With so many excellent options available today, determining which camera to buy can be confusing, especially for a beginner.  One differing letter or number in the name of two identical-looking cameras can mean a huge difference in terms of price and features.

So, if you have a passion for photography and are looking to step up from that camera phone to an interchangeable lens camera system, this article is for you!

This post will provide you with an overview of the top 5 mirrorless cameras for beginners. We will consider both budget-friendly and more professional options, ensuring every photographer can find a camera that fits their specific needs.

1. Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera

If your budget allows for it, the Sony Alpha A6100 Mirrorless Camera is definitely worth looking at. The camera is compatible with the popular Sony E mount system, which means you have access to the widest range of lenses for APSC and full-frame sensors. (The A6100 is a 24-megapixel APSC sensor; one of the best available!)

You can choose between the body alone or a kit that comes with additional lenses to get you shooting as soon as you open the box.

Being highly compact and lightweight, the Sony A6100 is an excellent choice for things like everyday and travel photography, and general video shooting with 4K video.

2. Nikon Z50 Mirrorless Digital Camera

For the aspiring photographer who wants a camera that feels more like a traditional camera, Nikon’s Z50 is worth considering. It is one of the most well-built beginner mirrorless cameras available!

An excellent balance of portability, durability, and affordability, the Z50 also offers one of the best APSC image sensors on the market. It offers 20 megapixels and both low ISO and high ISO performance that rivals full-frame sensor cameras!

Thanks to Nikon’s long history of excellent DSLR F-mount lenses, Nikon’s growing lineup of DX Z-mount mirrorless lenses can easily be supplemented via the FTZ Adapter as well.

3. Fujifilm X-S10 Mirrorless Digital Camera

The retro look of the Fujifilm X-S10 mirrorless digital camera offers a unique “classic camera” aesthetic, while the specifications and features inside the camera are cutting-edge.

This Fuji is the perfect mirrorless camera for beginners who can afford it because it’s the only APSC camera under $1000 that offers sensor-based stabilization.

The camera alone is priced at $999. and a kit with the camera and lens will cost $1,399. Fuji’s X-mount is the largest native/name-brand lens lineup of APSC mirrorless cameras on the market, with additional lenses to fit any budget and every type of photography!

4. Canon EOS M50 II Mirrorless Digital Camera

When budget is a limitation, the Canon EOS M50 II mirrorless digital camera is a good option to consider. This one offers a more affordable price point when entering the world of photography.

The camera comes standard as a base kit without a lens for $599, however, alternatives with an included lens can be selected too, starting at $699 to include the Canon 15-45mm lens.

The Canon EOS M50 II includes built-in sensor stabilization (IBIS) that also works in conjunction with (optional) lens-based image stabilization (IS), for truly impressive low-light shooting capabilities for both stills and video. Speaking of video, the Canon M50 Mark II offers up to 4K 24p recording.

5. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Camera Kit

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III camera is another affordable option that offers both professional features and classic camera styling & ergonomics. This kit does include a lens in its $599 price, making it an unbeatable value. This is partly thanks to its Micro Four Thirds sensor, as opposed to APSC and full-frame sensor cameras.

Don’t be fooled by the affordable price tag, though! This is a well-built camera with impressive durability, beautiful image quality, and professional-grade features including in-body stabilization.

To perfectly match your own personal aesthetic, the Olympus E-M10 Mark III comes in both silver and black options.

6. Sony ZV-E10 Mirrorless 4K Vlogging Digital Camera

The last option on our list is for those who aren’t just photographers, but who want to create video content! Specifically, if you are interested in vlogging, then absolutely do consider the Sony ZV-E10.

A 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor delivers great quality still photos, but the claim to fame for this camera is how perfect it is set up for “selfie” video capture. This camera includes a large microphone and a windscreen, giving it some of the best quality audio without any additional accessories.

Plus, the fully articulated LCD display has the benefit of a red box around the frame when recording, as well as a bright red “REC” light.

Conclusion

A small, affordable mirrorless camera offers an excellent entry point for beginner photographers. There are many options to choose from, ranging from very beginner-friendly to advanced and professionally capable.

Knowing what to look for is important, as not all mirrorless cameras can meet every single photographer’s needs. The options in this list can provide basic functionality when starting out but also help the photographer grow in their passion and/or profession!

At 15mm, this is the widest full-frame lens that is capable of the “shift” function, which allows a lens to photograph at an upward or downward (or left/right) angle, while still keeping parallel lines in the image from “leaning” in or out.

In fact, the Venus 15mm Shift lens is priced at “just” $1,199, which is in stark contrast to the Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 L, at $2,149, and the Nikon PC Nikkor 19mm f/4E ED Tilt-Shift, at $3,396.

Do I have your attention now? In short, (spoiler alert!) this lens is truly impressive; the build quality is robust, and image quality is incredible, especially considering the focal length and price tag.

(Also note, this 15mm Venus/Laowa lens is NOT to be confused with their other 15mm  shift-capable lens, by the way, which is only $499, but is only capable of shift when used on APS-C sensor cameras, not full-frame!)

In this review, I’ll talk briefly about how you even use a “Shift” lens, (plus, why it is NOT called a “TILT-Shift” lens, by the way) …and, of course, I’ll get in-depth about every aspect of image quality, plus the other pros and cons, about this lens.

Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift Specifications

• FOCAL LENGHT & ANGLE OF VIEW: 15mm 110° (full-frame) angle of view
• LENS MOUNT(S): Nikon F, Canon EF (plus all mirrorless mounts via adapter)
• APERTURE & RANGE: f/4.5-22, fully mechanical (no EXIF transfer)
• STABILIZATION: No
• AUTOFOCUS: No
• MANUAL FOCUS: Fully mechanical, focus & hyperfocal distance marked in feet and meters
• OPTICAL CONSTRUCTION: 17 elements in 11 groups, 2 aspherical, 3 extra-low dispersion, anti-reflective coating
• MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION: All metal
• MAGNIFICATION & FOCUS DISTANCE: 7.9 in. (20 cm)
• FILTER THREADS & HOOD: Metal bayonet lens cap, no hood, no filters
• SIZE: 3.1 x 4.1″ / 79 (103 mm)
• WEIGHT: 1.3 lb (597 g)
• PRICE: $1,199
  (B&H | Amazon | Adorama)

How To Use Lens Shift (How To Use A Tilt-Shift Lens)

Why do you want a lens like this? Because it solves one of the fundamental problems with getting creative angles when photographing any subject that has parallel lines that you want to stay parallel. (See the example below!)

