Banned Registered: December, 2023 Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 113 | | Review Date: January 18, 2024 | Recommended | Price: $499.00
| Rating: 6 |
| Pros: | Fun and weird. | | Cons: | Unsuitable for architectural photography. | | Sharpness: 5
Aberrations: 1
Bokeh: 5
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K1ii, K3iiiM
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I bought this for my K1ii because it seemed like a very weird lens, and I like to support the proliferation of very weird lenses.
I can't say I've ever found much of a use for it, but that's because I don't do much creative macro stuff in the wilds, and I'm certain that in the hands of a clever nature photographer, this thing would be absolutely incredible.
However, they market this thing's shift feature as being usable on an APS-C as an architectural lens, and that's just incorrect, unless your architectural photography doesn't have any horizontal lines in it. Because this thing produces some truly wild pincushion that then goes into mega-weird territory when the shift is engaged.
So. Are you photographing frogs and mushrooms and bugs and organic wavy stuff? You'll love it. Every time I take it out to play with it in this capacity, I enjoy it.
But if you're even thinking of using it for architectural stuff: don't.
Here are two test images with Laowa's Lightroom profile corrections engaged. First is unshifted, second is shifted.
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Site Supporter Registered: February, 2009 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 527
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 26, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $475.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Unique wide angle macro lens, inexpensive | | Cons: | Challange to use | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 10
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This is a unique lens for the aspiring naturalist. I like to use this lens to include reptiles and amphibians as part of their environment (rather than isolating them from their environment). This is not an easy lens to use. You need to get your subject very close to the lens, so much so I never use the hood myself, I find it gets in the way. I also need to use additional lighting which I do with telescopic lights. When you do this you not only have your subject, but maybe the trees in the background as well. It is a really cool lens and is different enough that it is a worthy consideration if you really figure yourself as a macro fanatic or have a particular interest in environmental macro photography.
This lens is also a shift lens. I haven't used this feature enough to really comment much on it only to say it seems easier to use than the old Pentax 28mm, a lens I used briefly almost 20 years ago (back when I wasn't much of a photographer).
The image below could only have been made with this lens. The mushrooms were only a short distance from the ground (on a K1) so I had to place the camera on the ground and point up. With so little room a wide angle macro had to be used. A wonderful lens
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Marketplace Reseller Registered: November, 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 9,322
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: September 26, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $479.00
| Rating: 7 |
| Pros: | Unique, multi-featured ultrawide lens with filter threads | | Cons: | Completely manual but this can be a plus as it makes you consider your photo more carefully | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 8
Value: 8
Camera Used: K-3
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I could write a whole bunch about it here but you're better off reading my initial review on the lens posted here
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/54-pentax-lens-articles/303686-venus-laow...w-samples.html
Needless to say be careful to know what you're getting into with this lens, on the surface is sounds great but if you don't know in what ways it will limit you you're basically going in blind. For me personally its an excellent multi-featured lens and I knew going in that it would not be as easy to use as a modern AF lens but i also saw the benefits for me and they outweighed any negatives.
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