Laowa AF 10mm F/2.8 Zero-D FF

Specifications01

MountNIKON Z

Focal length10mm

Max aperturef/2.8

TypeCinema · Wide · Prime

Weight420 g

Filter size77 mm

Physical length82 mm

Min focus distance0.12 m

Max magnification0.2404

Aperture blades5

Optical elements15

Groups9

Lens hoodpetal-shaped, bayonet mount, supplied

Additional Info02

Category["Nikon","Nikon Z (Full Format)"]

Keywords["Laowa","Prime","Ultra-wide","Z-mount"]

Review AuthorKlaus

Review Rating6

Other Featuresmount gasket

Review VerdictLet's face it - a 10mm f/2.8 lens is about as extreme as it gets in terms of (wide) focal length, and it would be naive to expect truly outstanding results. Extreme wide angles ALWAYS suffer some loss of resolution towards the corners - and that's no different with the Loawa AF 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D. This is most obvious at f/2.8. The image center is sharp here, but the drop in quality towards the borders/corners is quite dramatic - also because of some field curvature. f/4 is much better already, and the results are pretty good at medium aperture settings. Lateral CAs are generally low. Image distortions are very low for such a lens - even in RAW images. Auto-correction is mildly mitigating this. It is more needed for vignetting which is, unsurprisingly, rather extreme. Even with auto-correction is remains very high. The resistance against flare has been improved compared to earlier Laowa lenses. It's still not as good as with the OEM players, but it's mostly acceptable now. In terms of mechanical quality, the Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF is a convincing package. Traditionally, their lenses relied on a metal body, and they continue to do so here. At just 420g, it's still not a brick. Instead of using traditional styling, they went for a fresh look this time both regarding the texture of the focus ring as well the gunmetal color scheme. It's quite attractive, actually. The focus ring operates smoothly and is still a bit dampened. Maybe the most exciting news about the lens is the new AF motor - a first for Laowa. While a 10mm lens doesn't REALLY require an autofocus, it's nice to experience the quick and noiseless action. Let's hope that they will update some of their other lenses soon because AF is pretty much a requirement for a brand that wants to move into the mainstream. Keep in mind that lenses this wide are extremely difficult to manufacture. So if you give it a shot, do some post-purchase check for optical alignment. The Laowa AF 10mm f/2.8 Zero-D FF has a price tag of $799. That's far from being cheap in absolute terms, but it's still reasonable for such an exotic focal length. The closest competitor may be the Voigtlander 10mm f/5.6 Aspherical, which sells for $750 - without AF, and it's 2 f-stops slower. Overall, Laowa did a good job providing decent quality despite the extreme specifications. And welcome to the AF club.

Review Criteria{"Build Quality":9,"Optical Quality":6,"Price / Performance":9}

Review Published2024-02-20T14:00:00+00:00

Optical Construction15 elements in 9 groups (2x aspherical, 3x ED)

Field Notes02

Laowa AF 10mm F/2.8 Zero-D is a full-frame ultra-wide prime for Nikon Z, designed for wide-angle scenes such as landscapes and interiors. It has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 for low-light shooting.

AI-assisted summary — verify against linked sources

Catalog note · source: opticallimits

Sources03

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Other Mounts03

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