When you are shooting at most normal or even medium-wide focal lengths, parallel lines don’t “lean” too terribly if you frame your shot at a slight upward or downward angle, however, once you get to 17mm, let alone 15mm, even the slightest upward or downward camera angle will quickly cause vertical lines to lean inward or outward. This is also known as the keystone effect.

You can try to correct this effect in Lightroom or other software, of course, by warping the image along one edge until the parallel lines become parallel again. However, the more correction that is required, the more your image will get soft at the stretched edge, plus, the more you will have to cut off the edges of your image.

If you use a shift lens, you can aim your camera level, to keep parallel lines parallel, …and then shift the lens’ optics upward or downward (or left/right) to adjust your actual composition.

Technical Details: The Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift offers 11mm of upward and downward shift, which is very impressive for a 15mm lens. This means that the lens optics actually creates an image circle that is much wider than 15mm, in order to accommodate not just the centered composition, but the maximum shifted compositions, with corners that are still un-vignetted and decently sharp.

By the way, this also means that you can create flawlessly stitched panoramic images that equal a much wider angle. Personally? I suspect that Laowa is using their expertise in creating excellent un-distorted lenses in the 12mm, 10mm, and even wider focal lengths, and that is how this 15mm lens is so sharp even when using the generous shift capability!

What Is Tilt-Shift?

You might be wondering why most of the other lenses with “shift” in their name are actually labeled as tilt-shift lenses. What does this mean?

Shift is the up-down or side-to-side translation of the lens’s optics. This is used to change the composition of an image, without changing the direction or angle the camera is pointed at.

Tilt, on the other hand, is when you actually change the angle of the lens’s optics, which doesn’t change the framing of the image, but it actually skews the plane of focus itself. Instead of the plane of focus being parallel to the plane of the image sensor, it can be at an angle.

For more information, google “Scheimpflug” if you’re truly nerdy and want to learn how to master the use of a classic, traditional tilt-shift lens!

Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift Review | Who Should Buy It?

Unlike most of the lenses I review here at SLR Lounge, the list of “who is this lens made for?” is a pretty short one, because this is definitely a specialty optic. If you just want a 15mm ultra-wide, full-frame lens, there are a number of alternatives that are just as good, and some are just half the price or less! (Laowa’s own 15mm f/2 is a well-known great option for mirrorless users who are looking for a fast-aperture lens, and Laowa’s newer 14mm f/4 is a great “tiny” ultra-wide lens option, for those who are looking for something truly affordable and portable. There are also numerous DSLR-compatible optics from Venus Optics, too.

I’ll get into alternatives more later, but for now, let’s talk about why you would want this $1,200 lens, out of all the innumerable other ~14-15mm full-frame ultra-wide lenses out there!

Real Estate Photography

Whether you photograph interiors or exteriors, real estate photography of any kind is almost always going to require that you capture images where vertical lines stay vertical. That is what you get with a shift-capable lens, and simply put, the Venus/Laowa 15mm is the widest lens around to have such a function. For interiors, in particular, this lens is likely to be a holy grail for real estate photographers.

It may be more practical to have a 14-24mm or 12-24mm ultra-wide zoom instead, for some types/styles of real estate work, however, the availability of shifting at 15mm can be just as valuable.

Architectural Photography

A slightly different genre than real estate photography, but also including it, I consider architectural photography to encompass virtually everything that involves pictures of man-made buildings or structures. Maybe you love photographing cool-looking buildings, or bridges, train trestles, anything! A shift lens will be incredibly useful.

If you’re thinking of buying an ultra-wide lens, and you are at all into any type of architectural work, then add this lens to your list along with all the traditional 16-35mm, 14-24mm, or 12-24mm options. You won’t regret at least taking this Laowa 15mm for a spin!

Street & Cityscape Photography

Even if you don’t do paid work photographing real estate or other types of architecture, the Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/4.5 is still a FUN lens to have for things like cityscapes, or even casual street photography.

Is it pretty impractical to focus manually, let alone to bother with the shift function of a lens, though. So, if cityscape photography is only one small part of your work, then you might opt for a more traditional ultra-wide zoom before this lens.

Personally? One of the things I absolutely love about cityscapes is the starbursts that you get from lamp posts and other such spectral light sources, and Laowa offers some of the best sunstars/starbursts around. So, I’d honestly consider this lens just as seriously as any of the respectable ultra-wide zooms out there since I do shoot a fair amount of cityscapes!

Landscape Photography

Once you leave the city and urban subjects behind and head outdoors, you may rapidly lose interest in having shift capability at your disposal. Simply put, if there aren’t any parallel lines to worry about in your scene, then a shift capability becomes significantly less useful! (You can still use shift to emphasize or de-emphasize a near or far subject in your scene, of course, but the effect is a lot more subtle.)

Having said that, there is one caveat. If you do a lot of photography in the woods/woodland areas, and a lot of the trees are straight-as-an-arrow pines or other similar types of trees, then yes, you might very well find it extremely useful to have a shift-capable lens!

Personally? Once again, I’d consider this 15mm shift lens almost as equally as I would any ultra-wide zoom, if I did a lot of landscape photography in woods and forests. (Then again, the “leaning effect” can have an aesthetic appeal to it, too, when you are standing in a forest gazing upward into the trees.)

Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift Review | Pros & Cons

In terms of pros and cons, things are pretty straightforward with this lens. Simply put, it’s a great performer but is indeed a specialty item. If you want what it offers, you won’t find a better value, or any lens at all that offers 11mm of shift at 15mm for a full-frame sensor. That’s the bottom line here.

Image Quality

I think I can sum up how impressive the image quality is with this lens by saying, if it were a Canon, Nikon, or Sony optic, it would cost two or three times as much even if the image quality were exactly the same. That’s how good this lens is. Let’s dive into the details.

Sharpness

The sharpness is quite impressive on 24 and even 45-megapixel cameras. It’s not perfect, of course, even when you get to the extreme corners of a shifted image. (See below) However, it is still truly impressive.

