Insanely WIDE - LAOWA 6MM F2 for Micro Four Thirds

[@robinwong]

Laowa Video Marathon 2022 www.venuslens.net/video-marathon-2022-lost-found/

[@PinnaclePete]

I'm glad to see that third-party companies are STILL creating new lenses for micro four thirds! For somebody (like me) who wouldn't be shooting ultra wide very often, a lens like this is perfect! Reasonably sharp, fast, easy aperture control but doesn't break the bank! Good job Laowa! Great images Robin!!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Pete, appreciate the kind words, and yes I am so glad to see that third party manufacturers are pushing boundaries for Micro Four Thirds platform!

[@andreasrochow5170]

@@robinwong Unfortunately, this lens is dedicated to APS-C sensor format you "suffer" as mft-user the crop factor 2. Imagine it would be for mft-only and without cropping.

[@guygaron1162]

Thanks Robin for the review! Great pictures!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Guy, appreciate the kind words!

[@mmartel]

Excellent review, Robin. Good job keeping it real and objective with respect to the strengths and weaknesses of this new Laowa lens. I want to also give props to Laowa for the run of lenses they've been putting out. I've never been that interested in ultrawide or manual focus only lenses. But Laowa's unique lineup, quality, and value is really hard for me to keep ignoring (even if it's not truly Zero D... near Zero D is still very useful and impressive!). I'm pretty sure a Laowa lens will ultimately find its way into my bag...

[@robinwong]

Thanks for the kind words! You should definitely give this lens a try, after all this is indeed the widest M43 lens at the moment.

[@finnwang1538]

I really appreciate your rewiews. They are very helpful and informative. Plus, your enthusiasm is contagious 🤗📷. My only wish is that you keep the information on your settings longer in order for me and my fellow amateurs to take note of your experience. I will keep following you, I promise. Thank you so much 🤗📷🇳🇴

[@YoSpiff]

My first reaction was "Why?" I have their 7.5mm and have to be careful to keep my feet out of the image, But after seeing your sample shots with straight lines at the edges, I'm impressed. For me it will depend on the price.

[@robinwong]

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. I admit this lens is not for everyone, and I also don't need it. However we do need the manufacturers to keep pushing boundaries! Having the widest lens for M43, Laowa deserves some praise!

[@fabscams4136]

This is a great lens - great review, thank you Robin!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Fabs! Appreciate that

[@newfoundmass]

Thank you as always for your videos, Robin. You're personality is so pleasant that I enjoy watching just for that alone!

[@robinwong]

Thanks, glad I can share!

[@WatchHobbyist]

The only review I needed to watch. Thanks, you covered everything 🙏

[@Brightsparks1960]

Very interesting video Robin supported by some impressive images. Certainly an appealing lens to me as it provides a unique perspective

[@robinwong]

Thanks Vincent for the kind words! I really do like the lens!

[@tonigenes5816]

Thank you for the review, Robin ! It was very usefull for me.

[@robinwong]

Thanks Toni, glad you found this useful!

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Love the small lenses from Laowa, good review Robin!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Richard, appreciate that coming from you. Loving the small wide primes Laowa is making!

[@renekalweit5976]

Beautiful something I’m was looking for

[@robinwong]

Thanks Rene!

[@smkunder1]

Always enjoy your videos, I believe you can get great results with any lens!

[@robinwong]

Thanks Steve, you are too kind!

[@Bluecloudprod]

I love your enthusiasm and passion. Great presentation. Excellent knowledge.

[@alexanderpieri1971]

Uao, this is interesting lens. Thank you Robin! - Although I have the 7-14mm and 8-25mm by Zuiko and 9mm by Leica, this is also interesting lens to consider. You could add in future videos about ultra wide lens their field of view. This Laowa lens have an angle of view of 121.9°. On the iphone the ultra wide lens is 120°, on Zuiko 7-14mm is 114°, on Zuiko 8-25mm is 107° and on Lumix 9mm is 100°. Maybe is a small but t me an important info when I use ultra wide lenses. Thanx again. Great video 👍👍👍

[@blackice5649]

Nice review Robin!

