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Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Started 5 months ago | Photos
DavidWright2010 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,729
Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
12

So I was taking multiple cameras and lenses on a trip. I wanted to have an ultrawide option, and instead of yet another DSLR and my Sigma 8-16 mm lens, I took the M100 with the 9 mm Laowa lens. I think I shot everything at f/7 or 8 (The lens is fully manual.)

Sunrise

Sunset

Another Sunset

I was standing at the base of this cliff pointing up, so there was a lot of perspective distortion to correct:

Raws developed in DxO PhotoLab, perspective distortion fixed in PhotoShop, and sharpening done in Topaz Sharpen AI.

David

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Canon EOS M100
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Rock and Rollei Senior Member • Posts: 2,899
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

I do like this lens, tends to go on all my M trips these days, and your pics show exactly why.

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R2D2 Forum Pro • Posts: 26,528
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

DavidWright2010 wrote:

So I was taking multiple cameras and lenses on a trip. I wanted to have an ultrawide option, and instead of yet another DSLR and my Sigma 8-16 mm lens, I took the M100 with the 9 mm Laowa lens. I think I shot everything at f/7 or 8 (The lens is fully manual.)

I was standing at the base of this cliff pointing up, so there was a lot of perspective distortion to correct:

Raws developed in DxO PhotoLab, perspective distortion fixed in PhotoShop, and sharpening done in Topaz Sharpen AI.

David

Beautifully done!

If I were you I’d only take trips then!  

R2

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ezriel Regular Member • Posts: 414
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Do you think that the 11-22 would not be as good in these apertures?

(11-22 can go up to around 10mm)

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Maxmolly7
Maxmolly7 Senior Member • Posts: 1,481
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

ezriel wrote:

Do you think that the 11-22 would not be as good in these apertures?

(11-22 can go up to around 10mm)

The 11-22  is good, but not as wide! Difference = 2mm, which is significant at ww settings.

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OP DavidWright2010 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,729
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Maxmolly7 wrote:

ezriel wrote:

Do you think that the 11-22 would not be as good in these apertures?

(11-22 can go up to around 10mm)

The 11-22 is good, but not as wide! Difference = 2mm, which is significant at ww settings.

Exactly. With the Sigma 8-16 mm (with SA mount, so Sigma cam), I shot almost always at 8 mm.

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ezriel Regular Member • Posts: 414
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

It is around 10mm if going beyond the stop before lense get closed. 
1mm in the sunset photos would not make a difference

quetion is photo quality wise which 1 is better

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unhappymeal Senior Member • Posts: 2,620
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
  1. ezriel wrote:

It is around 10mm if going beyond the stop before lense get closed.
1mm in the sunset photos would not make a difference

quetion is photo quality wise which 1 is better

If it’s anything like the Laowa m4/3 lens, the prime should be rectilinear.

Rock and Rollei Senior Member • Posts: 2,899
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
1

ezriel wrote:

It is around 10mm if going beyond the stop before lense get closed.
1mm in the sunset photos would not make a difference

quetion is photo quality wise which 1 is better

To be honest, unless you're more into pixel peeping than photography, it doesn't matter. Both produce decent quality, that 1mm is actually more significant, and that doesn't matter that much.

Far more important is the handling difference - auto v manual, bodging the extension v standard use, EXIF v nonEXIF and so on.

I was shooting with both lenses at Koycegiz Lake in Turkey yesterday - preferred shooting with the Laowa, to be honest. When I've had a chance to sit down with the images and a decent screen I might decide which worked better, but so far, happy with both.

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MAC Forum Pro • Posts: 18,487
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

DavidWright2010 wrote:

So I was taking multiple cameras and lenses on a trip. I wanted to have an ultrawide option, and instead of yet another DSLR and my Sigma 8-16 mm lens, I took the M100 with the 9 mm Laowa lens. I think I shot everything at f/7 or 8 (The lens is fully manual.)

Sunrise

Sunset

Another Sunset

I was standing at the base of this cliff pointing up, so there was a lot of perspective distortion to correct:

Raws developed in DxO PhotoLab, perspective distortion fixed in PhotoShop, and sharpening done in Topaz Sharpen AI.

David

nice!

I get good perspective correction in dxo

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OP DavidWright2010 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,729
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Rock and Rollei wrote:

I do like this lens, tends to go on all my M trips these days, and your pics show exactly why.

Yes, for many situations there is nothing better than an ultra-wide, rectilinear lens,

I forgot to mention that I went to Napa Valley a few months ago to shoot Victorian era houses - I had the 9 mm on an M100 and the 22 mm prime on am M200. (I also had the kit lens, which I never used.) About 80% of my shots were  at 9 mm. Some images here, on the Landscape and Travel forum.

David

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ezriel Regular Member • Posts: 414
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Thank you

please let us know

BTW, have you tried the Roku on 12mm? If so, how is it in comparison?

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Larry Rexley Senior Member • Posts: 1,238
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
1

DavidWright2010 wrote:

Rock and Rollei wrote:

I do like this lens, tends to go on all my M trips these days, and your pics show exactly why.

Yes, for many situations there is nothing better than an ultra-wide, rectilinear lens,

I agree... I really enjoy shooting ultra-wide from time to time. Thanks for posting your images and thoughts... great thread.

I like shooting with the Rokinon EF-M mount 8mm f2.8 fisheye, but find that I end up perspective correcting most of what I shoot to get results I like best. Have been looking at the Laowa 9mm for many months but the price was just a bit high for me... even used it has been hovering around $400.

I've been watching eBay... checked today, and there was one in 'my' price range in great condition. I made an offer and got it for $299 before tax and $12 shipping--- so I'm very excited to try it out. The Roki fisheye and 12mm are probably going to see a lot less use soon...