Bokeh

To be totally honest, I forgot to test the bokeh of this lens! If you buy this lens and are worried about the bokeh, you are probably not spending your money correctly. I was more excited about how good the sunstars looked, and how few flare dots there were, than what the bokeh would be like. (All three of these aspects of image quality are closely related to how the aperture iris is designed.)

[Related: Venus Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D lens review: A Compact Alternative To Giant Ultrawides]

Having said that, if you’re doing close-up photography and want an ultra-wide lens to do with, literally all of the other Venus Laowa lenses might interest you. There are numerous 14mm and 15mm options that have better macro capabilities, which well mention below.

Colors & Contrast

Colors and contrast are gorgeous, indeed. Most notably, when you capture single exposures with extreme dynamic range in the scene, you don’t get weird blooming effects when performing extreme highlight and shadow recovery in post-production. For real estate photographers, Nailing a shot in a single exposure might save them tons of time. Or, for those who use HDR techniques more frequently, you can enjoy clean, clear tonal transitions in high-contrast areas.

Vignetting & Distortion

Sunstars & Flare

Sunstars aren’t the first thing you think about when picking a lens, but they are almost always very important to anyone who photographs buildings or cityscapes! Thankfully, the Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift does not disappoint in this regard! Sunstars are gorgeous by f/8, with sharp, well-defined 8-pointed starbursts.

Flare dots are virtually nonexistent in normal daylight conditions, HOWEVER, in flare “ghost” situations, such as above, like cityscapes where there are very dark shadows and very bright spectral highlights, you will definitely see dots. This is pretty common with all lenses, though.

Color Fringing, Aberration, Coma & Astigmatism

Faint aberrations are present when shooting wide-open at f/4.5 and f/5.6, but they’re negligible unless you’re making absolutely huge prints of your images.

When you’re using a lot of shift, then there are some aberrations in the corners of the images, just as the field curvature or softness that I mentioned earlier. Again, it’s still negligible, considering that you’re getting a 15mm lens with shift capabilities.

Macro & Close-Up Photography

Another confession: I did not do much close-up testing with this lens. Sharpness is excellent when focusing moderately close, and that is good enough for me. If you want an ultra-wide “macro” lens, then you should probably look into the Venus Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro, which achieves a full 1:1 reproduction macro, or the 25mm f/2.8 Ultra-Macro lens that achieves 2.5-5x magnification! Both lenses cost less than half the price of this shift-capable lens, and they are available in both DSLR and mirrorless mounts.

Design & Durability

The Venus Optics lineup is, to the best of my knowledge, almost all-metal construction. It’s one of the things we really like about Laowa lenses compared to other small third-party lens companies that use a lot of plastic, and in some cases generally flimsy construction.

Having said that, making a lens out of metal parts is only half the battle. The other half is, of course, the actual workmanship and quality control of the final product. To be totally honest, in the past I have seen plenty of all-metal lenses that still started “rattling apart” after a year or two of heavy use.

Suffice it to say, this lens feels like it will stand the test of time. Not just the materials, but also the overall construction, feel like they are pretty professional.

The locking knob, and the tab that releases the lens and allows it to shift horizontally instead of vertically, are both very sturdy-feeling. The focus ring, and the ring that controls shift, are both very smooth.

Weather Sealing

As an all-metal lens with zero electronics, you don’t really need to worry that much about moisture, however, it’s still nice to have decently “sealed” internals in order to avoid fungus or humidity ingress as the years roll by.

Honestly, I would actually have really liked to see Laowa start including electronic contacts in their lenses at some point, and this lens that breaks the $1K mark would have been a nice first lens to do it with. However, that’s a minor complaint. Very few people need to actually remember what aperture they took every photo at.

The focus rings and all other moving parts seem to have very tight tolerances, so, as long as you’re not using this lens in a sandstorm or a torrential downpour, I expect it will “live” a long, successful life.

Manual Focus Performance

Unlike a lot of the latest electronically-controlled lenses these days, the Laowa has a delightfully smooth, fully mechanically focus ring. In addition to offering great precision when focusing using live view on any camera, DSLR or mirrorless, you also get the added benefit of the lens retaining its focus setting if you turn the camera off, and of course, there are physical focus markings on the lens for you to quickly find infinity if you need a good starting point for more hastily done shots.

Value

[Related Reading: Laowa Announces the Release Of The World’s Widest Shift Lens for Full Frame Cameras]

Among Laowa’s other 14mm and 15mm full-frame ultra-wide lenses, this $1,200 might not seem to be a good value if you don’t need the shift capability. Simply put, there are a half-dozen other lenses that cost half as much, and are just as sharp, just as portable, just as well-made, and if you need it, faster than f/4.5.

However, once you need the shift capability, the Laowa 15mm f/4.5 suddenly becomes one of the best values around! Simply put, the other two ultra-wide options, Canon’s 17mm TSE and Nikon’s 19mm PC, are both significantly more expensive, and less wide.

Thirdly, maybe you’re considering not just an affordable wide-angle prime, but an ultra-wide zoom. These lenses often start at around $1,200, and go up from there, in which case you are going to see a relatively good value in the Venus/Laowa.

It’s really that simple. It will be a no-brainer as to whether or not this lens is a good value to you and the type of photography you shoot.

Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift Review | Compared To The Competition

As I mentioned, there are three categories of lenses that you might be considering besides a lens like this. Either you’re shopping for specialty shift or tilt-shift lenses in particular, or you’re shopping for a compact, simple ultra-wide prime, or you’re shopping for a “fancy” ultra-wide zoom.

We’ve already mentioned the two name-brand, ultra-wide, tilt-shift lenses on the market, the Canon 17mm f/4 TS-E and the Nikon 19mm f/4E PC. They’re very expensive, and less wide-angle than this 15mm Shift.

The Rokinon/Samyang 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift ED AS UMC is the other wide-angle prime lens that you might consider, at only $799. Like the other competition, it also offers not just shift capability, but tilt as well. But, 24mm is nowhere near as wide as 15mm, so it truly is in a different category.

