Venus Optics LAOWA 9 mm f/5.6 FF RL review - Distortion

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Venus Optics LAOWA 9 mm f/5.6 FF RL

13 August 2020

Maciej Latałło

6. Distortion

Distortion of the tested lens is quite noticeable already on the smaller APS-C sensor – you deal with its barrel variation of −3.95%. It is a piece of bad news. The Venus Optics LAOWA 9 mm f/2.8 ZERO-D, with exactly the same focal length and designed for smaller detectors, on the same APS-C sensor was able to correct distortion to a level of −1.80%. Why the full frame model fared weaker? Its performance on full frame explains that up to a point.

In order not to allow an uncontrolled increase of barrel distortion the producers decided to introduce moustache deformations. As a result across the frame you get an averaged out result of −6.65%. If you limit yourself to an area within 1:1 markings, you will get an even higher value, that of −7.69%.

Of course you can say that the tested lens didn't promise you low distortion as it doesn't feature ZERO-D in its name. Still, in my humble opinion, its producers could have done a better job in this category.

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