Venus Optics Laowa 60mm F2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro

Distortions

Distortion refers to the capability of a lens to represent straight lines as... straight lines. Wide angle lenses often create barrel distortion, where lines look they've been put on a sphere. Telephoto lenses can create the reverse effect, named pincushion distortion. The following images illustrate the various types of distortion:

Barrel distortion, left; no distortion, center; pincushion distortion, right

It is very difficult to create a zoom without some distortion. It is also very hard to design a wide lens, even a prime, which is distortion-free. On the other hand, normal and short tele lenses can more easily avoid the problem.

The way to evaluate distortion is pretty straightforward: take a picture of straight regular lines, and look to see if they curve. Calculating the ratio of curvature yields an evaluation of distortion.

Distortion Test results

The following images show how the distortion pattern looks when photographed with the Venus Laowa 60mm, with a full frame sensor.

Full frame

The amount of distortion is important, with a value of -2.5%. While it is possible to correct this distortion via post-processing, this is not without a cost on the final rendering. Users should be aware of the amplitude of the distortion.

The image below shows how this amount of distortion can impact an image. Note the curvature in the top portion.

Verdict

At -2.5%, distortion is significant with the Venus Laowa 60mm macro.