I forgot to mention that I went to Napa Valley a few months ago to shoot Victorian era houses - I had the 9 mm on an M100 and the 22 mm prime on am M200. (I also had the kit lens, which I never used.) About 80% of my shots were at 9 mm. Some images here, on the Landscape and Travel forum.

David

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OP DavidWright2010 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,729
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Larry Rexley wrote:

DavidWright2010 wrote:

Rock and Rollei wrote:

I do like this lens, tends to go on all my M trips these days, and your pics show exactly why.

Yes, for many situations there is nothing better than an ultra-wide, rectilinear lens,

I agree... I really enjoy shooting ultra-wide from time to time. Thanks for posting your images and thoughts... great thread.

And thanks back to you, since I got the M200 refurbished after your alert a few months ago. I got it for the better video, but haven't tried that out yet (Moon shots)

David

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unhappymeal Senior Member • Posts: 2,620
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Larry Rexley wrote:

DavidWright2010 wrote:

Rock and Rollei wrote:

I do like this lens, tends to go on all my M trips these days, and your pics show exactly why.

Yes, for many situations there is nothing better than an ultra-wide, rectilinear lens,

I agree... I really enjoy shooting ultra-wide from time to time. Thanks for posting your images and thoughts... great thread.

I like shooting with the Rokinon EF-M mount 8mm f2.8 fisheye, but find that I end up perspective correcting most of what I shoot to get results I like best. Have been looking at the Laowa 9mm for many months but the price was just a bit high for me... even used it has been hovering around $400.

I've been watching eBay... checked today, and there was one in 'my' price range in great condition. I made an offer and got it for $299 before tax and $12 shipping--- so I'm very excited to try it out. The Roki fisheye and 12mm are probably going to see a lot less use soon...

I forgot to mention that I went to Napa Valley a few months ago to shoot Victorian era houses - I had the 9 mm on an M100 and the 22 mm prime on am M200. (I also had the kit lens, which I never used.) About 80% of my shots were at 9 mm. Some images here, on the Landscape and Travel forum.

David

Enjoy! Laowa makes fantastic lenses.

ezriel Regular Member • Posts: 414
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

The Canon 11-22 is great. 
did you buy the 9mm because of the 1mm bet 10mm on the Canon (the 11 goes up to around 10), or because of the 1 F stop?

the 1mm is very useful?

the 1 stop make difference only with moving subject, because the 11-22 has 3 stop worth of stabilization.

On the other hand you losing auto focus, zoom, etc.

if the main concern is the F stop for moving subjects, the Rokinon 12mm f2 is faster and cheaper.

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OP DavidWright2010 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,729
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
2

ezriel wrote:

The Canon 11-22 is great.
did you buy the 9mm because of the 1mm bet 10mm on the Canon (the 11 goes up to around 10), or because of the 1 F stop?

I got it because I shoot a lot with my Sigma 8-16 mm lens, mostly at 8 mm. I don't mind manual focus at that FL.

the 1mm is very useful?

the 1 stop make difference only with moving subject, because the 11-22 has 3 stop worth of stabilization.

On the other hand you losing auto focus, zoom, etc.

if the main concern is the F stop for moving subjects, the Rokinon 12mm f2 is faster and cheaper.

The landscape doesn't move very fast

David

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ezriel Regular Member • Posts: 414
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Nice.

just pointing out the the 11-22 goes to 10mm, and the difference is 1mm, vs Zoom that does help when shooting landscape. Also as far as I heard the Photo quality on the 11-22 is better. Isn’t it?

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Larry Rexley Senior Member • Posts: 1,238
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm
1

ezriel wrote:

Nice.

just pointing out the the 11-22 goes to 10mm

That isn't all copies. My EF-M 11-22 copy doesn't go even a smidge below 11mm before the camera shuts picture taking off and shows the lens retracted message.

Changing from an 11mm lens to a 9mm lens changes the angle of view on a Canon APS-C camera from 90.5 degrees to 102 degrees horizontally on the frame (diagonally it's 101 degrees to 112 degrees).

May not sound like a lot, but at those wide angles those extra 10 degrees can fit in a lot more --- especially shooting a flat subject like a wall, a row of buildings on a street, or a straight line of people. Due to the geometry. 10 degrees more at the edges of a wide angle frame gets you more than 20% more of a 'flat' subject, if you're shooting at an angle perpendicular to the flat side of the subject(s).

Not only that, but the Laowa is a manual-focus lens with infinity focus marking and even a depth of field scale, making it preferable for some precision work and night and astrophotography uses.

That being said, the 11-22 is a fantastic lens and overall for most people is more useful and far more versatile - being a zoom into the 'wide end' of the standard range, having IS and autofocus.  The Laowa is a niche lens for those who really want to shoot the most ultra-wide possible.

, and the difference is 1mm, vs Zoom that does help when shooting landscape. Also as far as I heard the Photo quality on the 11-22 is better. Isn’t it?

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Maxmolly7
Maxmolly7 Senior Member • Posts: 1,481
Re: Traveling with one lens - the Laowa 9 mm

Larry Rexley wrote:

ezriel wrote:

Nice.

just pointing out the the 11-22 goes to 10mm

....

Not only that, but the Laowa is a manual-focus lens with infinity focus marking and even a depth of field scale, making it preferable for some precision work and night and astrophotography uses.

....

, and the difference is 1mm, vs Zoom that does help when shooting landscape. Also as far as I heard the Photo quality on the 11-22 is better. Isn’t it?

Hi Larry,

I am new to the Laowa (and manual lens use on AF body), how do set to infinity?

Focus ring all the way to the right until mechnical stop or, to the center of the infinity mark?

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