As a part time photographer and eBay top rated seller in photo equipment for the last 25+ years, I had the opportunity to play with a lot of gear along the years. I ran across a few 200mm f2’s for resale and played a little with one or two but I could never justify owning one… because of the size, weight and price.
When I heard about the new offering from Laowa, I jumped on the web to learn more about it. Being a Nikon Z shooter, I was not really attracted by third party lenses but since the options for a 200mm f2 were quite limited, I was curious 😊 and enthusiastic since I already own a Laowa 10mm f2.8 Zero-D.
Browsing the reviews and Youtube videos for a couple days gave me the confidence to order my copy of the Laowa 200mm f2 and give it a try. I was very excited when I received the big box a few days later. When you pull this thing out of the box, it is hard not to fall in love with it… Such a beautiful piece of equipment! I immediately hooked it to my Z8 and I was very pleased with the handling and balance of the combo. (Z8 with Smallrig L bracket)
When you have such a lens in your collection, you can’t just let it sit there “until”… I had to find a “playground” to see how it performs. The day after I received it, there was an Irish St-Patrick’s day parade in town… and the weather forecast was perfect.
I grabbed my monopod that Saturday afternoon and found a good spot on the sidewalk – first row! I set my parameters on the camera and lens while waiting… 3-2-1 Action!
Shooting with this lens was a breeze. The AF was confident (AF-C – 3D Tracking most of the time) with some eye detection when there were not too many people in the frame. Fun fact, the Laowa is not a “huge” lens but it sure caught a lot of attention from the characters in the parade! They were waving at me to get their picture captured by Big Blue (my Laowa)!
I shot pretty much everything at f2 since most subjects were at a distance and the depth-of-field was adequate. Of course, it gets thinner (DOF) as the subject gets closer to you. And, again, the AF was very efficient most of time, even though it was not always an easy task.
To be sincere, I did not pay much attention to the subject separation and bokeh during the shooting… I was caught by the moment and having a lot of fun using the lens. But when I opened the files later on that weekend on my Dell 31.5” 4K screen, I was very, very excited.
I read and heard many things in my original research before buying the Laowa and, to be sincere, I was a little scared with sharpness since they compare it with the Sigma offering all the time. I usually prefer tack sharp lenses… but this Laowa offers something different and hard to describe. I was and still am very pleased with the quality of the optics and the results. It is not clinically sharp but rather flattering sharp… which is perfect for shooting people.
The background separation and the bokeh are sublime on this lens. The reviews mention it has “character”, and I certainly agree with that. I knew that is where the Laowa 200mm f2 would shine, but when you shoot your own stuff using it and when you get to know how and when to use it, it gets even more exciting. Nothing is clinical with the performance; it is a prime lens with a touch of artistic rendering. Probably why it is part of the C-Dreamer family.
Sure enough you can use it for sports (rendering and AF wise), it will do the job and give you fantastic pictures if you set your camera up correctly; but I personally prefer a zoom for sports. But if you use it for events, weddings and portraits, that is where this lens will shine the most for sure.
Now that I finally own one, I don’t see myself parting with it ever. I also ordered the filter set (43mm) but I haven’t had the chance to use it yet. As most photographers, I don’t need a 200mm f2 every day for my work… but sure enough I will grab every occasion to bring it along and attach it to my body; for the joy of using it, and the unique pictures it captures.
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About the Author – Eric Garant
Eric Garant was born and raised in the Quebec City area. His interest in photography was triggered in 1988 when he needed to shoot 35mm slides for a class. He started working as a part time camera salesclerk and spent all his income on film and processing. After working 6 years as a radio station copywriter, Eric left to become self-employed (entrepreneurship flows in my blood). He “accidentally” started buying and selling photo gear on eBay for extra cash and surprise: He was making a living out of it! He never had to send a resume again. Eric met many photographers through this business and started to assist them on different assignments – he could improve his photography skills while getting paid 😊. Photography now represents a good chunk of his income. The more you learn, the more confident you get; the better the results and word of mouth takes over. He really enjoys pressing the shutter on his two Fujifilm XH2’s and about 12 lenses.
