The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 and the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM 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. Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 127mm. The Venus Laowa 15mm f5 with a length of 25mm, is 102mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 89mm 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 158g, which means it is 682g (81%) lighter than the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM which has a weight of 840g.
Filter Threads
The Venus Laowa 15mm f5 has a filter size of 39mm whereas the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has a 82mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 39mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Venus Laowa 15mm f5:
And these are the 82mm filters that we recommend for the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Venus Laowa 15mm f5 and the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has the same Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon RF lenses are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50.
Venus Laowa 15mm f5 is also available in the Sony E , Nikon Z and Leica L mounts.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM has a focal range of 15-35mm and 2.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 24 - 56mm.