Since you probably already know whether or not you need this lens’ shift capability, we’ll simply rattle off the alternative lenses you might consider, if you’ve decided that you don’t need to “shift”. All of these lenses are absolutely excellent:

• Venus Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D
• Venus Laowa 14mm f/4 Zero-D
• Venus Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D
• Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 (Any model, the newer the better!)
• Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 (Both the DSLR and mirrorless versions are excellent!)
• Sigma 12-24mm f/4 Art
• Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 (Both the DSLR and mirrorless versions are excellent!)
• Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 (Both DSLR versions are excellent

Honestly, though? None of these lenses really offers what the Venus Laowa 15mm Shift offers. Theoretically, you could use, say, a 12mm lens instead, frame your photos perfectly level, and then just heavily crop the image in order to achieve an upward or downward composition. But, at that point, you’re really throwing away megapixels, and wasting what your lens was made for, too.

Venus Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Shift Review | Conclusion

Check Pricing & Availability

The Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift lens is available everywhere, usually priced at $1,199.

(B&H | Amazon | Adorama)

Three new full-frame mirrorless cameras in particular caught our eye this past year; all of them are very new, cutting-edge technology, and all of them make very attractive offers: The Sony A7C, the Nikon Z5, and the Panasonic S5. These are the newest and/or the most affordable options in each companies’ lineup.

If you’re shopping for your very first full-frame camera, which one is right for you? There is no clear answer; each one has strengths and weaknesses, and the decision will come down to the type of photography (and definitely video!) you shoot.

In this article, we are going to compare these three cameras, and give you a clear winner depending on your style and needs! One of these cameras is probably perfect for you.

New Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras In 2020 & 2021

First and foremost, let’s get some additional details out of the way. There are a LOT of great cameras on the market today, in fact, despite the struggles that all camera companies have faced in recent years, it has never been a better time for digital photography, especially full-frame mirrorless options! Depending on your budget, there are numerous incredible cameras to choose from.

For example, the Canon EOS R6 is a high-end action sports camera for just $2,500. That’s right, $2,500, for a camera with the same autofocus system as a $6,500 Canon 1D-series flagship. If you need a high-speed, fast-action camera for wildlife or sports, consider saving up a little more!

Of course, if you do have that much money to spend on a mirrorless camera, the Sony A1 was just announced, and it will set you back $6,498, indeed. That’s a huge investment, but it’s worth it if you really need 8K video, 30 FPS shooting, and the best autofocus system around.

There are also some great mid-range cameras, too, especially if you’re a serious landscape or another type of photographer who is making huge prints: The Nikon Z7II, Canon EOS R5 ($3,899) were both released this past summer, but of course, the Panasonic S1H and Sony A7R IV, released in 2019, are still incredible high-megapixel cameras, too!

What if you’re looking for crazy-good video specs, on a relative budget? The Sony A7S III finally arrived, after years of waiting, and its 4K video specs do not disappoint, as long as you have ~$3,500 to spend.

Affordable Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras In 2020 & 2021

All in all, whatever your need, there’s probably at least one or two cameras that could perfectly suit you. But, what if you’re on a very tight budget? Do you still have to spend at least $3,000 to get a “decent”, professionally-capable camera these days? The simple answer is, absolutely NOT!

In this article we are going to answer the question, what if we want one of the absolute latest and greatest cameras, but also, what if we’re on a sub-$2K budget? Read on, and find out.

Nikon Z5

You can always count on Nikon to break the mold when it comes to creating an impressive value for an affordable price. The Nikon Z5 is, plain and simple, the only current-gen camera that offers both dual card slots and in-body stabilization for a mere $1,396. If you’re just getting serious about photography, but you also think you might do a paid photoshoot here or there someday in the near future, then the Nikon Z5 is the best choice out there in terms of its rugged build quality and impressive feature set, for an unprecedented price tag well under the $1.5K mark.

Having said that, the video specs aren’t as impressive as the latest competition at the $2K mark; if you’re truly serious about video then you’ll probably want to consider either of the other two cameras on this 3-camera list. Also, the Nikon Z5 is a little slow in general, in terms of its framerate and blackout time; therefore, if you photograph high-speed action such as sports or wildlife, the Z5 might not be for you.

Of course, if you do pick up a Nikon Z5 and love the overall system, the ergonomics and the lenses, but you’re hoping to get better speed and video out of your camera, …then before you consider jumping to another system, keep in mind that the Nikon Z6II is also “just” $1,996, and has impressive speed and video specs!

[Related: Nikon Z5 Review | The Best Value Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera]

Either way, the bottom line is that in terms of image quality, and overall features, no camera on the market offers what the Nikon Z5 does, and the Nikon Z-mount system overall gets our first nod of approval for being so well-rounded, considering the value in the feature sets of the Z5 and Z6 II combined, as well as the amazingly high-quality Z-mount lenses.

Panasonic S5

At the higher end of the sub-$2K price range, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5 is a $1,997 video beast. Indeed, it has some of the best video specs for a full-frame camera under $2K, with 4K 60p 4:2:0 10-bit, (APS-C cropped) and 4K30p 4:2:2 10-bit, as well as many other more advanced specs for those who want to dive deeper.

There’s also sensor-based stabilization and dual card slots, of course, as is now the standard for ~$2K cameras.

Panasonic joined the full-frame mirrorless “race” a little later than everyone else, but with their expertise in Micro Four Thirds video-oriented cameras, and their partnership with Leica for optics, their full-frame system has been impressive from the start.

The Panasonic S5 in particular is very well-built, with full professional controls and ergonomics, but in a slightly smaller, lighter package compared to the more expensive Panasonic S1, S1R, and S1H.

In our experience, despite being similar to the Nikon Z5 in physical robustness, we do have to give the nod to Nikon for overall ergonomic ease-of-use. The Nikon is a bit more intuitive overall, and the AF point control joystick is definitely a lot more effortless to use compared to the Panasonic. All in all, you can just tell that Nikon really knows how to make photography cameras, while Panasonic is really good at making video cameras.

On the plus side, the lens selection for Panasonic is truly impressive, if you have the money for “flagship glass”, that is. Their best options are all pretty large, heavy, and expensive. Basically, this is a very serious video platform, and Panasonic is not cutting many corners, not with their camera bodies, nor their lenses.

Then again, Panasonic is sharing this Leica L-mount with Sigma, and this means that virtually all of Sigma’s latest lenses, many of them shockingly affordable, are available to Panasonic full-frame mirrorless users!

[Related: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Review | A Flagship Pro Lens For Half The Price]

Sony A7C

Sony has the most full-frame mirrorless camera bodies on the market, especially if you count the older and discontinued models. The Sony A7C has the most affordable MSRP of them all, at $1,798.

