CameraReview

Laowa 4.5-10mm f/2.8 CF Fisheye

Laowa · 4.5–10 mm · f/2.8

Product Image Unavailable

Score Breakdown

This product does not have an overall score yet.

UNSCORED
What We Like
+Unique dual fisheye design—circular at 4.5mm and diagonal at 10mm, offering two distinct creative looks
+Constant f/2.8 aperture throughout zoom range for consistent exposure and low-light capability
+Exceptionally compact at 338g and 68.9 x 59.3mm—ideal for travel, handheld, gimbal, and FPV use
+True parfocal lens maintains focus throughout zoom range for seamless video transitions without refocusing
+Very close 10cm minimum focus distance enables exaggerated perspective and foreground emphasis
+Affordable at $399 for a compact parfocal zoom fisheye with wide availability across multiple mounts
Worth Knowing
Manual focus only with no electrical contacts—requires manual focus activation, no EXIF aperture data recorded, slows operation compared to autofocus
No filter thread due to bulging front element, limiting protective and creative filter options
Extreme ultra-wide field of view can result in photographer's own body parts appearing in frame, requiring careful composition
APS-C/MFT-only image circle—on full-frame cameras requires crop mode and loses the 180° circular effect

General

About This Lens
The Laowa 4.5-10mm f/2.8 CF Zoom Fisheye is a compact parfocal zoom lens designed for creators who want to capture the world uniquely. It transitions smoothly from a dramatic circular fisheye effect at 4.5mm to an immersive diagonal fisheye perspective at 10mm, offering an 180° ultra-wide field of view, a constant f/2.8 aperture, and close focusing capability. Lightweight at 330g with constant f/2.8 and close focusing, it excels at distinctive in-camera effects across multiple mounts at $399. The manual focus operation does slow things down and an inaccurate distance scale is a real black mark against a lens that otherwise feels really well made.
BrandLaowa
Release Year2026
Production Status
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
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.
Sony E
System
Indicates which camera system the lens is designed to attach to.
Sony E APS-C
Maximum Format
Largest sensor size compatible with the lens.
APS-C

Physical

Lens Weight338 g
Lens Diameter
Width of the lens at its widest point
68.9 mm
Lens Length
How long the lens is from front to back.
59.3 mm
Front Filter Compatible
Some lenses are compatible with front filters, some are compatible with back filters and some are compatible with both. Front filters are usually more convenient to add and remove.
No

Optics

Focal Range
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
4.5–10 mm
Aperture Range
Largest aperture at the lens's shortest focal length to longest focal length (aperture range start - end)
2.8
Flange Focal Distance
Distance from lens mount to sensor.
18 mm
Diaphragm Type
Structure and design of the aperture
Manual
Blades
Number of diaphragm blades in aperture
7020
Zoom Lens
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
Yes
Zoom Mechanism
System enabling zoom function
Manual
Zoom Ring
If zooming is adjusted using a zoom ring
Yes
Zoom Type
The design or approach to zooming
Rotary
Closest Focusing Distance
Minimum distance for a subject to be in focus.
10 cm01500
Maximum Magnification
Largest size a subject can be reproduced
0.27x
Autofocus ModeNo
Manual ModeYes
Manual Focusing RingYes

Features

Weather Sealing
Weather sealing capabilities will give you more confidence when shooting in unfavourable conditions.
No
Fluorine Coating
Coating to repel water and oil from lens elements.
No
Built In Lens HoodNo
Zoom Lock
Zoom lock allows the zoom ring to be locked at the desired focal length
No
Teleconverter
A teleconverter (extender) is an extra piece of equipment that fits between the lens and the camera body to enhance magnification
No
Image StabilizationNo

Construction

Elements
Lens elements refer to individual pieces of glass within the lens.
13
Groups9
Bi Aspherical Elements
Elements with two non-spherical surfaces
0
Low Dispersion
Elements that reduce chromatic aberration
4
Super Low Dispersion
Advanced elements further reducing chromatic aberration
0
CA Reduction
Built-in features to reduce chromatic aberration
0
Internal Focusing
Internal Focusing means that the lens does not change in size during focusing, and the front element does not rotate.
No