Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom FF (L-Mount)

Reviewers found it good to very good across the frame from 12mm to about 20mm at f/8 to f/11, with a strong centre at the wide end. The long end is weaker: one test found the 24mm corners never fully sharp, and the copies tested each had a weaker focal length near the long end. Coma is better corrected than on Laowa's older 10-18mm. Distortion measurements differ, from low to clearly wavy at 12mm, so a profile helps for architecture.

Vignetting is heavy at 12mm, about 3.6 EV wide open in one test, and a green corner cast appears at the wide end. Purple fringing shows in high-contrast scenes wide open, and flare is the other weak point, with a halo and small rainbow ghosts at 12mm. Build quality and handling were praised, and testers see it as an affordable manual alternative to far more expensive 12-24mm zooms.

One Nikon Z owner calls it a great lens for its price. Another reports that it works very well for infrared, with no hotspots and almost no colour fringing.

The Nikon Z owner reports noticeable field curvature at focus distances under about 2m, with sharpness dropping at the long edges, and a slight blue cast on that mount. The infrared owner notes that some vignetting remains visible. No owner reports specific to the L-Mount version were found.