The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 12mm f1.4 and the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Sigma 12mm f1.4 with a length of 70mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Sigma 12mm f1.4's 68mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Sigma 12mm f1.4 weighs 235g, which means it is 340g (59%) lighter than the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift which has a weight of 575g.
Filter Threads
The Sigma 12mm f1.4 has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sigma 12mm f1.4:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 12mm f1.4 and the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift has the same Fujifilm X lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Fujifilm X lenses are Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5.
Sigma 12mm f1.4 is also available in the Sony E and Canon RF mounts.
Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift is also available in Sony E , Nikon Z, Canon RF, Leica L and Leica M mounts.
Focal Range
Sigma 12mm f1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
18mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Laowa 12-24mm f5.6 Shift has a focal range of 12-24mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18-36mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
