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Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF Review: One of a Kind

Photographers really love wide-angle lenses. Photographers also really love fast apertures. What happens when you combine these two together? You get the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF.

Build Quality and Design

“Built like a tank” is not a phrase often heard with photography gear anymore. The Argus 35mm, however, has a full metal exterior including the removable lens hood. Between the metal housing and the optics inside needed to produce a wide-angle f/0.95, the lens ends up weighing one pound 10.6 ounces (755 grams). That’s a lot of meat contained within its 3 inches (76.8 millimeters) of diameter and 4 inches (103 millimeters) of length. That's a lot of weight in a small space makes the lens heavier than it looks.

There a three lens controls on the outside: a focus ring, an aperture ring, and an aperture de-click switch. The focus ring uses metal ribbing and has a 270-degree throw. Since there is no autofocus on this lens, the focus ring gets a lot of use. For my taste, I find it to be really stiff and did not like the amount of tension on it. It feels like a lot of work considering the amount of force I need to put in plus the amount of turning that needs to be done with how far the throw is. Not that there’s a right way and a wrong way, but I typically shoot with the four fingers of my left hand under the lens. With the Argus 35mm I find myself needing to put the four fingers on top and that gives me more turning power and distance to manipulate the ring easier.

The aperture ring has a slightly easier turn to it, although it doesn’t have to travel very far to span the range of f/0.95 to f/16. The labeled aperture notches are not very prominent and even with the clicks enabled it’s easy to go off-number and place the f-stop anywhere. The lens does not report any information to the camera, so without ever knowing the f-stops after the fact it might just be the smoothest option to keep the aperture de-clicked with the provided switch found on the left side.

The Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 comes in three different mirrorless mount types for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon RF. For this review, I tested the Sony version. As it’s designed for mirrorless from the get-go, there’s no awkwardly large built-in converter on the back.

Image Quality

Inside, the lens uses 14 elements in nine groups, including one aspherical element, one extra-low dispersion element, and four high-refractive elements. There’s also a whopping 15 aperture blades.

Testing out the lens, it was apparent that shooting at f/0.95 has some drawbacks. First is the color fringing, which is heaviest wide open, shows dramatic improvement at f/1.2, is nearly gone by f/1.4, and clears at f/2.

Looking at center sharpness, I found shooting wide open to be somewhat soft but it improves up until f/4 where it’s the sharpest. After f/8 and through to f/16 there is a steep drop-off of sharpness. A corner sharpness test showed that f/8 is where it hits peak sharpness. I concluded that the sweet spot of this lens as far as obtaining the sharpest photos is going to be shooting between f/4 and f/8.

As for vignetting, it’s quite heavy at f/0.95 which was expected. Each step in stopping down shows good improvement until f/2.8 where it begins to mellow out. By f/4 the vignetting is virtually eliminated.

Center sharpness. Cropped 100%.

The bokeh produced by the Argus 35mm f/0.95 lens is thoroughly pleasing for anyone looking to wash away backgrounds. The benefit of such a wide aperture is that even with a wide-angle lens, the subject can be further away from the camera and still gain the shallow depth of field effects.

The out-of-focus areas exhibit minimal hard edging and when shot wide open, bokeh balls do not show flat edges. These balls do swirl around the center of the lens with a cat-eye-type look that will round out as the aperture is stopped down.

The minimum focus distance of the lens is 1.6 feet (0.5 meters), and when taking into account the wide field of view means that you aren’t going to be able to get very close to smaller objects to photograph -- no close-ups of flowers swimming in a pool of bokeh will be captured here.

Focus distance can also play a role when shooting wide open at f/0.95. From the close focus distance to about 3.3 feet (1 meter) at this f-stop, the focal plane is going to be softer than shooting one meter to infinity. The company actually mentioned this to me before testing, so the designers are well aware of the limitations of their product.

Close focus at f/0.95. Backed up at f/0.95.

First to the Party

In the pursuit of achieving an f/0.95 aperture within a full-frame 35mm lens, there are some downsides that pry into what is a unique look. It’s heavy, it feels slow to work with, and the image quality has some danger spots to be aware of. That said, Laowa gets the advantage of being the first to make a 35mm f/0.95 lens for full-frame cameras and delivers a lens that is capable of producing eye-catching images never before possible.

To me, this lens lives in that area between being able to make a creative look and achieving technical perfection. It’s not aiming to be the sharpest, most technically controlled lens ever because it also wants to offer photographers that in-your-face bokehlicious look, too. At the same time, it’s not going overboard on the creative side like I think a Lensbaby does and can step up to being a competent 35mm when you need it to be.

Are There Alternatives?

Laowa is touting the Argus 35mm f/0.95 as the world’s fastest 35mm full-frame lens, so the alternative right now is more like a compromise. There’s the Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN ART full-frame lens for Sony E-mount and Leica L-mount that comes two-thirds stops short in its maximum aperture. On the plus side, it does have autofocus but is also fatter, much longer, heavier, and more expensive.

As for Canon RF-mount and Nikon Z-mount cameras for which the Argus 35mm is available, there are no 35mm f/1.2 or even 35mm f/1.4 alternatives at this time. Laowa really is paving the way in this respect. If you care more about the f/0.95 than you do about the focal length, the Nikon 58mm f/0.95 Noct is always an option.

Should You Buy It?

