I have it and I love it... I prefer 28 to 35 for compositional photos, and the Laowa adds some character and interesting bokeh to the mix. Thank you Dustin!
Thank you Dustin. Canon's general disregard for this focal length is a particular source of frustration for me because it's a favourite of mine. But the disadvantages you highlight here would put me off this model, so at least for a while I feel inclined to stick with the efficient and effective EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM. I think the China conspiracy theory might hold more water if this was an autofocus lens, because as you know Canon is at present extremely protective of RF mount technology.
Somehow I came to like 28mm recently. But the minimum focus distance of 50cm seems a bit disappointing. Sigma's 28 1.4 although not as fast, but has 25 cm or so. I also like the idea of having autofocus for street photography. How do you think they fare against each other in terms of usability / iq?
Thanks for your in-depth review and expertise yet again Dustin. I purchased the Viltrox 16mm using your code recently and that lens has not disappointed. Find this lens very intriguing for low light video work. Pity the contrast wide open and vignette are a bit underwhelming. As far as actual light transmittance goes, would you think this lens is on par with the Sigma 28mm f/1.4?
28mm is my second-favourite focal length and a fast 28 (equivalent, on 5x4) is what I first learned on, so I'm keen to get something like this on RF... but this seems like a rare miss for Laowa. I've come to expect Laowa lenses to have near-flawless optics (other than vignette) but maybe some kooky function choices (two aperture rings on the 105mm STF??), but this sounds like it's not really doing anything particularly right. It almost looks as though there's some extreme field curvature going on, with the way those corners at big apertures are _so_ soft. And I don't understand that hood choice at all. I'll keep waiting for Canon to make good on one of their many-yet-fruitless 28mm f/1.4 patents. Thanks for covering this, anyway.
It seems a lot like the rest of the Argus line to me and I quite like how well it controls longitudinal ca (the hard to remove kind). Flaring is a tad unfortunate, I say a tad because for landscape I like to incorporate the sun when there's an opportunity for a sunstar and there really isn't here. Heavy vignetting is a bit of a bigger issue esp. in snowy scenes. But it is the world's fastest 28 (1,2) and even if the magnification isn't great there are lenses with worse such and as has been shown this lens can yield pretty interesting scenes with shallow dof, focused close. It's in line with my expectations really and about the only thing preventing me from buying it will be the local price, when and if it becomes available in this part of the world. Thanks for the nice review Dustin.
"but this seems like a rare miss for Laowa. I've come to expect Laowa lenses to have near-flawless optics (other than vignette)" Just how many Laowa's have you actually had to try? Their fast WA lenses tend to have very good center sharpness wide open but off-axis performance is often compromised quite a bit and this 28/1.2 is no exception. Most manufacturers tend to do this with their fast WA which is why I never expect "near-flawless".
You talk about distortions and correct it but why you don’t show what happens when you increase contrast + sharpness + clarity. My point is that those cheaper lenses can be as good as the expensive ones visually if you spend few seconds/minutes more editing it. Talk about those things which cannot be corrected in post like distortion or aberrations or vignettes. My two cents.
Please don't use Chinese brands that infringe intellectual property rights and steal foreign technology to advertise, please support Japanese products or produced in your own country brands
That's a serious accusation. Can you give give me evidence that Laowa has stolen intellectual property to produce this lens? It is the first full frame 28mm F1.2 lens that I've personally seen, so I'm a little skeptical of that.
But an accusation of typical Chinese industrial practices along with flooding counterfeit products. While this particular company may not engage in those practices, it would be naïve to deny how China respects copyrights
I don't disagree on that point, but I also know a number of good people working for Chinese lensmakers that are just like people at other companies anywhere else.
@@DustinAbbottTWI one can argue that in various disciplines that there is true artistry in a craft and integrity but the CCP influence will always cast doubt in the land where even Winnie the Pooh is banned.
I have it and I love it... I prefer 28 to 35 for compositional photos, and the Laowa adds some character and interesting bokeh to the mix. Thank you Dustin!
I'm glad you are enjoying it.
Thank you Dustin. Canon's general disregard for this focal length is a particular source of frustration for me because it's a favourite of mine. But the disadvantages you highlight here would put me off this model, so at least for a while I feel inclined to stick with the efficient and effective EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM. I think the China conspiracy theory might hold more water if this was an autofocus lens, because as you know Canon is at present extremely protective of RF mount technology.
