The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 and the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 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. Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 is the longer of the two lenses at 346mm. The Venus Laowa 15mm f5 with a length of 25mm, is 321mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 also has a larger diameter of 120mm compared to the Venus Laowa 15mm f5's 53mm 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. Venus Laowa 15mm f5 weighs 140g, 94% (2335g) lighter than the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8's weight of 2475g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 has a filter size of 105mm whereas the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 has a 39mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 105mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8:
And these are the 39mm filters that we recommend for the Venus Laowa 15mm f5:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 has the Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Leica SL3-P, Panasonic S1 II and Panasonic S1 IIE for the Leica L Mount.
Venus Laowa 15mm f5 is also available in Sony E , Nikon Z and Canon RF mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 has a focal range of 400-800mm and
2.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
600 - 1200mm.
On the other hand, the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 15mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 22.5mm.