Yes, although I’m not saying the Laowa Argus 35mm f/0.95 FF lens is for everyone. Given its unique look that is not currently offered by anyone else and the image quality largely holding up when you know how to use it, it’s going to be worth it for those interested in the wide-angle shallow depth of field look.

#equipment #reviews #35mmlens #canonrfmount #fastlens #fullframelens #laowaargus35mmf095 #lensreview #nikonzmount #primelens #sonyemount #wideanglelens #wideaperture

Panasonic Unveils 24mm f/1.8 S Full Frame Lens for L-Mount

Panasonic has officially announced the Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 for full-frame L-mount cameras, the third of four f/1.8 prime lenses promised by the company.

The lens was leaked earlier this week but has been officially announced.

The 24mm f/1.8 joins the 85mm and 50mm f/1.8 lenses that feature a common build size, position of control parts, and front filter thread size of 67mm that Panasonic says provides practical advantages to use. The center of gravity on all three lenses is also similar which the company argues makes it easy to exchange quickly with minimum balance adjustments when the camera is on a gimbal.

The lens is constructed of 12 elements in 11 groups and includes three aspherical lenses, three extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses, and one ultra extra-low dispersion (UED) element. Panasonic says that the use of the three aspherical lenses allows for high "descriptive performance" as well as attractive bokeh. The ED and UED lenses both are designed to suppress chromatic aberration. The company goes on to say that the lens is versatile and will excel in a variety of situations and provides photographers with a pleasant wide angle of view. The lens has a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm.

The wide-angle prime weighs approximately 310 grams, is splash and dust resistant, and can continue operation in temperatures as low as 10 degrees below zero Celcius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

For focusing, the 24mm f/1.8 is capable of smooth and silent operation that Panasonic says works with its camera's high-speed, high-precision contrast-based autofocus system that has a sensor drive maximum of 240 frames per second.

In a non-linear setting, focus is shifted with a variable amount according to the rotation speed of the focus ring while focus is shifted with a designated amount according to the rotational quantum of the focus ring for the linear setting. Sensitivity (the amount of focus shift per rotational quantum) can be selected from 90 to 360 degrees by 30 degrees to enable intended focus operation.

As Panasonic's specialty, the lens is designed to also excel in video applications with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, a problem the company calls a "fatal" flaw of nearly all interchangeable lenses designed specifically for photography. Panasonic says the lens also has a micro-step aperture control system that allows it to smoothly change exposure for quality video production.

The Panasonic Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 will be available for $900 in mid-October.

#equipment #news #f18 #fastlens #fullframe #fullframelens #lmount #lmountalliance #lumixs #lumixslens #panasonic #panasoniclumix #panasoniclumixs24mmf18 #primelens #wideangle #wideangleprimelens #wideaperture

Panasonic to Soon Release New Lumix-S 24mm f/1.8: Report

Panasonic will soon release a new wide-angle fast prime lens according to a new report. If true, it would be the third in a set of four f/1.8 prime lenses the company originally revealed last fall.

While Panasonic has spent most of 2021 working on Micro Four-Thirds cameras like the GH5 Mark II and the upcoming GH6, it hasn't wholly neglected its full-frame L-mount systems. In June, the company announced the 50mm f/1.8 for its L-mount systems, and in February it announced the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. lens. Both lenses are categorized under its S-series. The S-series is Panasonic's set of full-frame optics that aren't certified by Leica to meet specific optical marks and are therefore usually less expensive than what many would consider the company's "pro" line of lenses.

Nokishita , a famed and often correct camera and lens leaker, has reported that Panasonic's next S-series lens will be a 24mm f/1.8, but its price, announcement date, and time of availability are still unknown.

パナソニック「LUMIX S 24mm F1.8」の製品画像。現時点で海外のニュースサイトに登録されているタイトルは「パナソニックが24mm F1.8のSシリーズレンズを発表した」「シグマのIシリーズに2本の単焦点レンズが新たに加わった」。#噂 pic.twitter.com/pMJN8UbyoT

-- 軒下デジカメ情報局 (@nokishita_c) August 30, 2021

The text in Nokishita 's tweet translates as follows: "Product image of Panasonic "LUMIX S 24mm F1.8″. At the moment, the titles registered on overseas news sites are 'Panasonic announced the S series lens of 24mm F1.8' and 'Two new single focus lenses have been added to Sigma's I series'. #rumor"

This rumor is not without merit. In addition the relatively high-resolution images of the upcoming lens leaked by Nokishita , Panasonic itself already told fans to expect this lens when it announced the 85mm f/1.8 last November. As part of that announcement, the company said that the 85mm f/1.8 is just one of four wide-aperture primes it was currently working on, and would be releasing the 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm f/1.8 lenses after. When Panasonic launched the 50mm f/1.8 in June, it reiterated this commitment and said that the 24mm and 35mm were on the way.

When all four lenses are finally officially launched, Panasonic will have created a set of f/1.8 lenses of variable focal lengths that all share the same 67mm front filter diameter, a decision the company made in order to make using all the optics together easier.

There were seven long months separating the 85mm from the 50mm launch, so getting the 24mm just three months after the 50mm was announced is a much more respectable pace. Hopefully, Panasonic is able to release the final member of the quartet before a full year elapses since it said it was developing the set.

#equipment #news #rumors #f18 #fastlens #fullframe #fullframelens #lmount #lmountalliance #lumixs #lumixslens #panasonic #panasoniclumix #panasoniclumixs24mmf18 #primelens #wideangle #wideangleprimelens #wideaperture

#wideaperture

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