[Zygonyx]

That's what we will find out.
For once, as stated by Mistral75, the IF property + 2:1 ratio will allow more versatility.

[thibs]

The question is if the Canon and Sony mounts have electronic apertures. They may be full manual only. If these are electronically controlled why use the Nikon F and Pentax K (or KA) rather then the electronically controlled Nikon E and Pentax KAF4? So I would guess it is just a design/engineering compromise: more blades with no auto aperture at (full manual stop-down) all or fewer blades with auto aperture. Laowa is a very young company having just started up in the past 3-5 years. The 60mm is a solidly build piece of engineering but has a somewhat rough finish to it (like Soviet era lenses). They've come quite a ways with still a lot more to go. So I guess in this case it comes down to which is more important to you - auto aperture or more blades?

No way KAF4 unless they license it which is very doubtful.

[MJKoski]

Is that image showing coupling from Pentax mount lens? It could be F-mount lens in that photo.

[Not a Number]

Is that image showing coupling from Pentax mount lens? It could be F-mount lens in that photo.

I'd say it is definitely the Nikon F version. You can see the black external tab on the aperture ring. This would serve no purpose on a K-mount body and might even keep the lens from being mounted.

[D1N0]

The Laowa 105mm f2 STF has a F setting, presumably equivalent to an A setting. This lens will probably also have one.

[Zygonyx]

Yep

[Gimbal]

I warming up to a macro lens in the 100mm range so this is definitely interesting. IF the price and performance is right.

[Not a Number]

The Laowa 105mm f2 STF has a F setting, presumably equivalent to an A setting. This lens will probably also have one.

The F I believe refers to F-stop as it appears on the ring for all mounts, even the Canon and Pentax, and to distiguish it from the T setting ring above. I've never seen a "F" setting on Nikon lenses. It's not even certain if the K-mount version has an aperture lever. All the reviews I've found on youtube say this is a full manual lens on the Canon, Sony or Nikon mount. I haven't found a review of the K-mount version. One problem could be is that many of the reviews were done on pre-production loaner lens and Laowa may have made some modifications (as well as changing the name) on the production models

One review I found on the Nikon production version showed the rear of the lens has a lever but it lacks the aperture linkage tab on the aperture ring so stop down metering must be used. Adding the control lab would seem to me to be a fairly modification.
(see around 3:52)

You Tube

You Tube

The following thread comes to the conclusion that the Pentax version does not have a lever:

Laowa 105mm f2 - PentaxForums.com

But this appears to be a Nikon version, it could also be a pre-production model,. Compare the mount to this one sold on the Market Place:

Venus Optics Laowa STF 105mm F2.0 (T3.2) - PentaxForums.com

The seller states that you have to set the aperture using the ring on the lens but doesn't say if it has an lever or not. I PMed the seller asking about this.

Edit: I also PMed @Fenwoodian who posted a review of the STF, I'm assuming for K-mount since a K-1 was used.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/laowa-stf-105mm-f20-t32.html

Edit 2: I just received a reply from the above mentioned seller - the STF does indeed have a lever but no "A" setting so you need to use green button metering the same as with a Pentax "K" or "M" series lens.

[Zygonyx]

OK, wait and see...

[Not a Number]

OK, wait and see...

For the production models for sure.

[ogl]

2x magnification. There's also the APO claim.

The DFA100/2.8+Raynox DCR250 is a nice way to hit 2x magnification and still maintain auto-aperture and nice image quality.).

vague idea

[Doundounba]

Whoa! I go away for a few days and... BAM! New lens I really want!

If this has mechanical aperture coupling, I'm definitely buying. If it has auto-aperture (ie lever plus A-contacts), I'm so definitely buying! 2:1 magnification in a 100mm lens is killer. I'm not super hot on internal focus though, because it means the effective focal length at MFD is likely to be quite a bit less than 100mm, which will lessen the amount of (additional) magnification I can reach by putting my trusty Raynox DCR250 on it... Still, native 2:1 while preserving infinity focus! Give me aperture coupling (and good glass, obviously), and I definitely want it.

[BrianR]

vague idea

I'm not sure what you're trying to say? If you could be less vague, that would probably help.

[ogl]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say? If you could be less vague, that would probably help.

If you don't like VAGUE, I can say "dim idea". I had a vague idea about what you told me.

[BrianR]

If you don't like VAGUE, I can say "dim idea". I had a vague idea about what you told me.

You could insert any word you like for 'vague', your two word reply was vague, or dim, or confusing. I guess you didn't quite follow my points? I'm still not sure, but I can expand on what I said:

2x magnification - you can 'fill the frame' on an aps-c camera with a subject that's 8mm by 12mm. At 1x mag, you can fill the frame with a subject that's 16mm x 24mm. That it still focuses to infinity, means the Laowa has a more versatile range than the Dfa100mm (and other standard macros).

The Raynox DCR250 is a popular close up filter. With it attached to the DFA100mm, you can get a magnification of between 1x and 2x. It does add a layer of inconvenience if you are going back and forth from normal sized objects to tiny macro objects.

APO - my biggest complaint about the optics of the dfa100mm is the colour fringing. It can be very noticeable wide open on high contrast edges. An APO lens should not have this issue.

Size - not mentioned above, but worth considering everytime the dfa100mm comes into a discussion. The dfa100mm is just over half the weight of this Laowa. That's awesomely tiny. All optic designs are a compromise, no choice of compromise will be ideal for every photographer so more options in lenses is great.


I don't think anyone believes Laowa are going to sell hundreds of thousands of copies of this lens. They have made specialty lenses for the k-mount in the past, so I'm confidant they know what they are doing from a business standpoint and that this lens will be a 'success' by whatever metrics they use to define the term.