Just received the package a while back, haven't opened up the baby yet.

Laowa 7,5/2.0

Bluff me ha ha ya i agree the name laowa is a funny name and in chinese it almost sounds like "Old Frog"!

Can't wait to take it out for a spin. I will certainly post some pics here..

The modern DSLR zoom-in manual focusing coupled with peak focusing is another level so so much better than the split screen focusing since one can nail the exact spot to be in perfect focus! but I am like you too, nostalgic at times ha ha

You won't go wrong with either. If you must choose one only, personally I would go for the 20/1,7 coz it's much much sharper. I am still keeping a 20/1,7. Basically as a backup lens if I want small setup. I am ok with it's AF, with newer bodies it's faster than previous older bodies. Otherwise turn on focus peaking and do MF all the time that's what I do nowadays with my Oly 12/2,0 using the center MF ring, it acts like a loading barrel (just like loading a pump gun), push down towards camera body and your in MF mode and push outward it's immediately on AF mode. I love this feature..how I wish all other lenses are made this way haha..

No time lah bro

I will give it a go soonest I can.

However, here's my initial hands-on review.

Packages and Unboxing.
The package came with all Laowa original ultra-slim MC UV lens filter, an ND 1000 filter and a slim MRC CPL filter. All the packages display a premium feel to it. The lens itself is vacuum-packed in a tough plastic. It came with a Quality certificate, a Guarantee card and an Instruction manual.

Lens accessories
The Laowa 7.5/2,0 came with a small petal lens hood made of metal, aluminium I presumed, a front pinch lens cap and a standard rear m43 lens cap. It has a dark pink ring at the front of the lens. It looks cool. I like it.

Lens
It's a nicely built lens and has a nice feel to it. Very sturdy. I ordered the ultra-light version of course, which weighs 150gm, 20gm less than the standard version. I presume this is due to a lighter material like hard plastic being used, meant for aerial photography. It's apertures are from 2,0 - 22 with a 110degree FOV.

It is a tad shorter than the Olympus 12mm f2.0 (weight: 130gm) vs Laowa 7.5mm f2.0 (weight: 150gm - ultra-light version). Focusing ring is quite well-damped, not too loose and not too tight. With focus peaking, it works flawlessly. The aperture stops clicked into places very nicely, the clicks are not too hard but it still clicks into place. For video guys who wants to make full use of apertures during shoots this might not be good news

Here's the special features of the lens as stated from the Manual:

Quote:

1) LAOWA C-Dreamer 7.5mm F2.0 MFT is a mirrorless interchangeable lens designed for m4/3 system cameras. Special double-sided aspherical glass elements are incorporated into the extremely compact lens which can provide remarkable optical performance and low distortion imaging.

2) Three pieces of ED (Extra-low-Dispersion) glass elements are included to achieve apochromatic effect.

3) All-metal mechanical construction ensures lens' high assembly precision and long-lasting durability.

4) The Frog Eye Water-repellent Coating, known as 'FEC', applied to the first glass of the lens front element surface contributes to protecting against water droplets, smudges and oil. Multi-layer anti-reflection (AR) Coating applied to every lens element is designed to eliminate ghosting and flare as possible."

Unquote.

Usage
The pana GX8 will detect an MF lens immediately once it's mounted on the body. So you will set the lens length once its mounted. Using the lens is easy. I prefer Focus Peaking as the focusing of choice as I don't have good eyesight so that is the next thing I do on the GX8. Once this is done then shooting is just a breeze.

The lens size compliment very well on the GX8 and make the whole setup small and not intimidating.

There you go.

Hopefully I will find time to test-drive the lens soon. I want to give it a good spin it deserves and not simply shoot my backyard.

This post has been edited by bobds78: Aug 2 2017, 08:35 PM

Please show the url address here bro, I love to see it for myself.

In it's feature sets, it was mentioned that "special double-sided aspherical glass elements are incorporated in the design", this is the first time I heard of such thing as "double-sided aspherical glass". Also there are 3 pcs of ED (extra low dispersion) lenses are lined up too in the design. With all this good things thrown into such a small lens, I wonder how sharp is this lens. How nice if DXOMARK can have a go at this little beauty.

