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 Laowa 17mm f4 TS 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 Laowa 17mm f4 TS with a length of 111mm, is 10mm shorter. On the other hand, the Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a larger diameter of 93mm compared to the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8's 90mm 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. Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 weighs 585g, which means it is 225g (27%) lighter than the Laowa 17mm f4 TS which has a weight of 810g.
Filter Threads
The Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a 86mm 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 86mm filters that we recommend for the Laowa 17mm f4 TS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Tamron 12-20mm f2.8 and the Laowa 17mm f4 TS 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.
Laowa 17mm f4 TS is also available in Leica L , Sony E and Canon RF 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 Laowa 17mm f4 TS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 17mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.5mm.
