The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 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. Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 121mm. The Venus Laowa 15mm f5 with a length of 25mm, is 96mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 also has a larger diameter of 90mm 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 154g, 73% (431g) lighter than the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8's weight of 585g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has a filter size of 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8:
And these are the 39mm filters that we recommend for the Venus Laowa 15mm f5:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 and the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 has the same Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Nikon Z lenses are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z.
Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 is also available in the Sony E mount.
Venus Laowa 15mm f5 is also available in Sony E , Canon RF and Leica L mounts.
Focal Range
Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has a focal range of 12-20mm and
1.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
18 - 30mm.
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.
