Venus Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D
Summary
The Venus Laowa 9mm f/2.8 Zero-D is a strong optical performer — a ultra-wide prime (14mm equivalent) with f/2.8 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$750 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Travel, Sport, Wildlife
- Adequate for: Landscape, Architecture, Street
- Avoid for: Macro
Strengths
- Well-controlled aberrations
Weaknesses
- Noticeably soft corners wide open
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
- Above-average residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
- Low macro capability (0.13x magnification)
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 15 elements in 10 groups (2 aspherical, 3 ED) |
| Coating | Frog Eye Coating |
| Focal length | 9mm |
| Max aperture | f/2.8 |
| Sweet spot | f/4 |
| Aperture blades | 7 |
| Sunstar points | 14 (sharp — straight blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.13x |
| Min focus distance | 120mm |
| AF motor | Manual focus |
| OIS | No |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| Clickless aperture | No |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | No |
| Distance scale | Yes |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 200g |
| Diameter | 53mm |
| Length | 60mm |
| Filter thread | 49mm |
| Year | 2018 |
Optical Quality 12/14
| Center (wide open) | 2.0 |
| Corner (wide open) | 0.5 |
| Center (stopped) | 2.0 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.0 |
| Astigmatism | 1.5 |
| Spherical aberration | 2.0 |
| Longitudinal CA | 2.0 |
| Lateral CA | 1.5 |
| Distortion | 1.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 0.0 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 0.5 |
| Flare resistance | 0.5 |
Sharpness
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Noticeably soft corners wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Well-controlled astigmatism
- Excellent spherical aberration correction
Rendering
- Heavy vignetting wide open (2+ stops in corners)
- Above-average residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
Distortion
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
All optical scores are based on lab measurements and field tests from trusted review sources. For details on how we score lenses, see our scoring methodology.
Genre Fit
~ Landscape Photography 3/5
Landscape Photography prioritizes corner-to-corner sharpness at stopped-down apertures and good flare resistance.
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Above-average residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
- Well-controlled astigmatism
~ Architecture Photography 3/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Above-average residual vignetting stopped down
- Below-average flare resistance
~ Street Photography 3/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
✓ Travel Photography 4/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Lightweight at 200g
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Below-average flare resistance
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
✓ Sport Photography 4.5/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✓ Wildlife Photography 4.5/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Excellent center sharpness wide open
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/2.8 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✗ Macro Photography 1/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Outstanding center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.13x)
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Excellent spherical aberration correction