#LAOWA #M43 #review
Micro 4/3 is a great prosumer format. The cameras are relatively affordable as are the lenses and because of the format's affordability, it feels like there's a lot more room to play. A perfect example of the more experimental end of the spectrum are the Sirui anamorphics which we've already talked about a bit on this channel.
For all the fun you can have with micro 4/3s, there's one big problem... The crop factor.
The LAOWA 7.5 has a maximum aperture of f2.0 and stops all the way down to 22. It can focus on this way up close and also on things way out far. There's an ultra-light edition that does everything the standard edition does but also fares better on drones and. Finally, well... it's super duper cute.
Adorability aside, let's talk about what this lens does well, where it might fall short and the try to answer the big question - is it worth the investment.
What it does well is obvious at a glance - it's an ultra-wide, ultra-bright micro 4/3s lens. It's incredibly compact, lightweight and... look, it's a 7.5mm lens on a micro 4/3s. This opens up huge shooting possibilities for an already versatile format. The price isn't quite the gimme that the Sirui anamorphics are but it's still very fair considering you'll be using it for years to come. Once it's paid for, the size and weight makes chucking this thing in your camera bag an absolute no-brainer, especially for the shot possibilities it opens up.
Where does it fall short? Well, there is going to be some distortion towards the edge of the frame because, you know, physics. This distortion is much better than a GoPro and the lens delivers similar field of view. That said, if you're jamming right up on an object, you might be smarter to go with a proper macro lens if you're trying not to get too stylistic. If style is what you're going for, there's plenty of fun to be had with extremely close shots. The minimum focal distance is listed at four point seven five inches which means you can have things up to about 2 inches away from the front of the lens. That's close, Max. Very close.
So, now we get to the big question - What's the real-world value of this lens? For my money, this is a must-have in the kit. I took it out to shoot the SS Iowa and got shots that would simply be impossible with anything less wide. The weight of the lens and its impressible wideness make it a perfect fit for gimbal photography and really served to sell the scale. If you do any architecture work and you're on a micro 4/3 system, this will likely be the first lens you put on in the morning.
For a hobbyist, 500 is a bit of an ask but the value it can bring to the client work we do is instantly obvious, not just to us but to them as well.
If you found this review useful, click all the things. If it was a waste of your time, please remember that you could have opted out ages ago. I'm just saying.
And, now, to get to the real reason you're here.
