Venus Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie

Leica L-Mount

Review

The Venus Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie is an intriguing addition to the wide-angle lens market, designed specifically for the Leica L mount. This lens is remarkable due to its compact size and unique features, but it also comes with certain drawbacks.

Build Quality and Design

The build quality of the Laowa 15mm f/5 is commendable. It boasts a solid metal construction that feels durable in hand. This lens is strikingly small and lightweight, making it highly portable, which is an advantage for street photographers and travelers. Its pancake design allows photographers to carry it in small bags or even pockets, making it an ideal solution for those who prefer minimal setups.

Optical Performance

With a focal length of 15mm, this lens offers a generous field of view perfect for landscapes, architecture, and astrophotography. The optical performance is satisfactory, with decent sharpness across the frame. Distortion is well-controlled, a crucial feature for wide-angle photography. Furthermore, there's minimal vignetting, allowing for more flexibility when composing images. However, the f/5 aperture can limit its low-light performance, and you may need to rely on higher ISO settings, especially for indoor or evening shots.

Unique Features

One of the standout features of the Laowa 15mm f/5 is its 5-blade aperture that produces a pleasing bokeh in certain scenarios despite being a wide-angle lens. Additionally, this lens is fully manual, which might be a drawback for those who primarily rely on autofocus but adds character and control for enthusiasts who enjoy a more hands-on approach.

Compatibility

This lens is designed exclusively for the Leica L mount, making it a great option for photographers using the L system. Its compatibility with various full-frame and APS-C cameras in this ecosystem is a plus, but potential buyers should verify if the lens fits with their specific camera model seamlessly.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Compact, lightweight design is great for travel.
• Good optical performance with minimal distortion.
• Well-controlled vignetting enhances composition flexibility.
• Unique manual focus experience for creative control.

Cons

• Narrow f/5 aperture may be limiting in low-light conditions.
• Full manual operation may not appeal to all photographers.

Verdict

The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/5 Cookie offers an exciting option for photographers looking for a compact wide-angle lens for the Leica L mount. While it shines in portability and optical performance, its manual focus and limited aperture may deter some users. Overall, it suits those enthusiastic about manual photography, particularly in landscape and architectural genres. If you're in the market for a lens that embodies creativity and practicality without adding bulk to your gear, the Laowa 15mm could be the perfect fit.