Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL Full-Frame Lens (2020)
Product Gallery
Product Overview
Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL is the widest lens for full-frame cameras on the market today. Like the 11mm f/4.5 and 14mm f/4 unveiled around the same time, this lens prioritizes weight and size, making it also one of the most portable rectilinear full-frame ultra-wide lenses.
The 9mm f/5.6 FF RL offers an expansive 135 degrees of angle of view that is dramatically different from natural human vision. It allows the photographer to capture perspectives that instantly impress.
Like the aforementioned stablemates, this 9mm lens uses a 5-bladed aperture that produces gorgeous sun stars. However, this lens is unable to accept screw-on filters, which is unsurprising at this focal length. Nevertheless, Laowa has worked with partners to design a filter holder for this lens that can accept 100mm filters.
The Laowa 9mm f/5.6 FF RL is available for all major camera mounts, including the Leica M-mount (which has a $100 premium).
Ratings
What we found**
Neofiliac score 40% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Widest full-frame rectilinear lens
- Dramatic angle of view
Cons
- Dark maximum aperture
- Lacks front filter thread
What external reviewers found***
External score 77% (not directly comparable across industries)
Pros
- Very good sharpness and colors
- Good flare resistance
- Excellent results in architecture, with unique points of views especially for portraits
- Compact size
- Very minimal distorsion
- High sharpness at the long end
Cons
- Bulky filter holder
- No native Lightroom Lens profile
- No electronic contacts or Exif data
- Heavy vignetting
Price Comparison
Specifications
Construction
Aperture Blades
5 blades
Form Factor
Ultra Wide-Angle Prime Lens
Image Size
Full-Frame
Lens Barrel
Physical aperture ring, DoF scale
Lens Mount
Leica M-mount, Leica L-mount, Nikon Z-mount, Sony E-mount
Optical Formula | Elements
14 elements
Optical Formula | Groups
10 groups
Dimensions
Size | Diameter
62 mm / 2.44 in
Size | Length
66 mm / 2.60 in
Weight
350 g / 12.37 oz
Function
Angle Of View
134.9° Diagonal | 126.9° Horizontal | 106.3° Vertical
Aperture
f/5.6
Autofocus
No
Focal Length
9 mm
Image Stabilization
No
Performance
Max Magnification
0.21x
Min Focus Distance
120 mm / 4.72 in
Production
Debut
2020-06-30
Made In
China
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Launch Comparison
Clear List
3rd-Party Review Videos
External Reviews
phillipreeve[1]
Reviewer score 81%Laowa 11mm 4.5 C-Dreamer: 9mm and 11mm are a huge difference in terms of field of view. The 11mm shows more coma, astigmatism and lateral CA in the corners. The optical design does also not look as complex and it doesn’t focus as close. The 9mm is also easier to use (less bulky, smaller 100mm square filters)
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Sharpness, minimum focus distance, coma correction, CA correction
- Compact size
- Very good flare resistance
Cons
- No electronic contacts or Exif data
- Subpar sharpness at long end
sonyalpha[2]
Reviewer score 73%The Laowa 9mm FF RF (979 euros) is the widest rectilinear full frame lens available for Sony E mount. It offers a little bit better sharpness and a better color rendering but less good vignetting and no EXIF transmission. There is no native Lightroom Lens profile but Laowa has one available for download here.
Find the original article here.
Pros
- Excellent results in architecture, with unique points of views especially for portraits
- Very good sharpness and colors
- Very minimal distorsion
Cons
- Heavy vignetting
- No native Lightroom Lens profile
User Reviews
Comments
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References
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Scores are not directly comparable across industries.
These key takeaways ("pros" and "cons") and summaries are identified from third-party reviews. They may differ from the original texts.
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