If you want a compact full-frame camera that is beginner-oriented, the Sony A7C might seem very attractive at first. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, and some of them might be a deal-breaker. First, while the A7C does have in-body stabilization, it only has a single SD card slot, potentially putting it at a professional disadvantage versus both the Nikon Z5 and the Panasonic S5.

Also, the body itself has more in common with the Sony APS-C (crop sensor) beginner class of cameras, not their A7-series semi-professional and flagship pro bodies. Thus, you will probably find yourself missing important controls like the front command dial, the rear AF point control button/joystick, and the C1/C2 top custom buttons.

Basically, it’s an entry-level camera body with a really good sensor in it. So, the image quality is stellar, and the video specs are decently respectable, but overall, is it worth nearly $1,800? That’s hard to say when you can pick up the Panasonic S5 for just $200 more, or of course, get a Nikon Z5 for under $1,400.

Where the Sony A7C really excels, of course, is its lightweight portability, and video purposes such as travel and vlogging. You really can’t beat the compact, portable package that includes a fully articulating LCD, in-body stabilization, and Sony’s truly incredible face/eye-tracking autofocus. Simply put, if you are a vlogger, this camera gets our top recommendation. Pair the A7C with a similarly lightweight, portable lens like the Sony FE 20mm f/1.8 G, and you have a near-perfect vlogging kit. (Maybe in the coming year or two we’ll start to really miss 4K60p video, of course, but for now, 4K30p (and 1K/FHD 120p) is enough for most folks.

If you’re more of a stills+video photographer, though, let’s not forget the fact that Sony’s slightly older A7 III (due to be replaced this year?) has a lot of the things you might be missing in the A7C, if you’re willing to sacrifice the fully-articulated LCD screen. The A7 III might be a little bit older, but it has dual card slots, a semi-professional control layout with a nice-sized grip. Also, because of its age, you can sometimes even pick one up for $1,698, instead of ~$2K, whenever it is on sale!

In short, the main reason to buy an A7C is not just the price or the feature set. It’s the compact portability, the updated AF system that is really uncanny at grabbing faces; especially if you’re a vlogger, this could be the best camera of the three, indeed!)

VERDICT: Nikon Z5 For Photographers, Panasonic S5 For Videographers, Sony A7C For Vloggers?

There you have it, folks. If you’re a photographer who wants a serious full-frame camera that feels great to handle and doesn’t skimp on professional-grade photo features, the Nikon Z5 is really hard to beat, at just under $1,400!

Alternately, if you’re more interested in video and specifically vlogging, the Sony A7C could be your dream camera, but only if you’d rather have the fully-articulated LCD screen as opposed to all of the useful-for-photography ergonomics and controls.

Last, the Panasonic S5 might be the lesser-known camera in the bunch, but it’s a truly impressive all-around camera, whether you’re doing still photography or video, and certainly, if you’re doing both!

What About All The Other Cameras?

We kept this comparison simple, in order to avoid it being an utterly enormous article, but yes, there are a lot of other full-frame mirrorless cameras out there which you might consider! We’ll talk about a few of the ones you might also be considering. Some of them might be attractive if your budget is this $1-2K range, while others, we might flat-out not recommend.

Canon EOS RP & EOS R

At a mere $999, the Canon EOS RP (released in 2019) is definitely one of the cheapest full-frame digital cameras out there. It’s also one of the oldest of the affordable full-frame camera bodies on the market, too, and we can’t recommend it too highly, due to the fact that it’s missing both dual card slots and IBIS. It’s also got a pretty tiny entry-level battery and ergonomics, and lastly, the sensor itself isn’t up to par.

The Canon EOS R, the original RF-mount camera body, is also becoming a little more affordable, but once again, as the oldest camera in Canon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup, it is missing the two most popular features on most of its ~$2K competitors: dual card slots and IBIS.

Honestly? Canon’s best offering right now is just a little bit above $2K; the $2,500 EOS R6. Until we see a “Canon EOS R/RP mkII”, the sub-$2K realm will be entirely dominated by other brands.

Nikon Z6 & Nikon Z6 II

Nikon’s 6-series camera bodies both hit the market at $2K, about the same price as the Panasonic S5. Are they worth considering? Yes, absolutely, if you have that budget to spend, then the Nikon Z6 II ($1,996) is a great, modern choice, with a balance of photography-oriented design and functionality compared to the competition.

Nikon is also the best brand out there at filling both a middle-tier lens selection and a flagship one, by the way. Their lineup of f/1.8 S-line primes, paired with their full range of f/4 zooms and f/2.8 zooms, makes for one of the best well-rounded name-brand lens arsenals available on mirrorless full-frame. (And, once Sigma, Tamron, and Rokinon/Samyang all arrive to the Z-mount, it might just be the best full-frame mirrorless platform for almost everybody!)

Sony A7III

Although it’s getting old too, as we mentioned, the Sony A7 III (currently $1,698, normally $1,998) probably has the most going for it among the older generation of ~$2K cameras. Stabilization, dual card slots, great battery life, a solid autofocus system, and decent 4K video specs.

[Related: Tamron 70-300mm Review | Another Lens We’ve All Been Waiting For!]

However, does it stack up well against its brand-new competitors? The Panasonic S5 definitely beats the A7 III in terms of video features, and both the S5 and the Nikon Z5 beat the A7 III in terms of rugged build quality. Indeed, as we mentioned, if you’re just a casual photographer then the Nikon Z5 is an incredible value for the money, but you could also consider buying a refurbished or “mint” used A7 III, and thus gain access to a lot of the affordable E-mount lenses from Tamron, Sigma, and Rokinon/Samyang. If there was an argument to not invest in one of the latest-and-greatest full-frame mirrorless cameras, it is definitely the A7 III and a set of third-party E-mount lenses.

Sigma FP

Last but not least, the Sigma FP, a full-frame “cinema rig” style body, was announced in the summer of 2019. With a price tag of just $1,899, (or on sale for $1799, at times) …you should definitely take note of the ace up this camera’s sleeve: 4K RAW (DNG) video! The FP definitely deserves consideration by anyone who is serious about video or movie-making, and who is more interested in the edit-ability of raw video than, say, the latest-and-greatest framerate specs. (The Canon EOS R5 and R6 can shoot 4K 60p video, and the Sony A7S III can shoot 4K 120p video, however, all of those cameras cost much more than the Sigma FP.)