[@TerminatoR99]

Love those pictures :)

[@robinwong]

Thanks!

[@Dampflanze]

Thank you for the review. Really liked it. Not tiring like a lot out there and covering the important aspects of the lens. Also liked the examples photos you provided. Would have liked to see some sports action shoots like skateboarding combined with a flash,ha!

[@michaelwalsh7846]

Great review. 6mm and the edge at f2 is like saying "I want a Ferrari, but it must have the mpg of a moped!".

[@hubey]

Great review thank you Robin! Can't wait for Laowa to make Autofocus lenses! They said they plan to sometime in the future. Will be a game changer for all sensor sizes!

[@Centauri27]

I wonder how far "in the future"? Aside from Sigma, I can't think of many third party manufacturers who make AF MFT lenses. Is it that hard I wonder? But I'm glad that they're starting to include the contacts for aperture & exif data.

[@metalfatigue]

Thanks, Robin. Very helpful. This is the only review I've seen where the lens isn't absolutely perfect, even wide open. Of course I wish it was, but I'd rather have a realistic assessment like yours. I do think, compared to most ultra wides for m43, this lens is so much closer to zero distortion, Laowa's claim is perhaps 95% true. You may still need to correct the distortion, but the amount of correction will be so small, the image quality should not suffer.

[@LebronPhoto1]

This looks like an amazing lens given how wide it is.

[@robinwong]

It really is impressive what Laowa came up with

[@hauke3644]

I really like the integration of electronic contacts, it makes handling so easy. Very tempting lens and possibly good accomplishment to my Laowa 10mm, but flare could be a problem for me.

[@extremelydave]

As I was watching this, looking at Robin's awesome test photos, I heard my credit card cry....

[@robinwong]

I am innocent!

[@EnricoGaletta]

hey Robin, very interesting video, thanks 😃. Will you recommend this lens for shooting video indoor? What about comparing to the Panasonic 9mm? Thank you for your time 🤙

[@soupedrocosta]

my doubt is between this lens and the lumix leica 9mm 1.7 I'm really undecided. Can you give me an honest opinion? greetings from Brazil

[@fillerbunnyninjashark271]

Man... I just got a MFT camera the other day... And now this. I need this for shooting in Manhattan 😍

[@jerryonroad]

thank you for sharing!!

[@AndrewOudin]

thank you!

[@robinwong]

Cheers

[@weisserth]

Looks like this is a must have to architecture and real estate photography if you're using MFT. Probably also great to use for night sky photography and landscape.

[@robinwong]

Yeah, too bad I live in the city. I think some night photography with this lens would be awesome

[@weisserth]

@@robinwong Probably too bright for a milky way shot in the city, but star trails could still work with live composite. Maybe combine some traffic light trails with star trails somewhere in the city? The lens should allow to get A LOT into the frame.

[@earlteigrob9211]

The OM 8mm f1.8 fisheye is considerably wider AFTER de-fishing. Resolution wise they are about the same but the 8mm has more even lighting that allows me to see into the shadows better. The OM1 in camera fisheye correction lets me use it like a normal wide angle lens. The lightroom Rikinon 8mm f2.8 fisheye profile does a perfect job of correcting the raw images.

[@edwintan73]

may i know how is it compare to 7.5mm ?

[@MikeC2K10]

I want a compact manual lens like this, but around 14mm instead of 6mm. A manual version of the Pana 14mm f/2.5 with focus zone marks would be awesome. Also, the pentagon bokeh are kooky. I have a Pen F half-frame 40mm f/1.4 adapted to MFT and it also has pentagon bokeh. It looks very retro to me.

[@JeffBourke]

Wow I would love to try this!

