LAOWA Officially Announces the AF FF 200mm F2.0 C-Dreamer

[BFG9000]

Is the softness issue primarily because of the direct comparison with the Sigma (and Canon) which is more expensive, larger and heavier?
Is it really an apples-to-apples comparison especially when the Sigma is not available for EF/RF anyway?
What other options exist for RF users besides the 70-200/2,8 zooms?

The softness issue is due to a mediocre lens design.
I think there's nothing more apples to apples than compare two 200mm f/2 lenses released almost simultaneously. BTW, Laowa claims that the lens 'provides flagship level results'.
You can always get the Canon EF 200mm f/2L.

 

[David - Sydney]

You can always get the Canon EF 200mm f/2L.

Only from the second hand market and as it was a low volume lens, it would be hard to find in some countries.
It may also still be more expensive than a second hand one plus heavier/bigger.
If not apples-to-apples then maybe horses-for-courses

 

[Richard CR]

The softness issue is due to a mediocre lens design.
I think there's nothing more apples to apples than compare two 200mm f/2 lenses released almost simultaneously. BTW, Laowa claims that the lens 'provides flagship level results'.
You can always get the Canon EF 200mm f/2L.

medicore lens design is an interesting choice of words. You do realize this is sharper wide open than the 200mm f2L, yes? the only one that was sharp wide open was the legendary 200mm F1.8L.

Sigma is 25% or so more expensive than the Laowa and also larger, and it's not available for Canon RF, and will most likely never be. so, no, that's not an apples to apples comparsion. So why compare it to a lens that is considerably more expensive, and if you have an RF camera, you'll never be able to use?

 

[snapshot]

medicore lens design is an interesting choice of words. You do realize this is sharper wide open than the 200mm f2L, yes? the only one that was sharp wide open was the legendary 200mm F1.8L.

Sigma is 25% or so more expensive than the Laowa and also larger, and it's not available for Canon RF, and will most likely never be. so, no, that's not an apples to apples comparsion. So why compare it to a lens that is considerably more expensive, and if you have an RF camera, you'll never be able to use?

hope you can dig up MTF for all 4 of these 200 F/2 or 1.8. i have thought about the EF 200 lenses from time to time, but wonder if i would really take it anywhere. would it really displace my 70-200 f/2,8 which gets great images.

 

[Richard CR]

hope you can dig up MTF for all 4 of these 200 F/2 or 1.8. i have thought about the EF 200 lenses from time to time, but wonder if i would really take it anywhere. would it really displace my 70-200 f/2,8 which gets great images.

The 1.8L I've only seen in a few places by they are long since gone. They were essentially a flat line. I'd say the Sigma's MTF is similar.

Keep in mind the laowa was shot with a 50MP A1 II and considered "soft" by some wide open, but that far exceeds anything we had to test with when the EF 200mm F2.0L came out, the 1Ds Mark III was 21MP, which was considered "insanely high resolution" at the time.

The EF 2.0L MTF is in the article itself.

If you have and love the 70-200 f2.8, then probably not? The 200mm f/2's were always some pretty special use case lenses.

 

[BFG9000]

medicore lens design is an interesting choice of words. You do realize this is sharper wide open than the 200mm f2L, yes? the only one that was sharp wide open was the legendary 200mm F1.8L.

Sigma is 25% or so more expensive than the Laowa and also larger, and it's not available for Canon RF, and will most likely never be. so, no, that's not an apples to apples comparsion. So why compare it to a lens that is considerably more expensive, and if you have an RF camera, you'll never be able to use?

'Sharper than the Canon EF 200mm f/2L' doesn't mean sharp. Just 'sharper than a 18 year old lens'. It's 2025 and lens design has improved massively.

Of course comparing the Laowa and the Sigma is comparing apples to apples. You can't negate the fact that the Sigma 200mm f/2 exists just because Canon is afraid of third party lens manufacturers like Sigma. In fact, you can test both units for the SONY E mount.

I.E., Nikon, SONY and Canon released their own first party 135mm f/1.8 lenses. Everybody compared them, and it's perfectly normal, even knowing these are exclusive to their systems and you'll be never able to stick a Nikon Plena on an RF mount camera.

 

[MrFotoFool]

One small mistake in the specs chart posted. It says colour (color to us Americans): black. In fact it comes in either dark blue or medium gray, but not black.