad filters on it if I use it for landscape though...

@Necrorectumonomicon 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the review, picking up my lens tomorrow. Great to have an ultra wide shift option at a reasonable price, especially for Nikon F mount. Was never able to justify the cost of the Nikon 19mm, so this should make life easier for those tight interiors and buildings in narrow streets. I love the fact that the shift mechanism rotates 360 degrees, it gives much more freedom in situations when diagonal shift is needed. Using my Samyang 24mm TS-E, which rotates only 90 degrees in one direction, has been limiting in certain situations.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - it's a rather good lens for the price.

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

When the PC-19 was announced, a cheaper option was a Canon 6D and TS-E 17. And the reviewer thought the Canon lens the better to boot.

@WesMann 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the fantastic video. I'm looking at getting the same setup. What is the adapter that you are using?

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

For the video shots using the 15, it's just the basic Canon EF->RF one that came with the EOS RP. There are no electronics in the lens so any adapter would work, I have tested the Canon adapter with the built in filter holder on my TS-E-17 and R5 - this should work with the 15mm as well kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gceKi7CWubyYiWw.html

@purehuman9056 2 жыл бұрын

What a real photographer looks and sounds like kids

@michaelricco81 Жыл бұрын

Hi Keith. Thank you once again for this great insight into the Laowa 15mm F4.5 Zero-D shift lens which I just received. I also have a used Canon 17mm that I am going to be checking out. I would like to buy your book. Is it available in a digital format?

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Thanks I believe it is available digitally - I had nothing to do with this, since I only ever wrote it to be a _real_ physical book! ;-) [I dislike e-books, but there is a market for them] Check any on-line book supplier?

@michaelricco81 Жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper I found an e-version of your book on Amazon. I would prefer a physical book too, but over the past couple of years, I have gradually embraced minimalism as a way of life. Though I find the manual that came with the Laowa lens to be a little too minimal, and there does not seem to be an online version of it. So, the first part of your video is most helpful. Thank you, again!

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Ah, in this instance I decry minimalism - I get rather more royalties on real books than ethereal ones... ;-) I have far too many yards of bookshelves ;-)

@gosman949 Жыл бұрын

Not only in Nikon F mount, but also Nikon Z mount!

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Yes - all the specs are in the main [written] review - Unlike my articles, the videos can't be updated/corrected/refined ;-)

@haramikhan666 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Keith. You're clear and helpful. How can we order your book? Do you have an ebook yet? Cheers

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks - The publisher's details: crowood.com/details.asp?isbn=9781785007712 I have a new video about lens tilt for later today...

@haramikhan666 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Looking forward to it. happy clicking

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

You didn't mention whether the lens has a place in the back for filters. I have been using a TS-E 17 plus adaptor on a Lumix S1R for general landscape photography. If I need filters, I have to resort to my TS-E 24 II.

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

No filters See the main [written] review for far more detail than I could ever get in a video ;-) www.northlight-images.co.uk/review-laowa-15mm-f4_5-shift-lens/

@patryklau 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Keith, have you had any issues with regard to softness in the corners? Unfortunately I'm having very noticeable asymmetrical sharpness in my copy of the lens. It's a shame as I was looking forward to use this for my work.

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

I checked this one fairly closely and it showed no asymmetry. There was a softness visible at full diagonal shift, but that was just fall-off at the edge of the image circle (see the examples in the main written review) I'm afraid that makes its likely you have a poor copy that is out of alignment - one to check with Laowa

@kritikverloren1814 5 ай бұрын

Hi Keith, quick question by any chance: I do have a Nikon Zii. I thought it would be a good idea to buy a KIPON EF-N/Z adapter + Canon Lens TS-E 24mm 1:34 LII since the Canon lens would give me more flexebilty compared to the Nikon 24mmm TS - bit unfortunate that I cannot adjust the aperture - any way to solve this issue you - or someone from this audience here - can recommend?

@KeithCooper 5 ай бұрын

Not one I know of - I'd ask on the Nikon forum at DPReview.com if someone gave me the kit to have a play with...

@kritikverloren1814 5 ай бұрын

@@KeithCooper thank you for your reply - I also mailed someone on DPReview who is using this setup - TECHART Canon EF - Nikon Z Autofocus Adapter (TZC-01) seems to solve it.

@KeithCooper 5 ай бұрын

Still the forum I suggest for checking stuff I don't know ;-) @@kritikverloren1814

@reinhard170757 18 күн бұрын

Hello Keith Cooper! I really enjoy reading your posts - very informative. I am a passionate architectural photographer, work with Fuji GFX 50 and the Canon TS-E 24 and am absolutely happy with this combination. But now I'm thinking about buying a shorter focal length because of the larger image circle, so I'm considering the Canon 17mm TS-E and the Laowa 20mm f/4 D Zero Shift. The Laowa 15mm has too much focal length for my image circle. Can I ask you which of the two lenses you would rate as the better/sharper in terms of image quality, i.e. sharpness? I have now been offered both lenses, but unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to test them myself. THANK YOU and greetings from Vienna

@KeithCooper 18 күн бұрын

Given you have the 24, I'd go for the 17mm [I use it occasionally] Very wide - take a lot of care with focus - I work with the tilt axis horizontal to minimise potential tilt errors introduced from slack in the lens [mine is from 2007]

@reinhard170757 18 күн бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thank you very much for your reply. But one last question, can the 20mm Laowa keep up with the 17mm Canon in terms of sharpness?

@KeithCooper 18 күн бұрын

I've only tested one example of each so cannot say with any authority. My 17 was better than the 20 I tested - It has tilt too, and I do use that every so often.