[Related: Sigma FP Review | Full-frame 4K RAW Video On A Budget!]

The Sigma FP does not have many physical/ergonomic bells and whistles, but what it does have is truly gorgeous image quality, for both stills and video, thanks to the DNG raw video file format that allows you to process your stills and color-grade your video clips in Lightroom, should you choose, as if they were the same thing! If you’re an amateur filmmaker and 30p is enough of a framerate for what you do, then the overall video image quality from the FP is truly hard to beat.

Just remember, the Sigma FP has no EVF, and no articulated LCD screen, so it is meant to be a part of a “rig” video setup, indeed!

Conclusion

With an impressive total of four full-frame mirrorless camera mounts on the market now, (wait, make that FIVE; Leica actually has two FF “mirrorless” mounts, technically!) and six brands of bodies for those mounts, now is indeed a great time to get a new, cutting-edge, full-frame mirrorless camera, even without breaking the bank.

Despite the extreme challenges and difficulties 2020 presented, there are about a dozen (yes, a dozen) new full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market! Whatever your budget, whatever your preferred genre of photography,  a nearly perfect dream camera was probably announced within the last year or so.

Whether you’re a casual photographer who might get very serious someday, or you want to make eye-catching Youtube videos, or you’re eager to make cinematic movie masterpieces, one of these three cameras, or one of their close relatives, ought to be perfectly suited to your needs.

Have any comments or further questions? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

The wide-angle 11mm was already available for Leica M-mount, L-Mount, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount options. The addition of Canon RF completes the circle of (full-frame) mirrorless support for the brand.

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL

Laowa 11mm F4.5 FF RL is an extremely compact rectilinear(RL) wide-angle lens for full-frame (FF) mirrorless cameras. The remarkable 126° angle of view with 19cm minimum focus distance can be found in this 6.3cm(2.5 inches) long and 254g(8.9oz) lens. It allows you to capture the stunning landscape, precious travel moments, and beautiful cityscape without any burden. The lens also includes 2 aspherical elements and 3 extra-low dispersion elements to guarantee the sharpness, suppress chromatic aberrations and distortion to the minimum.
>Conveniently a 62mm filter can be screwed onto the lens directly, or 100mm-wide filters can be used. The 5-bladed aperture able to create a clean and appealing stunning 10-point sunstars.

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL is now available in Leica M, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF, and L mount. MSRP in the US is US $799 (Leica M) and US $699 (other mounts).

Adorama | B&H | Amazon | Venus Optics

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 is optimized for mirrorless cameras with APS-C format. As the only macro lens in the market that is capable of producing 2X life-size images, the lens allows photographers to use it for a wide range of subjects. The 65mm f/2.8 also inherited the excellent Apochromatic optical(APO) design from Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X macro, which suppresses the chromatic aberration at both in-focus and out-of-focus areas to the minimum. Delivering stunning details and contrast from center to corner even when using a wide-open aperture. This professional prime lens delivers exceptional resolution and sharpness.
With only 335g(11.8oz), the lens is a very versatile lens for APS-C mirrorless cameras. The internal focus design can maintain the overall lens length during use, which avoids any collision or damage to the subject. Thanks to the advantage of its lightweight and compactness, this lens is definitely a great companion for outdoor and ecological photography.

It is now available in Canon EF-M, Fuji X, Sony E & Nikon Z mounts. The suggested retail price in the US is US$399.

Adorama | B&H | Amazon | Venus Optics

Pricing & Availability

The Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL and Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO are currently available to purchase via Venus Optics official website (https://www.venuslens.net/) and authorized resellers.

The price for 11mm f/4.5 and 65mm f/2.8 of all mounts are $699 and $399 respectively. Pricing varies in different countries.

Technical Specifications

Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL

• Focal Length 11mm
• Max. Aperture f/4.5
• Min. Aperture f/22
• Angle of View 126°
• Format Compatibility Full Frame
• Lens Structure 14 elements in 10 groups
• Aperture Blades 5
• Min. Focusing Distance 7.4” (19cm)
• Max. Magnification 0.1x
• Filter Thread 62mm
• Dimensions ⌀ 63.5mm x 58mm
• Weight 254g (8.9 oz.)
• Mounts – Leica M, L mount, Sony FE, Nikon Z, Canon RF

Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO

• Focal Length 65mm
• Max. Aperture f/2.8
• Min. Aperture f/22
• Angle of View 24.4°
• Format Compatibility APS-C
• Lens Structure 14 elements in 10 groups
• Aperture Blades 9
• Min. Focusing Distance 17cm (6.7”)
• Max. Magnification 2x
• Filter Thread 52mm
• Dimensions ⌀ 57mm x 100mm
• Weight 335g (11.82 oz.)
• Mounts – Fuji X, Sony E, Canon EF-M, Nikon Z

To learn more visit the official Product Pages here

• Laowa 11mm f/4.5 FF RL
• Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro AP

Why is this a big deal? It’s a great thing that there are more affordable lenses for the L-Mount (Leica system) but on top of that, the new Sigma fp system leverages this mount as well. So not only can you use the entire L-mount line up, but the list of affordable lenses available to it just keep getting bigger and bigger, making the barrier to entry for videographers that much smaller! Especially for niche lenses such as the probe lens typically used for product work and very unique shots.

LAOWA 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye

Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens features a 210° Angle of view with circular fisheye perspective on Micro Four Thirds (M4/3) cameras. On the contrary to the Laowa ‘Zero-D’ wide-angle lenses, the 4mm fisheye lens is designed to create an extremely distorted circular fisheye perspective.

LAOWA 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D

Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D provides an extreme 113° angle of view and ultra-fast f/2.8 aperture allows photographers to create impressive astrophotography shots and low-light shooting. 2 aspherical elements plus 3 extra-low dispersion elements successfully correct chromatic aberration, realize close-to-zero distortion & deliver excellent corner to corner sharpness. It comes with Fuji X, Sony E, Canon EF-M, DL , MFT, and finally for the L mount users.

24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe

Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe is the world’s first consumer-grade probe lens which focuses from 2:1 macro to infinity and with a compelling wide angle ‘Bug Eye’ perspective. The wide-angle design means much greater depth of field at close distances than possible with a conventional telephoto macro lens, so more background details can now be seen. The front barrel of the lens is waterproof and an LED ring light is mounted at the tip of the lens. It can cover both standard 35mm full-frame & Super35 image sensors and is super lightweight to carry.

Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro

Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro is optimized for macro shooting between 2.5X – 5X life-size. The lens is specially designed with an extended working distance (45mm at 2.5x & 40mm at 5x) and a small lens barrel. This allows sufficient lighting on the object for easier shooting in the field.

The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X is developed for both professional and leisure macro photography, to be used in the field or indoor set-ups. An optional LED Ringlight and Tripod Collar are available for added control and precision operation.

[Related Reading: Venus Optics Release New Variants for Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO]

In total, we have 12 L mount lenses available for the L mount users are as follow:

Wide-angle lenses:

• 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye
• 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D
• 9mm f/5.6 FF RL
• 11mm f/4.5 FF RL
• 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D
• 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Zoom
• 15mm f/4.5 Zero-D Shift
• 15mm f/2 Zero-D

Macro Lenses:

• 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO
• 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe
• 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro
• 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro

Technical Specifications

4mm f/2.8 Fisheye

• Focal Length – 4mm
• Max. Aperture – f/2.8
• Min. Aperture – f/16
• Angle of View – 210 degrees
• Format Compatibility – MFT
• Lens Structure – 7 elements in 6 groups
• Aperture Blades – 7
• Min. Focusing Distance – 80mm (3.15”)
• Max. Magnification – 1:9
• Dimensions – Φ 25.5 x 45.2mm
• Weight – 135 g (4.76 oz)
• Mounts – Fuji X, Sony E, EOS-M, MFT, L mount
• Price – $199 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon

9mm f/2.8 Zero-D

• Focal Length – 9mm
• Max. Aperture – f/2.8
• Angle of View – 113° on APSC, 100°on MFT
• Format Compatibility – APS-C, MFT
• Lens Structure – 15 elements in 10 groups
• Aperture Blades – 7
• Min. Focusing Distance – 12cm
• Max. Magnification – 1:7.5
• Filter Thread – 49mm
• Dimensions – 60 x 53mm
• Weight – 215g
• Mounts – Fuji X, Sony E, Canon EF-M, DJI DL, MFT, L mount
• Price – $499 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon

24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe

• Focal Length – 24mm
• Max. Aperture – f/14
• Min. Aperture – f/40
• Angle of View – 85°
• Format Compatibility – Full Frame
• Lens Structure – 27 elements in 19 groups (High Index Glass x 1, ED Glass x 2 & Prism x 2)
• Aperture Blades – 7
• Min. Focusing Distance – 470mm
• Min. Working Distance – 20mm
• Max. Magnification – 2:1
• Infinity Focus – Yes
• Focusing – Manual Focus
• Dimensions (Approx.) – 38 x 408mm
• Weight (Approx.) – 474g (1.04 lb)
• Mount (Standard Version) – Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony FE, L mount
• Mount (Cine Version) – Arri PL, Canon EF, Sony FE
• Price – $1499 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon

25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro

• Focal Length – 25mm
• Max. Aperture – f/2.8
• Angle of View – 10.3°
• Format Compatibility – Full Frame
• Lens Structure – 8 elements in 6 groups
• Aperture Blades – 8
• Min. Focusing Distance – 17.3 (5x) – 23.4 (2.5x)cm
• Max. Magnification – 5X
• Filter Thread – N/A
• Dimensions – 82 x 65mm
• Weight – 400g
• Mounts – Canon EF & RF / Nikon F & Z / Sony E / Pentax K/ L mount
• Price – $399 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon

[Related Reading: Venus Optics Announces Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Macro – A Nikon Z & Canon RF Mirrorless Lens]

Pricing & Availability

The new variants of Laowa 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye, 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D, 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe & 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro are currently available to order and ship in the official website of Venus Optics (https://www.venuslens.net/) and their authorized resellers.

Shipping starts from Early March 2021 for the L mount lenses of 4mm f/2.8 Fisheye, 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D, 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe, 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro.

Adorama | B&H | Amazon

To learn more about these lenses check out the official product pages here;

Recently Lomography launched its newest compact prime lens on kickstarter, the Atoll Ultra-Wide f/2.8 17mm Art lens on for Mirrorless systems like Nikon Z, Canon RF, Sony E, and Leica M Mounts.

[Related Reading: Lomography Announces Instant Film Camera]

This new lens is assembled by hand with thirteen multi-coated lens elements in ten groups, the Lomography Atoll Ultra-Wide Art Lens corrects optical aberrations to minimize distortion and improve micro-contrast, giving your shots richer colors and smooth tone transitions.

And, with a 103º field of view, closest focusing distance of up to 0.1 m and a maximum aperture of f/2.8 you’ll be able to stuff every inch of your ultra-wide shots with tiny details in razor-sharp focus, even in low-light conditions.

They are saying this lens is incredibly well suited for genres such as landscape, street/action, and travel photography with an “incredible” close-focusing system with near distortion-free wide images.

Check out some of the sample images included and judge for yourself;

Lomography Atoll Ultra-Wide 17mm f/2.8 Art Technical Specifications

• Focal Length: 17 mm
• Format Coverage: 35 mm/ full-frame
• Field of View: 103º
• Lotus Lens Hood: Yes
• Lens Construction: 13 multicoated elements, 10 groups
• Focusing: Manual
• Closest Focus Distance: 0.1 m (Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E), 0.25 m (M)
• Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
• Aperture Construction: 8 blades, f/2.8 – f/22
• Aperture Ring: Dampened
• Depth of Field Scale: Yes
• Mount: Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E (with close-up lens base) & M (native)
• Electronic Contacts: No
• M Mount Rangefinder Coupling: Yes
• M Mount Frameline: 28 mm
• External Optical Viewfinder: Yes
• Materials: Sandblasted anodized aluminum
• Dimensions (including lotus lens hood and close-up lens base): 87 mm (Canon RF), 91 mm (Nikon Z),
• 89 mm (Sony E), ø73 mm × 79 mm (M)

[Related Reading: Lomography Reinventing The Revolutionary Petzval Lens]

Read the Full Release Below;

With the Atoll Ultra-Wide Art Lens comes a whole new way to see the world. With an extraordinarily expansive field of view, the Lomography Atoll Ultra-Wide Art Lens lets you get impossibly close to your subject, whilst also capturing the action all around them in jaw-dropping detail for eye-catching, inspiring, immersive photography and film.

