Venus Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6

Nikon Z (DX/FX)

Review

The Venus Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 for Nikon Z is a uniquely versatile ultra-wide zoom lens that caters to landscape photographers, travel enthusiasts, and architecture lovers alike. With its broad focal range and compact design, it brings a fresh perspective to the Z mount system, allowing photographers to capture expansive scenes with ease.

Build and Design

At a glance, the Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 exhibits an impressive build quality, boasting a robust metal construction that instills confidence, especially in demanding shooting conditions. The lens is relatively compact for its focal length range, making it travel-friendly. Weighing around 1.5 lbs, it balances nicely with Nikon Z cameras, offering comfortable handling throughout extended shooting sessions.

The lens features a matte black finish that reduces glare while adding a professional touch. Additionally, the front element is protected by a robust AGC glass, which helps resist scratches and maintains image quality. However, it also means that using traditional screw-in filters can be complicated due to the bulbous front element, which could be a drawback for those who rely on polarizers or ND filters.

Optical Performance

The optical performance of the Laowa 12-24mm is one of its standout features. It employs several special elements, including ED glass and aspherical elements, which significantly reduce aberrations and enhance overall sharpness. From corner to corner, images remain crisp and detailed, even at maximum aperture. It produces minimal distortion relative to its ultra-wide nature, which is especially impressive for architectural photography.

However, being an f/5.6 lens does mean that it performs best in ample lighting conditions. Low-light performance is somewhat limited compared to faster lenses, necessitating higher ISO settings in dimmer environments. Additionally, while flaring is well-controlled, it can still occur with strong light sources directly in the frame, so careful composition is advised.

Autofocus and Usability

One must note that the Venus Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 is a manual focus lens. While this could deter some users who rely on autofocus for fast-paced shooting, it offers an advantage in precision when composing ultra-wide shots. The focus ring is smooth and well-damped, facilitating easy adjustments to achieve critical focus. However, there may be a learning curve for those used to autofocus systems, especially in dynamic shooting situations.

Furthermore, the lens features a decent minimum focusing distance, allowing for creative close-up shots of subjects with an impressive background spread. The built-in aperture ring is a welcomed feature that allows for quick adjustments; however, it lacks clicks, which can be a disadvantage for those wanting exact adjustments.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent build quality with a robust design.
• Impressive optical performance with minimal distortion and excellent sharpness.
• Compact and lightweight for its class, making it ideal for travel and landscapes.
• Smooth manual focusing experience, ideal for precise compositions.

Cons

• Limited low-light performance due to f/5.6 aperture.
• Manual focus may not suit all types of photography, especially action shots.
• Challenging to use traditional filters due to the bulbous front element.

Verdict

The Venus Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 is a remarkable addition for Nikon Z users looking to expand their ultra-wide photography capabilities. With excellent build quality, superb optical performance, and a lightweight design, it stands out among its peers. However, the manual focus might not be for everyone, and the f/5.6 maximum aperture limits its versatility in low light. Overall, it's an excellent choice for those who appreciate the artistic control that manual focus affords and are willing to work within its limitations.