BastianK wrote:
Yes.
For photography it is generally irrelevant.
I will only use it for full body shots so this at $1800 new vs the old EF 1.8 with no repair option, seems like is worth giving this one a try for sure. I wonder how it will affect the market value of the old 1.8 version and its risk of becoming an paper weight
Thanks for the review
Alan Parker wrote:
It is interesting to see in the review how the lens shows more 'high contrast bokeh' compared to the 200's of old. Thank you Bastian for testing.
I have used most of these lenses myself by now (missing ones are Zeiss Aposonnar 200mm 2.0 for CY and the Leica 180mm 2.0 R, but for both you have to pay a huge idiot-fanboy-collector tax, so that isn't going to change soon).
My favourite for Bokeh rendering is the Nikon 200mm 2.0 AF-S (Gen1 or 2 doesn't matter, same optics) followed by the Canon 200mm 1.8.
The Canon has too bad of a minimum focus distance and a rather ugly aperture design.
The Laowa 200mm 2.0's Bokeh reminds me very much of the Canon EF 200mm 2.0L IS which is also a bit higher contrast.
The difference in size and weight is huge though.
The Laowa fits in many bags the others simply won't.
Both the Laowa and Sigma are simply magic for sports photographers. I only have the Siggy - but Laowa looks super promising. I also have the Nikkor 200mm f2 VRII which is stellar though I've only coupled it with a D850 and not a D5 or D6.
This gear advancement is far beyond static portraits - it's making real changes for fast-paced image making in the pro market. What a great time to be alive as a photographer. Focus breathing is a worthwhile topic but it's far less important to me than if the lenses can focus track and don't require a monopod to lug to the game fields.
I should point out that there is another difference between the Laowa and Siggy versions: The Siggy has IS and the Laowa does not but it relies on the camera body image stabilization.
pasblues wrote:
Both the Laowa and Sigma are simply magic for sports photographers. I only have the Siggy - but Laowa looks super promising. I also have the Nikkor 200mm f2 VRII which is stellar though I've only coupled it with a D850 and not a D5 or D6.
This gear advancement is far beyond static portraits - it's making real changes for fast-paced image making in the pro market. What a great time to be alive as a photographer. Focus breathing is a worthwhile topic but it's far less important to me than if the lenses can focus track and don't require a monopod to lug to the game fields....Show more →
For me as long as at full body shots distance I get no breathing then I am fine since for closer shots I prefer my 85mm 1.2
Happy times indeed!
PS looks like nobody has tried the EF version yet.
I have to agree with when it comes to portraits and other static shots. The results do depend on camera to subject and subject to background distances.
I imagine there will be photographers who choise the 200mm f2 for a variety of their own reasons.
This focal length/fast aperture combination lends itself heavily to sports or fast moving subjects - but you can’t dictate what a gear choices a photographer makes for what purpose.
GabrielPhoto wrote:
For me as long as at full body shots distance I get no breathing then I am fine since for closer shots I prefer my 85mm 1.2
Happy times indeed!
PS looks like nobody has tried the EF version yet.
GabrielPhoto wrote:
PS looks like nobody has tried the EF version yet.
go to GFX FB group, the owner of Kipon is playing with it now. You can ask question there directly. I was offered the EF mount to try with GFX 100ii but i sold that system and switch to X2D ii.
Alex Phan wrote:
I own sigma 200. If Laowa sent me the lens 2 week earlier, I wouldn’t buy the sigma.
The Sigma has IS - the Laowa relies on the camera image stabilization. The Sigma is completely weather sealed, while the Laowa has a seal only at the mount. Great price point on the Laowa and the lens foot release is a great feature. Love the lens body colors.