Come visit me at KK, you can have it out for a spin

Wow,love the page. .thanks brother

KK as in Kota Kinabalu bro

Fortunately for Pen F users, this body is able to generate EXIF data for Laowa 7.5mm f2.0 lens as can be seen from one of the posts in the link provided by BOTAK_WAI.
see the photo below, Olympus made it so easy for their users to setup MF lenses as there is a list of MF lenses for users to choose from and once set, he Pen F will pick up the various shooting info and generate an EXIF data for each shot. How ingenious? Panasonic, please update our GX8 with proper firmware soon, if Olympus can do it, so can you!

Thank you bro. The standard version (170gm ie 20gm heavier) has a blue band on it to distinguish it from the red-banded ultra-light version.

Unless these 2 lenses (Oly7-14 vs Laowa 7.5) are tested at the same subject and at the same range, there's no way to see the exact differences between the two. Furthermore, Olympus bodies has it's own in-built software to correct distortions from it's own lenses, so it's also unfair to compare to Laowa 7.5 a manual focus lens. Again, Pen F is at an advantage here since its in-built software has information/data on Laowa 7.5mm so the in-built software will be able to correct the shot much better than a GX8.

Here's a stunning video of the Laowa 7.5mm f2.0 on an DJI Inspire 2 drone:

Simply stunning!!

Shanghai by Laowa 7.5mm f2.0

True. Photos taken by some friends on the Huawei P9 (with dual Leica 27mm f2.2) are quite usable and some awesome shots

Haven't seen any bokeh photos from the huawei 9 series yet so far but their landscape and other photos look good indeed, far better than average photos.

Me get all my lenses slapped on with a multi-coated uv filter soonest I got the lens in my hands, from day 1! No need to worry about scratches or dusts from day 1! I always go for the slimmest I can find.

Any members here using the pana 100-300 lens? I intend to get a unit to shoot some wild ducks in an area near to me.

Whoa! You ah! You made me

Yeah that's the intention, but just couldn't part my hands with 5k+ so for the time being, just putting the lens in my ebay shopping cart, seems prices has dropped some 500rm+ already, good sign he he I will wait it out, that's why I want use the 100-300 to shoot some wild ducks first. Actually I have a MF lens capable of taking good sharp photos but doesn't have the reach, just in case.

So you own one? The 100-400? Any photo samples please share here boss.

WoW! Damn sharp this baby, such a small lens yet so capable of taking such great photos at a distance, and it works at dual IS with all the newer G series bodies so cool

At that size, no other lens in the m4/3 arsenal can beat it liao

So finally on this 60th Merdeka Day i've got some time to test the new Laowa 7.5mm f2.0 (lightweight-pink version) on my gx8, here's the settings i used:

- set the lens to infinity at f4.0 so anything from a few feet away will be in focus,

- set camera to 'Shoot W/O Lens at focal length 8mm, that's the lowest the gx8 can go. I hope PANASONIC update the GX8 FW to follow what Olympus did to their Pen-F, a menu to choose the appropriate MF lens.

- set the IS to vertical

- set the mode dial to A for Aperture priority

- use only EVF for added stability

- set ISO to 200

- set color to VIVID


Shooting the little lens on the gx8 is no-brainer really, specially if under bright sunlight, perfect for the Merdeka Parade in the State Capital, Kota Kinabalu, time for me to shoot 10-15mins only.

And along the way I also shoot some Kota Kinabalu's famous sea views.

Some Close-up shots too. Amazing how this little at 7.5mm I can still get some bokeh, as close as 2-3 inches! I could have set the aperture to f2.0 to gain maximum bokeh but I forgot all about it but still, at f4.0 some bokeh, just to demonstrate that this little devil is capable of bokeh! No need focusing, just dial the focusing ring to the nearest and move the camera back & forth to get the correct focus

Just little PP done.


PROS - I really really like this lens

1. All in all, this lens is a little gem, a tad smaller than the Oly 12/2.0

2. Very easy to use since it's MF only. And I shoot strictly at f4.0, very sharp.

3. Small size perfect for m4/3 bodies, even gx8, making the setup lightweight.

4. And most important, it is a rectilinear lens at 7.5mm, with over 100 degree wide-angle view, really amazing field of view. Very very little distortion and no need correction. Really really love the FOV and still got to get use to this he he


CONS - not much

1. For MF only lens, it is pricey.

2. No pouch coming with the package.


HAPPY 60th MERDEKA DAY!


Sample photos









This post has been edited by bobds78: Aug 31 2017, 08:55 PM


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