The long-teased Laowa 200mm F2.0 AF lens, the one we shared leaked shots of earlier, has finally shown up in the real world. Photographer and YouTuber Matt Granger got his hands on it and put it through its paces, lining it up against two heavy hitters: the freshly released Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sports and the 15-year-old Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8G ED VR II from the DSLR days.
Laowa 200mm F2 AF Lens first review published by Matt Granger
The first thing you notice is size. The Laowa is by far the smallest and lightest of the trio, which instantly makes it appealing for anyone who is tired of lugging around big glass. It is also expected to land at a lower price point than the Sigma (Check Price). That said, it is not all wins here. The sample tested showed some weaknesses in build quality, focus accuracy, and overall optical performance.
Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sports is available in Sony E and Leica L mounts
Worth remembering though, this was a pre-production copy, so we will have to wait and see if Laowa tightens things up before the official release later this year.
Here are the key findings from the video:
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Laowa 200mm f/2 Aura: This lens is the smallest and lightest, with a drop-in filter system and multiple custom function buttons. However, the aperture ring is loose, and it showed some front-focusing issues.
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Nikkor 200mm f/2 VR2: The Nikkor is a larger and heavier lens but performed exceptionally well with autofocus. Its image quality is impressive for a 15-year-old lens, holding up well against the modern lenses.
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Sigma 200mm f/2 DG DN | Sports: The Sigma is similar in size and weight to the Laowa, is well-built, and appeared to be noticeably brighter than the other two. Its autofocus performance was in between the Laowa and the Nikkor.
