Laowa 17mm f4 TS is a Fixed aperture Manual Focus (MF)
Ultra-Wideangle Prime lens with 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
Z Mount cameras .
What type of photography is the Laowa 17mm f4 TS lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Laowa 17mm f4 TS is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
There are 2 more lenses that have the same focal range and aperture values with the Laowa 17mm f4 TS that are compatible with the Nikon Z mount, you can find the review and comparison links of these lenses below.
Lenses in Nikon Z Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Reasons to Buy the Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
0.25m / 9.8 inch
Laowa 17mm f4 TS from Amazon B&H PHOTO
Lens Mount
Laowa 17mm f4 TS is compatible with cameras that have a 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 .
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
The size and weight are crucial factors to consider when searching for your next lens. Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a maximum diameter of 93mm and a total length of 111mm . It weighs 810g / 28.6 oz .
Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a filter thread of 86mm . Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Laowa 17mm f4 TS:
You can also check All Nikon Z Mount Lenses with 86mm Filter Thread Size
Focal Range
Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a fixed focal length of 17mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 25.5mm .
Tripod Collar
With a total length of 111mm and a weight of 810g, the Laowa 17mm f4 TS is a large lens. Fortunately, it comes with a tripod collar which you can use to attach the lens directly to a tripod or monopod instead of attaching the camera. This connection helps to better balance the lens/kit combination.
Optical Image Stabilization
Laowa 17mm f4 TS doesn't have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).
Laowa 17mm f4 TS MTF Charts
Below you can find the MTF chart of Laowa 17mm f4 TS which would give an idea of the its contrast and resolution from the center to its edges.
MTF Chart of the Laowa 17mm f4 TS
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Laowa 17mm f4 TS has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.12x with a minimum focusing distance of 0.25m . 0.12x ratio is quite low, making this lens unsuitable even for modest close-up photography.
Below are the 3 Ultra-Wideangle Prime type Nikon Z mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios :
Aperture
The Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift features a maximum aperture of F4 and can be stopped down to a minimum aperture of F22. While a maximum aperture of F4 requires a bit more ambient light or a bump in ISO when shooting indoors, it keeps the physical size of the lens much smaller and easier to carry. Given the wider 17mm field of view, the background will naturally stay a bit more in focus, making it ideal for environmental portraits, street photography, or landscapes where context matters. The minimum setting of F22 is excellent for deep depth of field work like macro photography, though you may want to avoid the absolute smallest settings to skip the sharpness loss caused by optical diffraction.
Optical Formula
Laowa 17mm f4 TS's optical formula consists of 18 elements in 12 groups . The following special elements are used in this design:
Optical Construction of the Laowa 17mm f4 TS
Lens Hood
Laowa 17mm f4 TS comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos.
Recommended Accessories for the Laowa 17mm f4 TS
Now it is time to look at the Top Recommended Accessories for the Laowa 17mm f4 TS .
Body Colour
Laowa 17mm f4 TS is available in Black color.
Laowa 17mm f4 TS Attached to a camera
Here are the 8 most popular comparisons of the Laowa 17mm f4 TS amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Laowa 17mm f4 TS Lens
In addition, it would be interesting to check which lenses from other mounts are most commonly compared with the Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f4 Zero-D Tilt-Shift.
Top Alternatives of Laowa 17mm f4 TS in Other Lens Mounts
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