Poll: Which lens to review ...?
KAXINDA 14mm f/3.5
7Artisans 35mm f/1.2
7Artisans 7.5mm f/2.8 Fisheye
SLR Magic 8mm f/4
Kamlan 50mm f/1.1
Meike 28mm f/2.8
Meike 6.5mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye
Meike 50mm f/2
Yongnuo YN50mm f/1.4 (EOS)
Pixco 8mm f/3.8 Fisheye MFT
[Show Results]
 
 
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Chinese "cheapos"
#21
It still has to be financed by Kickstarter? 1150.- is a stiff price for a manual focus lens which needs a pilot lamp to be focused (at f/14...) but doesn't bring a battery compartment with it. No EXIF? Must be a genuine Laowa... Big Grin

Useless for modern focus stacking (as there's no AF, no focus motor, no automatic aperture...) The idea of the probe design is rather cool, th execution of it has a couple of shortcomings which don't correlate too well for the price.
#22
(08-13-2018, 02:24 PM)JJ_SO Wrote: It still has to be financed by Kickstarter? 1150.- is a stiff price for a manual focus lens which needs a pilot lamp to be focused (at f/14...) but doesn't bring a battery compartment with it. No EXIF? Must be a genuine Laowa... Big Grin

Useless for modern focus stacking (as there's no AF, no focus motor, no automatic aperture...) The idea of the probe design is rather cool, th execution of it has a couple of shortcomings which don't correlate too well for the price.

I've strong doubts that crowdfunding is required for THIS KIND of project.
This is more a marketing channel than anything else.
Chief Editor - opticallimits.com

Doing all things Canon, MFT, Sony and Fuji
#23
If you like, I can forward Laowa Spam to you where they ask to back them up on kickstarter, together with a list of influencer websites... have a go Big Grin
#24
(08-13-2018, 05:07 PM)JJ_SO Wrote: If you like, I can forward Laowa Spam to you where they ask to back them up on kickstarter, together with a list of influencer websites... have a go Big Grin

Well, at least Laowa is a real company as opposed to that net SE scam masters, and they make real and unique lenses. Smile I think the whole raison d'être for Laowa is to produce lenses that are as left field as possible. Check out their latest bunch: a µ4/3 circular fisheye, a FF DSLR 2x macro, a miniMF ultrawide and a FF MILC zoom that is wider than anything else in the (rectilinear) world. Big Grin
#25
Yes, Laowa is a real company. In China. Keep that in mind when you buy lenses from them, because eventually they will need a repair. Good luck... They were telling me to send the lens in and for customs reduce the value of it - like they do when they cheat customs. EU is already planning to put a stop on these kind of imports, so eventually I can send a lens back to China, wait a couple of weeks or months or endlessly - all depending on good will of customs. Sorry, that kind of risk I leave to other people. Chinese laws apply, so have fun getting some kind of customer protection (if it comes really to the worst).

Next: What would I get from all these "unique" lenses? The 15/4 macro with two step shift is a joke of itself, flimsy design and mediocre optical performance at best. Most lenses are without iris - and the 15/4 macro doesn't even have clickstops, all come without EXIF and all are without AF. "Unique lenses", hahaha, are like a hammer you need to harden yourself and carve a handle for it. The list of shortcomings is long - no topic of that list is a deal breaker of it's own, but all together reduce my interest in it. To below zero. "Zero D".... To which "FF MILC zoom wider than anything" else you were referring? I didn't find one on Lao's website.

But, aahm, Laowa was not even on Klaus' list of which lenses to review... :/
#26
(08-13-2018, 07:54 PM)JJ_SO Wrote: Yes, Laowa is a real company. In China. Keep that in mind when you buy lenses from them, because eventually they will need a repair. Good luck... They were telling me to send the lens in and for customs reduce the value of it - like they do when they cheat customs. EU is already planning to put a stop on these kind of imports, so eventually I can send a lens back to China, wait a couple of weeks or months or endlessly - all depending on good will of customs. Sorry, that kind of risk I leave to other people. Chinese laws apply, so have fun getting some kind of customer protection (if it comes really to the worst).

