Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D

The lens has zero distortion, which means straight lines will remain straight even when shooting at a wide angle. This makes it a great option for architectural and landscape photography. The lens elements are coated to reduce ghosting and flares. The build quality is sturdy and durable, making it suitable for outdoor use. The lens has high resolution, which means the images will be sharp and detailed. The aperture can be adjusted from f/2 to f/22, allowing for a range of creative options. The lens is available for different camera brands as well, providing alternatives for different photographers. Overall, the Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D lens is a great option for photographers who want a high-quality, wide-angle lens with zero distortion and high resolution.

Positives:
The Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D lens produces excellent image quality, with great sharpness and contrast. The low distortion and impressive zero distortion (hence the Zero-D name) of this lens make it ideal for landscape, architectural, and astro photography. The lens is also relatively compact and has a solid build quality, with a nice heft to it that gives a sense of durability. The manual focus ring is smooth, and the lens works well with focus assist features in Sony cameras.

Negatives:
One minor issue with the infinity mark on my copy of this lens is a bit off, just like some other users have reported. Although it doesn’t cause any big issues, having a perfect infinity mark would be useful, especially for astrophotography. The guide for mounting the lens is positioned in a tricky spot, which can be a bit frustrating when mounting and dismounting the lens. The lens cap and hood can also be a bit finicky at times, requiring some extra effort to snap on securely. Lastly, it would be nice to see electronic contacts in the future version of this lens.

Conclusion:
Overall, the Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D lens is an excellent option for photographers looking for a fast, compact, and high-quality wide-angle lens. The lens’s zero distortion and excellent image quality make it ideal for landscape, architectural, and astro photography. The only minor issues with this lens are the slightly off infinity mark, tricky guide for mounting, and finicky lens cap and hood. Despite these small drawbacks, this lens is a good step up from cheap astro lens options for e-mount. If the price comes down a bit, it’s definitely worth considering.

Optical design

Bright lens thanks to the high aperture value Has 7 aperture blades, mid-grade lenses usually have this amount of blades. Having rounded blades provides out of focus circle shape closer to a circle.

Physical characteristics

66 mm long, this small lens should be always in the camera bag. With a lens filter diameter of 72 mm you are one step from the next standard filter size, buy step-up ring and bigger filter but you can chose from plenty options. Weights 500 grams so plan ahead, carry only if really necessary.