@reinhard170757 18 күн бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thank you again and best regards from Vienna.

@openeye126 Жыл бұрын

My problem with LAOWA is, that I do not know how to get a line of shift lenses that covers 15 - 28mm ( or 35mm ) on a mirrorless FF body. Or do you have a recipe for that as well? (such as MAGIC SHIFT ADAPTER) ???? Much obliged, Mark

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

I use a Canon 1.4x extender on my TS-E24mm to get ~35mm I've not tried a similar setup on other systems though

@drharveyshahnam 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you how is the corner quality and how does the image quality compare to the 17mm canon?

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Not bad, but check the full review for details www.northlight-images.co.uk/review-laowa-15mm-f4_5-shift-lens/

@jprieu 3 жыл бұрын

Hello and thank you for this great video. I recently have this Nikon F mount lens and I am surprised by one thing and would like to know if you have noticed too or if you have the explanation. When I modify the aperture setting (F4.5 / 22) I see the consequence directly in the viewfinder (the image darkens). I have another manuel lens and it is not the same problem. This is annoying when taking a photo in a dark place. thank you in advance

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Does the other lens have auto aperture stopdown? I.E. you focus at wide open and it stops down to the preset aperture when you take the shot? The laowa is 100% manual, so in darkening is doing exactly as it should (for an optical viewfinder) On mirrorless, it depends on the camera settings - does the other lens have any electronics? The fully manual Laowa is simply 'not there' from the camera POV

@jprieu 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thank you very much for the speed of your response. My other manual lens is a 12mm fisheye SAMYANG for full frame. I have to admit that I don't quite understand what auto aperture stopdown is. But on the Samyang, regardless of the aperture chosen, the image does not darken in the viewfinder. So I think the phenomenon is the same with your device? Thank you and good day

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

Canon has exposure simulation, Olympus exposure boost, Lumix something similar. Your equivalent feature might be set wrongly for this use,

@aziz.y Жыл бұрын

Hi Keith, would this be useable on MFT with an adapter? Would results be OK or are there limitations?

@KeithCooper Жыл бұрын

Don't see why not - you get the appreciable crop, but the proportional shift is more See this video of mine kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oK5khM6ryKncmYE.html

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper But the angle of view shameful.

@bobvila1010 3 ай бұрын

Hello Keith, I just received my Laowa 15mm Shift lens for a Sony E mount. I have a Sony A1. As mentionned in the Laowa instruction, I enable the option release without lens. When I take picture, I notice in the Live view, the image is shaking when I press the button release and the image is not sharp. In order to prevent the camera shaking, I had to desable the 'in-body image-stabilization'! Do you have any idea what is the problem? Looks the the Laowa lens does not support, for Sony A1. when in-body image-stabilization is 'On'. Thanks in advance!

@KeithCooper 3 ай бұрын

Sounds like a camera setting... On my GFX I have an 'adapter settings' menu, where I can set up the focal length of the adapted lens I'm using. Unfortunately, Sony are the only camera manufacturer not to talk with me and send me kit to test, so I've literally no experience with their cameras. This is one to ask on the Sony/3rd party/adapted lens forums at dpreview.com - I'd have no idea where to look, without sitting down with a camera and a manual...

@bobvila1010 3 ай бұрын

@@KeithCooper Thanks

@bobvila1010 3 ай бұрын

Thanks Keith, I found out on the Sony menu where to set the focal lenght to 15mm. Now, I'm in business! @@KeithCooper

@KeithCooper 3 ай бұрын

Excellent - I'll remember that if I ever get to try a Sony camera ;-) @@bobvila1010

@NunnaUrbiz 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Keith, this is interesting. I've never used a shift lens but now I'm curious if there might be an application in nude/bodyscape photography to distort the image for a fun/pleasing effect. I'm not about to shell out $1200 for curiosity but LenRentals.com has it for $37/week. Have to keep this in mind for when I'm no longer terrified of being in the studio with a model!

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Hmm - not an aspect I've covered in the review ;-) You might want to consider tilt as well though... see my use of an adapter to give tilt and shift with old medium format lenses www.northlight-images.co.uk/fotodiox-tilt-shift-lens-adapter/

@NunnaUrbiz 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper Now that's interesting. I didn't read the original article since I never thought to use it for studio work. A quick fleaBay scan shows various M645 lenses for well under USD100. Add a USD60 Fotodiox adaptor from B&H and I could be testing this when the annoying virii are gone (both coronavirus and the Orange Moron.)

@gianfrancodebiasi 3 жыл бұрын

I know i am asking something veri particular but...do you think is it good so for video?...

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry but you'll have to define 'good for video' ;-) It worked OK photographically - you have to allow for it being 100% manual, so no exif data. The clips used in the review were shot on a Canon EOS RP Remember that I'm an architectural/industrial photographer - I don't do video professionally at all. My YT videos here are still very much an experiment after someone at Canon convinced me to do them a few months ago. My video skills have a long way to go to catch up with my photography ;-)

@gianfrancodebiasi 3 жыл бұрын

@@KeithCooper yes, i agree...i don't care about exif...i work in manual too...i know this is made for photo but i am thinking it can be usef in controlled set and with some magic...may be you can obtain a working 'good' clip...i have to buy it and film so i can say!😇 Tx anyway...

@KeithCooper 3 жыл бұрын

@@gianfrancodebiasi What is interesting about it in comparison to other lenses with shift is the control ring that shifts the lens - this gives a lot smoother shift than you get with any other such lens. Have fun!

@oneeyedphotographer Жыл бұрын

@@gianfrancodebiasi I would say yes, but whether it is suitable for you depends on what you want to do.