[@laytonalldredge3948]

Hello Robin. As a dedicated follower I have a question. I migrated from the Nikon world to M43 about a year ago, buying the new OM1. Now I find myself thinking about a small camera for street photography, etc. Can you compare the PEN 10, Ricoh gxIII, and the LUMIX gs85? It may be an unfair comparison as the Ricoh does not have interchangeable lenses. Even so, I find your perspectives helpful.

[@karstengieselmann5569]

Thank you very much for the detailed presentation of this lens and sharing your impressions, Robin! Much appreciated, I guess you are the first one to do such a deep dive; at least I have not seen another one so far. I'm thinking of getting this lens as a successor to 7-14/2.8 in my spiral staircase photography. Anyway, I'm wondering how the Laowa results compare to that of the M.Zuiko 8mm F1.8 with fisheye compensation enabled (widest option: 123°). If you have the chance to do a quick comparison of these two options, this would be just great!

[@timelapsebylkunl72]

Great review thank you

[@oscarhagelberg7895]

Thanks for a great review. Do you think I can solve the flare and haze problem by using my hand as a shield?

[@jallantan]

Thanks as always for these videos. I have a Panasonic GH5 and G85 and use these mainly for talking head videos. I do have a Laowa 7.5mm (version 1). Do you think it is worth getting a 6mm? If yes, would the cine 2.1T be a better option for me as opposed to the newer 6mm F2 Zero-D? Thank you again.

[@RicardoTomas68]

Eu tenho a muito pesada OLYMPUS 4/3 7-14 f/4 e adoro

[@andreasrochow5170]

My camera allows image stabilization calibration only up to 8 mm. How does your Olympus's I.B.I.S.?

[@freepeace9067]

Would have been nice to get vlog selfie perspective like you did with the 9mm Leica to help us choose between the two.

[@robinwong]

No AF, no go. Besides, I used 9mm without thinking, the AF just sticks to my face. Can't be bothered to use manual focus, I'm a photographer not a videographer.

[@enzocannizzo8744]

Robin .. Hello and wishing you well .. Robin .. I need guidance on the follow matter . M43 Panasonic v Olympus .. What is the best way I may contact to explain the specifics .. Thank you in advance for ANY guidance !!

[@Bewar3them00n]

I’m looking for an ultra wide for night sky photography, primarily because where I’m moving to, there’re is minimal light pollution and the Milky Way is visible very clearly, this looks ideal

[@RainIndex]

m4/3 astro?

[@pbenjlo]

Does it also active MF assist automatically when you start focusing ?

[@Noble_r717]

It does on my gx9, yes

[@lenongrumpies3981]

Can you please explain ? Why m zuiko tele lens does not work in raw file. I used m zuiko 40-150m to take picture the result in jpeg was zoom but for the raw result just like normal picture ( not zoom). Asked this to some olympus user but they don't know

[@nicolaspetit8791]

perhaps you used digital zoom, which is a crop of your picture. if you zoom with the zoomring on your lens there is no difference in filed of view in jpg and raw

[@fernandoescubos5388]

Please, Robin, just one question. I already own the Leica DG Summilux 9mm f/1.7 and I´m thinking about bying the Laowa 6mm f2, but I wonder if that one is much more wider than the 9mm and if its worth to buy it. Thanks a lot, your videos are a must.

[@lightbox617]

rectilinear wide angle lenses are necessary but you do need to learn how to use them to best aviod lens flare and "fish eye" effects. with the right camera, you can probably shoot indoors at 5.6. I need a price. Does it fit on a Lumix G9?

[@alejandrochaconruiz1483]

It's incredible to see your videos, I just bought an Olympus Omd EM10 Mark III for you and it's amazing, I have a question for you, a great Micro 4/3 teacher, recommend wide angle and telephoto lenses such as the Olympus Digital 18- 180mm F3.5-6.3 M.zuiko? Like to see your videos📷📸

[@wellcomesteven]

Comparing with the Panasonic 9mm f1.7, which one would you prefer?