Next: What would I get from all these "unique" lenses? The 15/4 macro with two step shift is a joke of itself, flimsy design and mediocre optical performance at best. Most lenses are without iris - and the 15/4 macro doesn't even have clickstops, all come without EXIF and all are without AF.  "Unique lenses", hahaha, are like a hammer you need to harden yourself and carve a handle for it. The list of shortcomings is long - no topic of that list is a deal breaker of it's own, but all together reduce my interest in it. To below zero. "Zero D".... To which "FF MILC zoom wider than anything" else you were referring? I didn't find one on Lao's website.

But, aahm, Laowa was not even on Klaus' list of which lenses to review... :/

HK customs doesn't care about the value AFAIK. The bigger issue is the return procedure.
Technically you could apply for a temp export but that's a pain in the a*...
But yes, after-sale service is the biggest issue.

As far as your 15/4 is concerned - Laowa came a long way from there. 
Not an excuse for missing local service but the Laowas are sold by Amazon and can be returned within 30days (or whatever your local Amazon offers).
If a lens is fine for 30 days, it is USUALLY fine beyond unless you drop it or something.
Chief Editor - opticallimits.com

Doing all things Canon, MFT, Sony and Fuji
#27
I had the Irix for more than 30 days until one of the electrical contacts remained recessed (broken spring or rough surface in it's guiding). Basically you're right, if a lens is "working" for 30 days, it's reasonable to believe it will stay this way for longer. But we're talking about exotic lenses: I don't see myself "working" with a lens probe for 30 days in a row. I'm talking about real working hours on an imaginary counter. And yes, during the time I own it it can happen that I drop it occasionally - the repair problem will remain existing.

I'm not saying it's impossible that everything goes smooth, but it's a longer wait and if something goes wrong during export or European customs gives parcels from China a sharper look, it's me as client who has to pay the bill. On the other side: In Laowa lenses technically there's no electronics or contacts or this sort of things involved. It's purely mechanics and optics on most Laowa lenses. Except - yes - this lens probe. LEDs and a cheap USB port (so here one will experience some kind of wear) to feed power to them. No battery compartment and the DiY solution with a rubber band and a powerbank. The seals also have to work well...

And please think also about the length of that lens. Chris did a cool thing, using an adapter between camera mount and lens mount, so there's a chance that an "accident" will kill first the lens/ adapter mount but not immediately the camera mount, too. My guess would be the tube bends first. And suddenly you can look around the corner... He's also right about the problem with an OVF or LiveView screen on a bright day - so this lens is screaming for a MILC. No problem as these cameras exist, but for our fellow DSLR users?
#28
Hmm, I'd think that the bright day issue is a LiveView issue only, and that the OVF problem is a dark day issue?
#29
Joachim... I wonder if the lack of EXIF, the sample variation and the quality creep worry you as much when it concerns the Samyang lenses? Smile (though truth to be told, Samyang have lately redeemed themselves Smile)

I'm with you in that I'm not going to use all-dumb, manual focus lenses, but I can understand I'm in the minority overall, and that's fine by me. Smile
#30
(08-14-2018, 07:30 AM)Brightcolours Wrote: Hmm, I'd think that the bright day issue is a LiveView issue only, and that the OVF problem is a dark day issue?

Close the aperture to f/16 use "working aperture" or "DoF check" and check in your OVF, if you can find a bug in this darkness Wink The OVF will have troubles wit this probe, I guess.

(08-14-2018, 08:35 AM)Rover Wrote: Joachim... I wonder if the lack of EXIF, the sample variation and the quality creep worry you as much when it concerns the Samyang lenses? Smile (though truth to be told, Samyang have lately redeemed themselves Smile)

I'm with you in that I'm not going to use all-dumb, manual focus lenses, but I can understand I'm in the minority overall, and that's fine by me. Smile

Which Samyang lenses? I don't own a genuine one, so I can't tell. The Irix lenses are probably built by Samyang, but these come with - tadaaa - EXIF Big Grin
  


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