NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Gigas on October 03, 2017, 17:57:01

Title: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Gigas on October 03, 2017, 17:57:01

Hi again! I got this lens today with a Nikon FX mount. The critters I shoot is about 1" long and I had my lens right up to the front glass at the tank. Images are really small so is there a combination of two lenses like the Nikon 105mm and 105 for bellows. Just to get som more WD and a lighter monitor?

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Bjørn Rørslett on October 03, 2017, 18:13:24

The inadequate working distance goes with the territory of a short focal length, so to speak.

You cannot combine this lens in any meaningful way with other lenses, except for adding a TC. Still won't influence the working distance, though.

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Gigas on October 03, 2017, 20:48:04

Thank you again Bjørn I will use this outdoors for landscape shots.

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on April 11, 2020, 18:18:56

My local photopusher has an offer on this lens, how does it perform?

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Birna Rørslett on April 11, 2020, 18:37:23

Never used it so cannot say. The Laowa  25/2.8 is a good performance for its price, but of course this is a true 'macro' lens for the 2.5-5X range. Thus not easy to compare against the 15mm.

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Bill De Jager on April 12, 2020, 01:47:44

Here are a few shots I took a couple of years ago.  These may have compositional and technical shortcomings but I hope they will help.  Photos had highlights and shadows adjusted, with modest enhancement of things like saturation and contrast.  All shots were taken with a Df.

This shows the setup for the dollhouse photo; I ended up posting a shot without flash.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49761993778_edc6cf3fc6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPie4Y)OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA (https://flic.kr/p/2iPie4Y)
 by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Interior of dollhouse, aperture set at f/11.  Despite short focal length and small aperture setting the close working distance limits depth of field.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762522516_396422e0d3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkWf9)_DSC8668 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkWf9)
by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Near-far shot with lichen on tree trunk; aperture set at f/11. No flash, and the short working distance reduced light on the center and bottom of the subject.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762522281_f3f772878b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkWb6)_DSC8703 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkWb6)
by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Actual pixels showing short depth of field:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762522061_5e79459932_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkW7i)_DSC8703_center_crop (https://flic.kr/p/2iPkW7i) by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Shot with flash; aperture set at f/11:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49761992783_0bb9cd40d6_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPidLP)_DSC8708 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPidLP)
by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

f/5.6, no flash:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762851597_4f558d359e_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnC4X)_DSC8722 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnC4X)
by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Cropped, shot at f/11, no flash:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762851272_185f2b51c5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnBYm)_DSC8742 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnBYm)
by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Cropped, shot at f/8 with flash:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49762850957_304f91ef1a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnBSV)_DSC8793 (https://flic.kr/p/2iPnBSV) by Bill de Jager (https://www.flickr.com/photos/99349448@N06/), on Flickr

Conclusion: The lens is fun to play around with despite technical limitations intrinsic to its short focal length.  The short focal length requires getting very close which counteracts the depth-of-field advantage you'd expect from that short focal length.  The short working distance also can interfere with lighting the subject.

I see this lens as more of a lighthearted creative tool rather than a serious macro.  I'll have to try it on the Z6!

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on April 12, 2020, 08:39:52

Thank you for a thorough reply. :)

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: BW on April 12, 2020, 19:51:27

I will definitely recommend this lens! I have had lots of fun with it especially during the summers. I have used it a bit lately on my Z6 and it works well. These examples are straight exports from LR, no sharpening applied, so I think it is a very versatile lens. It has some barrel distortion and behave very well stopped down. I have lots of other examples, but these are from recent days.

Title: Re: Laowa 15mm f4,0 wide angle macro lens
Post by: Bent Hjarbo on April 12, 2020, 21:16:12

Looks like a fun and sharp lens, thanks for sharing