[@robinwong]

Why would you do that? It is like comparing a 35mm to 85mm lens. Two totally different focal lengths.

[@panmaew]

Love this review, Robin. To get anything comparable at all to this FoV in my film days it would take the made to order only US$10K+ Nikkor AIS 13mm f5.6 (now a mega buck collectible item). That lens is about 3-4 times as heavy and bigger in size and at the max f/5.6 I am not even sure it would be as good as this lens at about f/2.8 (35mm equivalent f-stop).

[@blackice5649]

Where can this lens be purchased other than from the vendor site? Any retailers selling it yet?

[@marinanotebaart]

thank you Robin for the review, I am very curious about a comparison with the 9mm Panasonic 1.7

[@robinwong]

There is no comparison. Both are very different lenses. One at 6mm, and one at 9mm, the field of view are so far different.

[@martinr.6693]

OMG Robin how fantastic is that! I love my Laowa 10mm, its super small and light and mega sharp, but 6mm is a complete different world, fantastic! Just need to find a financial supporter … 🤔😳🫣 Thx for nice video👍☺️

[@ddsdss256]

Thanks a lot for the honest and comprehensive review. Great images--you point out the flaws but in most cases the rendering is quite good and it's a huge plus that it takes filters. In the (somewhat rare) cases where my Leica 8-18's 107° AoV isn't quite wide enough, I've had to live with the less than stellar shots from my Galaxy S22's 120°. It would be great to have a bit more than that with higher quality glass than a phone's (as well as RAW files, as even the "Expert RAW" app only produces DNGs--useless for me as I don't use Adobe). I'll seriously consider getting this. onion

[@warrenmartin8309]

Hi Robin, good vlog, really like the images. Did you have to do much correction with the verticals in post? Do you know how it stacks up against the Super Wide in the iPhone 13 & 14 Pros?

[@stevenw3393]

What the iPhone super wide cannot do is deliver the clarity that the Laowa 6mm can. I’ve done 1:1 comparisons between an EM1 Mk3 with Laowa 6mm cine lens and the iPhone 13 super wide camera. On a 27-inch monitor, full screen, not zoomed in, there’s absolutely no comparison. The images from the iPhone are utter trash compared to the EM1. Drop down to an iPad-sized screen, and it gets harder to tell at quick glance, but on closer inspection, the iPhone images don’t hold up. On an iPhone-sized screen it’s hard to tell much difference without zooming in. Of course, phones these days do a lot of real-time processing to enhance images, and it’s most apparent, to me anyway, in “improved” colors and lighting, which you can do to camera photos in post. I’d argue that sometimes the color and lighting of phone images are over processed and, arguably, fake looking. At any rate, I believe the iPhone super wide is 13mm, so the 6mm (i.e. 12mm) captures a little wider view, but they’re both very similar in terms of the captured scene. I’ve not felt the need to correct any portraits, or landscapes for that matter, from the 6mm. The 6mm renders very straight lines across the entire image. If anything, in rare cases, I’ve noticed the 6mm images are slightly more compressed in the center of the image compared to the iPhone super wide, but they both stretch objects the farther from center you go. Hope this helps.

[@warrenmartin8309]

@@stevenw3393 Thank you Steven that is really helpful.

[@zarrow50]

Not insane when Nikon does a Full frame 10mm or is it Sigma?

[@DJColinCook]

Nice review Robin, thanks. Is there a filter thread and if so what size please? And did you try a filter at all? For me the lens would be used mostly for landscapes and I often use filters. Currently I have the laowa 7.5mm f2 and can use filters with that

[@ddsdss256]

58mm

[@jordanahamed4316]

Should I get this for my BMPCC4K?

[@robinwong]

If you need that much width, then yes.

[@brianmiller921]

+Robin Wong have you had a chance to shoot Milky Way images with this lens?

[@georgelee7062]

Nice photos Robin, are you considering buying this lens?

[@robinwong]

Thanks George. As much as I do love the lens, I don't need such a wide coverage. I don't do architecture or interior shooting. For my needs the Panasonic 9mm will suffice.

