Characterized by its extremely wide field of view and rectilinear rendering, the Sony E-mount Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL, from Venus Optics, is prime lens offering a uniquely wide perspective that is well-suited for interior, architecture, nature, and landscape subjects. The immense 135° angle of view is complemented by an advanced optical design that uses low dispersion, aspherical, and high refractive index elements to control a variety of aberrations and distortion to achieve high sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy. The lens has a manual focus design and permits working with subjects as close as 4.7" away and its built-in petal-shaped hood helps to block stray light from causing unwanted lens flare. Additionally, the lens is also characterized by its especially compact size, which makes it ideal for walk-around and travel applications.
- E-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
- Aperture Range: f/5.6 to f/22
- Two Extra-Low Dispersion Elements
- Two Aspherical and Two UHR Elements
Venus Optics Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL Overview
Venus Optics Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL Specs
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Venus Optics Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL Reviews
I love it
The Laowa 9mm f/5.6 is indeed an ultra‑wide lens, and on a full‑frame body it delivers a noticeably wider field of view than on an APS‑C camera. However, for my purposes, it offers little real appeal. Aside from the higher pixel count—since I’m using the Sony A7R IVa with its 61‑megapixel sensor—there’s virtually no visible difference at typical monitor resolutions. And given that the lens is fully manual, its practical value is limited. Ever since Viltrox released its fully automatic 9mm lens for APS‑C cameras, all of these 9mm ultra‑wide options—including Laowa, 7Artisans, and Brightin Star—have dropped sharply in value. A lens that originally retailed for 700 USD, like the Laowa, now struggles to sell for even 260 USD on the used market, and buyers still try to bargain it down further. Most people who have never handled these lenses don’t realize that the Laowa 9mm features a full‑metal exterior, unlike Viltrox, which uses a hard‑plastic shell. While Viltrox does offer the advantage of autofocus, it also introduces mechanical wear and therefore a shorter lifespan compared to a fully manual design. For buyers unfamiliar with lenses, trying to lowball the price is frankly quite naïve.
Great lend for architecture
Perfect lens, wide and free of spherical distortion.