Laowa 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF (MF, Canon RF)
Launch MSRP
$699- Weight
- 480g
- Filter
- ⌀72mm
- Min focus
- 0.14m
- Max mag.
- 0.21×
- Formula
- 16E / 9G
- Released
- 2025
Specification sheet
Optical construction
- 2x Aspherical
- 4x ED
- Aperture range
- f/2.8 — f/22
Physical & ergonomics
- Weight
- 480g
- ⌀ × length
- 77.2 × 76.6mm
- Filter
- ⌀72mm
- Weather sealed
- No
- Aperture ring
- Yes
Autofocus actuator
- Stabilisation
- Body IBIS
- Teleconverter
- Not supported
- AF speed score
- —
Close-up performance
- Min focus distance
- 0.14m
- Max magnification
- 0.21× (1:4.8)
Optical character
The 12mm f/2.8 Lite is Laowa's newer 122° ultra-wide with low distortion and a standard 72mm filter thread. Its 16-element, 9-group design uses two aspherical and four ED elements, and close focus is 0.14m.
Autofocus is offered only on Sony E and Nikon Z. The Canon RF version focuses manually and has a clicked aperture ring, and at about 480g it is heavier than the 377g Sony AF model. Five straight blades give 10-point sunstars from f/4, and a 14-blade manual variant is sold separately.
Reviewer consensus
Reviews were done on the autofocus Sony E and Nikon Z versions, which share the optics. Both found a very strong centre from f/2.8 and corners that improve when stopped down, peaking around f/5.6 and good to very good there. Distortion is low, under 1% barrel in one measurement, lateral colour is low, and coma is slight at f/2.8 and well corrected from f/5.6. Sunstars were singled out as excellent. One test also noted fairly high astigmatism, which affects close-up work and point lights at night.
Vignetting is the main weakness at about 3 EV wide open, improving only slightly when stopped down. Flare was rated anywhere from good to in need of improvement, with veiling flare when a bright source sits in a corner. There is no weather sealing beyond a mount gasket. Testers found it optically close to Laowa's 10mm f/2.8 at a lower price and rated its value highly.
Owner sentiment
Owner feedback will appear once we have verified real-world reports for this lens.
Strengths, weaknesses & performance
Strengths
- +Low distortion, under 1%
- +72mm filter thread at 12mm
- +Clicked aperture ring on RF
- +10-point sunstars from f/4
- +0.14m close focus
Weaknesses
- −Manual focus only on Canon RF
- −Heavy vignetting (about 3 EV)
- −480g on RF, heavier than the 377g Sony AF
- −Flare with bright sources in the corners
Six-axis rating
- Sharpness
- 8.0
- Bokeh Rendering
- 6.6
- Autofocus Speed
- MF
- Flare Resistance
- 6.8
- Build / Sealing
- 8.3
- Value / Size
- 8.2
Editorial 0–10 ratings synthesised from published reviews.
Technical specifications
| Mount | Canon RF · full frame |
|---|---|
| Focal length | 12mm |
| Category | Ultra-Wide |
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 |
| Construction | 16 elements in 9 groups |
| Special elements | 2x Aspherical · 4x ED |
| Aperture blades | 5 |
| Focus type | Manual Focus |
|---|---|
| Drive | Manual Helicoid |
| Minimum focus | 0.14m |
| Max magnification | 0.21× |
| Stabilisation | None (uses body IBIS) |
| Teleconverters | Not supported |
| Weight | 480g |
|---|---|
| Diameter × length | 77.2 × 76.6mm |
| Filter thread | ⌀72mm |
| Weather sealing | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| De-clickable aperture | No |
| Release year | 2025 |
| Launch MSRP | $699 USD |
Sources
Verified against the pages below. Specifications come from the maker; summaries only reflect reviews and owner reports we actually read.
Launch price
Professional reviews
- phillipreeve.net/blog/review-laowa-12mm-2-8-af/
- opticallimits.com/nikon/nikon-z/laowa-af-12mm-f-2-8-ff-ii-review/
Similar focal length alternatives
- VS12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF (MF, Canon RF) vs 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D (Canon RF)
- VS12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF (MF, Canon RF) vs 11mm f/4.5 FF RL (Canon RF)
- VS12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF (MF, Canon RF) vs 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye (Canon RF)
- LaowaZero-D
12mm f/2.8 Zero-D (Canon RF)
12mmF2.8- WT
- 609g
- FLT
- —
- MFD
- 0.18m
- MSRP
- $849
MFRING - Laowa
11mm f/4.5 FF RL (Canon RF)
11mmF4.5- WT
- 254g
- FLT
- ⌀62mm
- MFD
- 0.19m
- MSRP
- $699
MFRING - Laowa
8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye (Canon RF)
8–15mmF2.8- WT
- 650g
- FLT
- —
- MFD
- 0.16m
- MSRP
- $699
MFRING