[@ludwigohallorans6395]

I have the TTArtisan 7.5mm F2.0 and I love it, but that one is not rectilinear, and its manual only.

[@robinwong]

Yeah that is a fisheye, a different lens

[@AoyagiAichou]

So is it physically challenging to create ultra wide angles for MFT?

[@robinwong]

Considering both Olympus and Panasonic do not have 6mm yet, I'd say yes, it is challenging.

[@lvcc560]

I have no need for this lens but it looks like a great piece. Nice review, I hope it sells people on it for those who are looking for such a nifty wide angle. One question though, for you Robin, how do you think it would handle on the GM1, being that it doesn't have a large handgrip? The barrel of the lens seems flush with the mount on your EM1iii, which could be a huge plus on the GM1 in terms of ergonomics.

[@robinwong]

GM1 has handling and ergonomic issues on its own, regardless of which lens you use. I think the Laowa is still quite a light lens, at around 180g, so it should not be an issue with GM1. And you control the aperture from the camera.

[@ericwolff6059]

Nice looking lens, just a shame it is NZ$1000 here in New Zealand.

[@robinwong]

I don't think the price is unreasonable. Considering all ultra wide angle lenses from Olympus and Panasonic, the 7-14mm, 8-25mm, 8-18mm, are significantly more expensive (double or triple the price of Laowa 6mm), and Laowa is still the widest lens of them all, I think that asking price is justified. And if you need this lens, I believe it is almost like a godsent! Small price to pay, if it brings in the results that some people may need, especially those that need every bit of width in their frame.

[@_krakra_]

Comparing with panasonic 9mm 1.7 would be dope

[@robinwong]

That's comparing a lion to an apple.

[@_krakra_]

@@robinwong why if i might ask. Because af , or?

[@robinwong]

Two different focal lengths, built for different purposes and shooting scenarios. What works for 6mm doss not work for 9mm. What I use 9mm for, the 6mm would be too wide and won't do the job as effectively. Much like comparing a 35mm to 50mm lenses. Both are not the same and they should not be compared.

[@_krakra_]

@@robinwong ok. Then i need to rethink what i would use it for. Never thought 6mm angle of view is that different compare to 9mm

[@falseusername]

Reviewing F/2 lens and not to try it in low-light scenes is kind of a crime.

[@Lordvader330]

if you have to correct for distortion in post. I can do that with my 8mm 1.8 fisheye. I'll pass on these Chinese products.

[@robinwong]

Reasons why the 6mm Laowa is better for wide angle photography than any fisheye lens: 1. After correction to full rectilinear, the fisheye loses significant amount of width, and will no longer be as wide as 6mm true rectilinear 2. After severe correction, the fisheye image will lose a lot of sharpness and contrast away from the center of image. When technical control is important, shooting non distorted interiors and architecture that clients demand sharp corner to corner performance, the fisheye lens fails due to excessive pixel stretching. There are several other flaws exaggerated due to this, but I think you get my point. 3. The Laowa is cheaper. If you want to buy a Fisheye lens, use it as a fisheye lens. Don't use it as something else. It CANNOT replace a true rectilinear ultra wide without some significant compromises. I can understand if someone says they don't need such a wide lens, that is fine, honestly I don't need it too. However, for those who shoot a lot of interiors, and architecture, and need every bit of width they can squeeze into their shot, the Laowa 6mm is a godsent.

[@tonigenes5816]

This is the widest MFT liniar lens. And you can use filters on it, unlike fisheye on which you can't.

[@RayTaylorQ]

I just got mine! I bought it without hesitation as it reminds me of one of my all time favourite lenses…the Zeiss 38mm Biogon as attached to the Hasselblad SW/C. I used that lens in more situations than was considered normal at the time. That rectilinear lens had only a 90 degree field of view and this one is 120… Now I need to learn how to correct the slight barrel distortion in post.