The Lomography Atoll Ultra-Wide Art Lens is now available on Kickstarter with a one-time rock-bottom offer of $150 USD off its retail price for the first 24 hours.
Delivery will start in August 2021.

Now on Kickstarter from $399 USD
Estimated retail price from $549 USD

• Get intrepid: designed for full-frame mirrorless Canon RF/ Nikon Z/ Sony E cameras and rangefinder coupled for M mount analogue and digital cameras, external viewfinder included
• Stay extra: impressive ultra-wide 103º field of view with minimal distortion, vibrant colors and strong contrast.
• Go bold: closest focusing distance of 0.1 m with Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E cameras and 0.25 m with M mount cameras.
• Be brave: enhanced rectilinear optic design for eye-popping colors and stunning saturation even in low-light situations.
• Roam free: compact prime lens optimized for photo and video with helicoid focusing mechanism, dampened aperture control ring and short focus throw.\

The kickstarter is offering backing of this lens at $399 and up (based on how deep you want to go on the support) and and they actually reached their goal for funding within just 9 hours! So it’s clearly a lens that has interest from the masses. The final retail price for the lens is listed as $550, so if you’re interested, it may be time to check this guy out. Lomography says they hope to have the lenses starting to ship by the end of August 2021, and as usual, even though this project has been fully funded, with anything on kickstarter, there’s always a risk (no guarantee) that the product will not see the light of day and/or have some hiccups along the way, so choose wisely!

Beyond that, let us know what you think of the lens in the comments below. Have you ever tried any of Lomography’s other lenses before? Have you invested in a photo-kickstarter? Be sure to tell us and leave any questions about the lens you’d like to see answered as well. We’ve reached out to do a review of this lens at SLR Lounge and will address your comments as soon as we can.

Extra Lightweight and Tiny Versatile Lens

Laowa 10mm f/2 Zero-D MFT is an ultra-wide & ultra-fast prime lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length of around 20mm. With the enthusiastic response for the Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT and 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D, we decided to take a step forward to a relatively more versatile focal length but retain and further refine the outstanding optical design.

The 10mm lens is extremely compact and light in weight. It is compressed to be 1.61” (41mm) long and weighs only around 4.4oz (125g). The lens is designed with a 49mm filter thread which gives additional portability for screw-in filters. Its compactness makes itself comfortable for those who do videos with gimbals or handheld, avoiding excessive shaking. Photographers could bring it anywhere without taking up much space in the pocket.

“Zero-Distortion” with a more natural wide-angle perspective

Despite the small size, the lens consists of 11 elements in 7 groups with three pieces of extra-low dispersion glasses. As the second MFT lens in the line-up of ‘Zero-D’, it features an excellent control of the optical distortion which is commonly found in ultra-wide-angle lenses. Thanks to this optical advantage, this lens performs well with architectural and interior photography. The effort on post-production can be saved. A 10mm focal length also provides a more natural wide-angle look with 96° AoV.

Auto and Fast Aperture

Laowa 10mm f/2 Zero-D MFT is assembled with a CPU chip and motor which allows the adjustment of aperture via the camera body. The focus magnifier will be triggered for easier focusing when rotating the focus ring. The metadata will be stored on EXIF as well.

Having the advantages brought by the ultra-fast f/2 aperture, the lens also delivers clear and crisp images in dimly lit situations. It works ideally in nightscape shooting and astrophotography. Moreover, it can easily render a creamy look at the out-of-focus area.

Technical Specifications

Optical Structure

MTF Chart

Your Next Affordable Pocket “Must-Have”

As an ultra-wide-angle that is compact, fast, and built with “Zero-Distortion”, the 10mm is definitely the “must-have” item that every MFT user should keep in their pocket.

Recommended Retail Price in the US (without tax) is USD $399/pc. Pricing may vary in different countries.

The Laowa10mm f/2 Zero-D MFT is currently available to pre-order on the official website of Venus Optics (https://www.venuslens.net/) and their authorized resellers.

Sample Images

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Check Pricing & Availability of Laowa Zero-D Lenses Here

Adorama | B&H | Amazon

[Related Reading: Venus Optics Announce 3 New Ultra Wide Cinema Lenses for Canon RF Mount]

1. Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO

Since the release in Apr 2018, Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO has been extremely popular among macro photographers thanks to its outstanding optics performance. It was awarded the “Best DSLR Macro Lens” in TIPA World Award 2020. It is the first 100mm lens equipped with maximum 2x magnification, which stands out from the same category in its class. Featuring an Apochromat (APO) design, the chromatic aberration at both ‘in-focus’ & ‘out-of-focus’ area is suppressed to the minimum and the clarity and sharpness are greatly improved. The ability to focus to infinity makes itself even more versatile. Not only is it well-suited for macro photography but also good for portrait shooting.

2. The difference between Automatic and Manual Aperture on Canon EF

Stepless aperture control is one of the most advantageous and essential features for videography. It allows a smooth transition between each aperture level. The clickless aperture ring allows videographers to adjust the aperture smoothly and quietly. Additionally, there are 13 aperture blades assembled in the manual aperture version, giving a very softly diffused out-of-focus rendering.

3. Automatic Aperture Coupling Lever for Pentax K

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO in Pentax-K mount is assembled with the automatic aperture coupling lever, which allows aperture control via the body of the camera. Users can either use the manual aperture ring or park the focusing ring at the “A” symbol and adjust the aperture via the camera. Exif data would be stored in the metadata as well.

4. Pricing & Availability

The ex-VAT retail price of both Canon EF mount and Pentax K mount in the US is USD $449. Pricing may vary in different countries.

Adorama | B&H | Amazon | Venus Optic 

Product Page: https://www.venuslens.net/product/laowa-100mm-f-2-8-2x-macro-apo/

5. Specifications

6. Third Party Reviews

[Pentax K]

Macro Photography in the Field w/ the LAOWA 100mm 2x Ultra Macro (Credit: Thomas Shahan)

[Canon EF Manual Aperture]

They did it again! Laowa 100mm Manual Aperture Macro Lens (Credit: Nicolas Reusens)

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO Full Review| Best Macro Lens?