Laowa recently released the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift, a groundbreaking lens that claims to be the world’s first full-frame tilt-shift lens with a zoom function. It also supports APS-C format cameras. The suggested retail price is approximately NT$21,000.
Zoom lens + Tilt-shift lens
Traditionally, all tilt-shift lenses were fixed focal length lenses. However, the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift breaks this tradition. It’s the world’s first full-frame tilt-shift lens with a zoom function, offering increased creative potential and versatility. This lens boasts a wide zoom range of 12-24mm, providing a generous viewing angle of 121.9°-84° when mounted on a full-frame camera. It also works with APS-C frame cameras, offering an equivalent zoom range of 18-36mm.
Zero-D zero distortion design
Based on the lens structure, it seems likely that the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift is simply the LAOWA 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom with a tilt-shift function added. Looking at the specifications, we see that both lenses have the same optical structure—15 elements in 11 groups, including 2 aspherical lenses and 3 ED lenses. The lens group arrangement is also identical. The LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift employs Laowa’s almost “zero” distortion optical design, which excels at producing straight lines in images. This makes it ideal for architectural or landscape photography, delivering high-quality photos without the need for post-production correction.
±7mm tilt range
Despite being a tilt-shift lens, the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift only features a shift function due to design complexities. The amount of shift varies depending on the focal length when used with a full-frame camera. When paired with an APS-C frame camera, the shift range reaches ±7mm, effectively correcting perspective distortion and ensuring straight lines in architectural shots.
9 aperture blades
Recognizing its potential for commercial photography, Laowa has incorporated a 9-blade aperture design into the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift. This contrasts with the 10-blade aperture of the LAOWA 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom. This change results in more subdued lens flare, making it a better choice for commercial work. Additionally, the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift comes with a 77mm filter connection ring, allowing users to attach various 77mm circular filters, enhancing creative possibilities and saving on filter expenses.
Listing date and suggested selling price
The LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift is now available for purchase with a suggested retail price of RMB 4,499, approximately NT$21,000. It comes in five mount versions: Sony E, LEICA L, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and FUJIFILM X.
Key specifications
- Lens structure: 15 elements in 11 groups (2 aspherical lenses, 3 ED lenses)
- Aperture range: F5.6-F22
- Aperture blades: 9
- Minimum focusing distance: 0.15m
- Maximum magnification: 0.4x
- Filter diameter: 77mm
- Dimensions: 98.9 x 80mm
- Weight: 575g
- Translation: ±7mm
- Amount of tilt: –
Laowa recently released the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift, which is the world’s first full-frame tilt-shift lens with zoom function. It also supports APS-C format cameras. The recommended price is regarding NT$21,000.
Zoom lens + Tilt-shift lens
In the past, all tilt-shift lenses launched by any brand were designed with fixed focus lenses, but the emergence of LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift breaks this convention. It is the world’s first full-frame tilt-shift lens with zoom function, providing more creative possibilities and flexibility. This lens has a wide zoom range of 12-24mm, and when mounted on a full-frame camera, it has a wide viewing angle of 121.9°-84°; it can also be used with an APS-C frame camera, with an equivalent zoom range of 18-36mm. Viewing range.
Zero-D zero distortion design
Judging from the lens structure, it can be reasonably inferred that the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift is a product that adds a tilt-shift function to the LAOWA 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom, another lens owned by Laowa. After looking at the specification sheet, we found that both lenses use an optical structure design of 15 elements in 11 groups. They also contain 2 aspherical lenses and 3 ED lenses. Even the arrangement of the lens groups is exactly the same. LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift adopts Laowa’s nearly “zero” distortion optical design, which can depict the picture with straight lines. When shooting architectural or landscape themes, you can easily obtain high-quality photos without post-production correction.
±7mm tilt range
Although it is a tilt-shift lens, because it also combines the zoom function, due to many considerations such as design difficulty, the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift only has a translation function (Shift). When used with a full-frame camera, the amount of panning will vary depending on the focal length; when used with an APS-C frame camera, a panning range of up to ±7mm can be obtained, which can effectively correct perspective distortion and produce straight shots. buildings.
9 aperture blades
Considering that the tilt-shift lens may be used for commercial photography, Laowa adopted a 9-blade aperture design for the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift. Compared with the 10-blade aperture blade of the LAOWA 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom, the lens has 10 aperture blades. The glow effect is more restrained and more suitable for commercial shooting. In addition, purchasing the LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift will also come with a 77mm filter connection ring, which can be connected to various 77mm circular filters following installation, improving creative shooting and reducing filter costs.
Listing date and suggested selling price
LAOWA CF 12-24mm F5.6 Zoom Shift is now available for purchase with a recommended price of RMB 4,499, approximately NT$21,000. There are five versions of Sony E, LEICA L, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and FUJIFILM X mounts launched.
Key specifications
- Lens structure: 15 elements in 11 groups (2 aspherical lenses, 3 ED lenses)
- Aperture range: F5.6-F22
- Aperture blades: 9
- Minimum focusing distance: 0.15m
- Maximum magnification: 0.4x
- Filter diameter: 77mm
- Dimensions: 98.9 x 80mm
- Weight: 575g
- Translation: ±7mm
- Amount of tilt: –
