Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E vs Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro
Both are Sony E lenses. Here is what actually differs.
Pick the Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E if
- You need 2½ stops more light for low light or background blur (f/1.7 vs f/4)
- You want autofocus (STM): the Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro is manual focus only
Pick the Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro if
- You shoot close-ups: it focuses down to 0.12 m vs 0.23 m
- You want bigger close-ups: 1× vs 0.1× maximum magnification
- You shoot full frame: the Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E is made for APS-C
- You care about the shape of out-of-focus highlights: 14 aperture blades vs 9
- Our notes say it suits: Macro landscapes, wide-angle close-ups, architecture
Spec differences
13 differences| Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E | Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand |
Viltrox
|
Laowa
|
| Type |
Prime
|
Macro
|
| Format |
APS-C
|
Full frame
|
| Max aperture |
f/1.7
2½ stops faster
|
f/4
|
| Weight |
180 g
|
not listed
|
| Length |
56.4 mm
|
not listed
|
| Diameter |
65 mm
|
not listed
|
| Filter thread |
58 mm
|
77 mm
|
| Min focus distance |
0.23 m
|
0.12 m
closer
|
| Max magnification |
0.1×
|
1×
larger
|
| Aperture blades |
9
|
14
more blades
|
| Optical design |
12 elements / 10 groups
|
12 elements / 9 groups
|
| Autofocus motor |
STM
|
Manual focus
|
3 identical specs hidden: mount, focal length, image stabilization. Show all
- Mount
- Sony E both
- Focal length
- 15mm both
- Image stabilization
- No both
Our notes
Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E
The Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E is a fast wide-angle prime lens covering 15mm at f/1.7 for Sony E mount cameras. The wide view suits landscapes, architecture and environmental shots.
Our notes
Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro
A manual-focus wide lens that reaches 1:1 and offers a shift mechanism. It takes 77mm filters and focuses as close as 0.122 m.
Pros
- 1:1 macro on a wide lens
- Shift mechanism
- 77mm filters
- Close focus 0.122 m
Cons
- Manual focus only
- f/4
- No stabilization
More comparisons
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½ stop faster vs 39 g lighter
Sony E 15mm F1.4 G vs Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro
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Voigtlander Super Wide-Heliar 15mm f/4.5 III vs Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro
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Viltrox 15mm F1.7 E vs Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D
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Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro vs Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8 ZE
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1180 g lighter vs ½ stop faster