Thanks for the feedback, Michael.
Somehow I came to like 28mm recently. But the minimum focus distance of 50cm seems a bit disappointing. Sigma's 28 1.4 although not as fast, but has 25 cm or so. I also like the idea of having autofocus for street photography. How do you think they fare against each other in terms of usability / iq?
The Sigma is a much larger lens, but it is one of Sigma’s best from their pre-DN lenses. It’s definitely special optically.
Thanks for the review! I have that lens, happy with it... Just a detail: The cap isn't to be clipped on the hood, it has to slided on...
There are little clips on the side, however, that lock it into place.
Thanks for your in-depth review and expertise yet again Dustin. I purchased the Viltrox 16mm using your code recently and that lens has not disappointed.
Find this lens very intriguing for low light video work. Pity the contrast wide open and vignette are a bit underwhelming. As far as actual light transmittance goes, would you think this lens is on par with the Sigma 28mm f/1.4?
In theory, it should be a bit better. I saw nothing to suggest that the light transmission was unusually poor for an F1.2 lens.
28mm is my second-favourite focal length and a fast 28 (equivalent, on 5x4) is what I first learned on, so I'm keen to get something like this on RF... but this seems like a rare miss for Laowa. I've come to expect Laowa lenses to have near-flawless optics (other than vignette) but maybe some kooky function choices (two aperture rings on the 105mm STF??), but this sounds like it's not really doing anything particularly right. It almost looks as though there's some extreme field curvature going on, with the way those corners at big apertures are _so_ soft. And I don't understand that hood choice at all. I'll keep waiting for Canon to make good on one of their many-yet-fruitless 28mm f/1.4 patents. Thanks for covering this, anyway.
It seems a lot like the rest of the Argus line to me and I quite like how well it controls longitudinal ca (the hard to remove kind). Flaring is a tad unfortunate, I say a tad because for landscape I like to incorporate the sun when there's an opportunity for a sunstar and there really isn't here. Heavy vignetting is a bit of a bigger issue esp. in snowy scenes. But it is the world's fastest 28 (1,2) and even if the magnification isn't great there are lenses with worse such and as has been shown this lens can yield pretty interesting scenes with shallow dof, focused close. It's in line with my expectations really and about the only thing preventing me from buying it will be the local price, when and if it becomes available in this part of the world. Thanks for the nice review Dustin.
"but this seems like a rare miss for Laowa. I've come to expect Laowa lenses to have near-flawless optics (other than vignette)"
Just how many Laowa's have you actually had to try? Their fast WA lenses tend to have very good center sharpness wide open but off-axis performance is often compromised quite a bit and this 28/1.2 is no exception. Most manufacturers tend to do this with their fast WA which is why I never expect "near-flawless".
That's my experience as well, sandb
Thanks but shame about the size weight etc. If only Sony made a decent 28mm 1.4/2 lens I could see my Leica Q2
It's not a huge lens. I can't imagine any F1.2 lens (or even an F1.4) being much smaller.
You talk about distortions and correct it but why you don’t show what happens when you increase contrast + sharpness + clarity. My point is that those cheaper lenses can be as good as the expensive ones visually if you spend few seconds/minutes more editing it. Talk about those things which cannot be corrected in post like distortion or aberrations or vignettes. My two cents.
I'm reviewing the hardware, not what you can do to correct for those flaws with software.
Good review, just not the lens for me.
Fair enough.
Please don't use Chinese brands that infringe intellectual property rights and steal foreign technology to advertise, please support Japanese products or produced in your own country brands
That's a serious accusation. Can you give give me evidence that Laowa has stolen intellectual property to produce this lens? It is the first full frame 28mm F1.2 lens that I've personally seen, so I'm a little skeptical of that.
But an accusation of typical Chinese industrial practices along with flooding counterfeit products. While this particular company may not engage in those practices, it would be naïve to deny how China respects copyrights
I don't disagree on that point, but I also know a number of good people working for Chinese lensmakers that are just like people at other companies anywhere else.
@@DustinAbbottTWI one can argue that in various disciplines that there is true artistry in a craft and integrity but the CCP influence will always cast doubt in the land where even Winnie the Pooh is banned.
Laowa has been making professional cine lenses for years... what the hell are you talking about lmao