Laowa 20mm f/4 Zero-D Shift (Nikon Z)

Reviewers report a very sharp centre and excellent full-frame corners even wide open. There is an odd dip in the inner mid-frame at f/4, but by f/8 performance across the frame leaves little to want. In shifted areas, f/8–f/11 gives results better than Canon's TS-E 17mm. Distortion is negligible even shifted, and longitudinal CA is very well controlled.

The drawbacks are uneven vignetting when shifted (about 3 EV in the extreme corner wide open), sizeable flare with the sun just outside the frame, and a supplied hood that blocks sideways shift. It is a DSLR-derived design with a built-in adapter, so it is large for a 20mm f/4.

Architecture and real-estate photographers like the shift ring and the 15° rotation clicks. Being able to use standard 82mm filters and grads is a frequent reason for choosing it over Canon and Nikon shift lenses.

Some owners find the 15mm f/4.5 Shift more useful for a small price difference, and others wish the lens had tilt or electronic contacts. Its size and weight are a common complaint on smaller Z bodies such as the Z5.