Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom

Wide-Angle Zoom Shift Lens

Unlike any lens to come before it, the FUJIFILM X-mount Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift CF Lens from Venus Optics provides both shifting and ultrawide zoom capabilities to users, making it the first of its kind. Delivering precise perspective control and minimal distortion, this zoom lens is perfect for architecture and interior photography. With its broad 102.5–63.9° angle of view and +/- 7mm shift range, this lens straightens converging lines, which is particularly useful when capturing tall buildings. A minimum focusing distance of 5.9" avails working up-close to subjects with sharp manual focusing. The optical construction features a nine-bladed diaphragm and 15 lens elements in 11 groups for impressive image quality.

+/- 7mm Shift Range

Make precise adjustments, create straight vertical lines, and drastically reduce distortion with the +/- 7mm shift range provided by the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6. The ability to shift throughout the entire zoom range gives you excellent control and ensures more true-to-life images. Having these adjustment capabilities at your fingertips opens up a plethora of framing options without needing to reposition your camera.

Optical Construction

• Three extra-low dispersion glass elements and two aspherical elements promise greater contrast and image quality.
• Laowa's Frog Eye Coating is applied to the front lens element, protecting it from dust and splashes of water.
• The lens features a nine-bladed diaphragm.
• It's designed with 15 lens elements in 11 groups.

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

• Venus Optics Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift CF Lens (FUJIFILM X)
• Front Lens Cap
• Rear Lens Cap
• Lens Hood