The Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 FE lens is currently the widest zoom lens available for Sony full-frame E-mount cameras. Designed primarily for travel photography, we have managed to compress the size to the smallest in its class, less than 9.1 cm long and only 496g (1.1lb). The 102° (18mm) to 130° (10mm) angle of view provides flexibility for photographers to compose landscape or architecture photos with ease. The aperture system is carefully re-designed to produce the best sun-star renderings among all UWA lenses in the market.
Light & Control
Designed primarily for travel photography, we have managed to compress the size to the smallest and lightest, less than 9.1 cm and only 496g (~1.1 lbs). So much smaller than the other similar lenses in the market but it's so much wider.
10-Stroke Sunstars
An ordinary sunstars rendering can often be a deal breaker for landscape photographers. Our new Laowa 10-18mm, however, has been carefully redesigned to incorporate 5 straight aperture blades to produce a well-defined, sharp and clean 10-stroke sunstars. “At 10mm, you will see sunstars already at the maximum aperture of f/4.5” commented by Bastian Kratzke from phillipreeve.net.
37mm Rear Filter
A photography cannot take a good landscape photo without using a filter. We have carefully designed a 37mm filter thread at the back of the lens for photographers to use ND filters with ease.
Due to the extreme compact size, our lens is able to take 100mm-wide filter system as opposed to the much bulkier and more expensive 150mm system being used by other UWA lenses.
A new Laowa 100mm magnetic front filter holder has also been developed to fit 100mm-wide slot-in filters. Unlike conventional filter holder system with slots to slide the 100mm filters in, we have developed a magnetic filter holder that you can easily clip the 100mm GND filters onto the holder. This not only removes all the troubles when installing a filter, it also reduces the vignetting arisen from using multiple filters. The magnetic holder can fit 2pcs of 100mm-wide filters without light getting blocked at any angles.
Close Focusing Distance
This lens features one of the closest focusing distance among all UWA lenses for Sony cameras. It focuses as close as 15cm which offers an additional degree of fun by making some mini-macro shots. Looking at the other ultra-wide native FF E-mount lenses, the shortest focusing distance is only 28cm (Sony 12-24, 16-35) and 30cm for Voigtlander 10mm, 12mm & 15mm.
Click / Clickless Aperture
Click/clickless aperture can be toggled by the switch on the lens barrel. This added feature is extremely useful for videographers.
The Laowa 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 comprises of 14 elements in 10 groups with 2 pcs of aspherical elements and 1 pc of Extra-low dispersion elements. The patented optical design successfully minimizes the distortion and chromatic aberrations to its lowest but still can delivers a superb optical performance from corners to corners at the same time.