This is my evolving review of the widest Leica-M mount lens on Earth. A 9mm f5.6 with rangefinder coupling as well as close focus down to 10cm.. oh and it’s rectilinear!
Please note that Im using a pre-production model so there might be changes to the design before release. EDIT: the markins on the barrel will be different on the production model.
Testing the Laowa 9mm on the Fujifilm GFX 50R – 7.1mm FF Equivalent
The Review is moving along slowly. The reason for the massive delay is obviously the Covid-19 pandemic. But we are closing in on the lens release date and to kick things off again I made some tests on the medium format GFX 50R.
GFX Full resolution sample

There will of course be a proper video review as well on my channel which you can also become a member of here!

Laowa 9mm f5.6 Leica M – First Impressions
When picking up the lens I was first struck by how relatively small it is given that its such a special focal length. It’s a solid, all metal lens with a fat metal lens cap. The aperture is step-less and the focus runs smooth.
It does not have a focus tab.
And I know what you are thinking, “who cares about the focus. On a 9mm lens even at a rangefinders closest focus of 70cm pretty much everything you see is already in focus”. Well is so happens to be that the lens can focus past 70cm and all the way down to 10 cm. And it is so cool!

Venus Optics Laowa 9mm f5.6 Review Samples
