Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro review

What is the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro and who is it for?

Back when DSLR cameras ruled, most manufacturers offered a range of tilt-shift lenses used for perspective correction so buildings didn’t look like they were falling over when the camera was angled up to get the top of the edifice. The camera was kept level and the lens shifted up.

The tilt mechanism was often called into play in order to maximise depth-of-field by shifting the lens axis, so the plane of focus could be changed.

Tilting the ‘wrong’ way gives the effect of miniaturising your scene.

But since the move to mirrorless cameras, only Fujifilm has offered tilt-shift lenses for its GFX System range.

Many shooters now correct verticals in software, despite needing to shoot the scene on a wider lens as some of the image will be cropped out.

Venus Lens has come to the rescue with its superb Laowa optics that have a range of tilt-shift options, including this new 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D tilt-shift 0.5x Macro, which comes in full-frame mounts such as Sony E, Canon RF and Nikon Z, as well as Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad XCD.

What are the key features of the Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro?

The lens has a 360° rotatable mount so the angle of tilt or shift can be changed at will, rather than just horizontally or vertically.

The optic fits on like any normal lens, but it’s manual focus only with no electronics between the lens and camera. Both tilt and shift mechanisms are locked in place with a firm knob, then are adjusted by a second knob with a scale engraved on the barrel to show where you are. The midpoint has a nice detent on the shift but not the tilt.

Using the shift mechanism is simple. Keep your camera horizontal then shift the lens up to create the final composition. Buildings suddenly won’t look like they are falling over backwards.  

The tilt mechanism is a bit trickier to master if you want true, extended depth-of-field. Unless you are super scientific, it’s trial and error using different shift angles, apertures and focus settings. It’s more fun to go the other way and create small-world scenes of real buildings or super shallow depth-of-field effects. 

The lens itself is best mounted to the tripod and it comes with a foot with an Arca-Swiss mount. But when used on a mirrorless camera like the Sony A7S III, getting access is a squeeze.       

The aperture is all manual as is the focus, which is both precise and smooth although the throw isn’t huge. Focus peaking helps nail it, especially up close. The lens does focus as close as 228mm, so it’s useful for product shots.

The optical quality is excellent, but with no auto lens correction in software you may want to tweak it manually.

Conclusion

This is not an everyday lens. It’s for when you’re locked down to a tripod for architecture and interiors, or when you want to create some funky-looking creative shots. It will mark you out as a real pro operator.

Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro price and availability

The Laowa 35mm f/2.8 Zero-D Tilt-Shift 0.5x Macro is available to buy, with a starting price of £1269.

For more information, visit the Laowa website.