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Laowa AF 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF
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UNSCORED
Laowa · 12 mm · f/2.8 · Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L mount

Laowa AF 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF

From $699 — 1 offer
KEY FACTS
BrandLaowa
Announcement dateJun 2025
Released2025
Production started2025
Production statusIn Production
What We Like
+Exceptional ultra-wide 122° angle of view with virtually zero distortion via rectilinear Zero-D design
+Lightweight and compact at 377g (AF Sony E mount), ideal for travel, gimbal work, and aerial photography
+Fast f/2.8 aperture excels in low-light conditions and enables creative bokeh for wide-angle macro
+Autofocus support on Sony E and Nikon Z mounts with reliable, fast, and accurate focus tracking
+Outstanding edge-to-edge sharpness with improved optics and reduced chromatic aberration versus original
+Standard 72mm filter thread and choice of aperture blade configurations (5-blade for sunstars or 14-blade for smooth bokeh)
Worth Knowing
−No weather sealing on AF versions limits use in adverse conditions
−Limited autofocus availability—RF and L mounts are manual focus only
−Difficult to use effectively for many subjects due to extreme width; requires careful composition
−Potential flare and filter-induced vignetting noted in reviews; not ideal for polarizing filters

General

Brand
Laowa
Announcement date
ⓘ
Refers to the date the manufacturer publicly announced the upcoming release and general specs of this camera.
Jun 2025
Released
ⓘ
Refers to the year this camera was officially made available for sale.
2025
Production started
2025
Production status
ⓘ
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Read our notes on general
The Laowa AF 12mm f/2.8 Lite Zero-D FF is an ultra-wide rectilinear lens designed for full-frame mirrorless cameras with a 122° angle of view and virtually zero distortion, featuring a fast f/2.8 aperture that enhances low-light performance and creates pleasing bokeh. Weighing just 377g in its AF Sony E mount configuration, the lens now supports autofocus for both Sony E and Nikon Z mounts while maintaining Laowa's optical quality. Compared to the original 12mm f/2.8 Zero-D, this new version takes improvements further with improved sharpness and reduced chromatic aberration, benefiting landscape, architecture, and astrophotography. Available for $699 USD.

Optics

Minimum Aperture
f/22
Angle of View
122°
Optical Formula
16 elements in 9 groups
Special Elements
4 extra-low dispersion elements, 2 aspherical elements
Optical Design
Rectilinear (Zero-D with virtually zero distortion)
Min focal length
12 mm
Max focal length
12 mm
Focal range
ⓘ
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
12 mm
Zoom lens
ⓘ
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
No
Max aperture wide
2.8
Max aperture zoom
2.8
Autofocus mode
Yes
Blades
ⓘ
Number of diaphragm blades in aperture
5020
Closest focusing distance
ⓘ
Minimum distance for a subject to be in focus.
14 cm01500

Autofocus

AF Type
Autofocus (AF) for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts; Manual focus (MF) for Canon RF and L mounts
MF/AF Switch
Present on AF versions
Focus Speed
Fast and precise

Build physical

Construction
All-metal body with cobalt blue/grey finish

Focus

Maximum Magnification
0.21x

Features

Lens Hood
Fixed slim lens hood included
Front Element Coating
Frog Eye Coating
Weather sealing
ⓘ
Weather sealing capabilities will give you more confidence when shooting in unfavourable conditions.
No

Physical

Lens weight
377 g
Lens diameter
ⓘ
Width of the lens at its widest point
77.2 mm
Lens length
ⓘ
How long the lens is from front to back.
80.6 mm
Front filter size
ⓘ
Diameter of attachable filters.
72 mm
Lens mount
ⓘ
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
Canon RF, Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L