Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom

The 12-24mm f/5.6 zoom is an ultra-wide zoom lens designed for mirrorless cameras. With an angle of view from 84° to 121°, the lens can be very useful for multiple scenarios. It also has a fixed f/5.6 maximum aperture throughout the whole zoom range which gives the photographer much greater control over the photo. The lens is relatively lightweight in its class. It is compressed to be around 3.3″/ 84mm long and weighs about 1.09lbs/ 497g. The lens is also compatible with 77mm filters (With the lens hood) and has a 15cm close-focusing distance. Easily creating interesting shots with good background separation. Like many of the Laowa lenses, this wide-angle lens also renders stunning 10-point sunstars.

MTF

Optical Chart

With an 84° to 121.9° zoom range, the lens provides greater flexibility to photographers in creating images. Users could adjust the AoV to compose with the smooth focal length ring. From tight interior space to a vast field, photographers can now compose their shots with more flexibility. This 12-24mm zoom range is extremely useful for landscape and travel photography.

Despite it’s not one of the members of the Laowa Zero-D class, the lens still demonstrates an extreme well control performance in minimizing distortion. Still extremely useful for architecture or interior shots when you want the flexibility of a zoom lens at the same time.

© Bastian Kratzke

© Bastian Kratzke

Despite the low price and small physical size, the lens offers a constant f/5.6 aperture which the aperture does not change depending on the change in the focal length. Photographers can have better control over the depth of field when changing the focal length. Pairing with the extreme close focusing distance, it is able to create some really interesting shots with shallow DoF. It is also more favorable when doing a video like a Dolly Zoom which the exposure stays the same when zooming in and out.

This zoom lens is one of the lenses in the 12-24mm market having the extremely short focusing distance. It can focus only 5.9″/15cm away from the sensor, giving photographers more rooms for creative shots.

©Alberto Ghizzi Panizza

© Bastian Kratzke

This super-compact lens is only 3.3″/84mm long and weighs about 1lbs/497g. Compared to other brands’ 12-24mm lenses for mirrorless cameras, the lens is relatively smaller and lighter. Photographers would carry less burden when traveling around.

A 77mm filter thread can be used when the lens hood is attached to the lens. Photographers do not have to carry heavy filter holders, making travel more convenient.

Designed with a 5-bladed aperture, a clean and appealing 10-point sunstar can be rendered.

The lens had coated with the Water & Dust Repelling “Frog Eye” Coating (FEC). It gives your lens an extra layer of protection compared to traditional coatings.

Sample Photos

© Chen Guo Heng

© Fabian

© Fabian

©Bastian Kratzke

©Bastian Kratzke

© Tristan Todd

© Tristan Todd