Compare lenses

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM vs Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF

The Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM and the Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF side by side, computed from this guide's catalogue.

Which to pick

Pick the Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM if you want optical stabilisation, which helps most on bodies without it; autofocus; a wider view (from 10mm equivalent); and coverage of full frame, so it suits the larger-sensor bodies too. Pick the Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF if you want a brighter f/3.5 (0.4 stops more light), for dim light and softer backgrounds; more reach (to 24mm equivalent); a design for APS-C, which usually means smaller and lighter; a fit on more cameras (106 against 18 in this guide); and a lighter lens (463 g against 570 g).

Still torn? Ask the guide about the Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM and the Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF

Specs side by side

Rows that differ are in full colour; the better value is marked where one is better by any measure.
SpecCanon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STMLaowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF
MakerCanonLaowa
Focal length10-20mm (zoom)8-16mm (zoom)
Full-frame equivalent10-20mm12-24mm on APS-C
Maximum aperturef/4f/3.5-5brighter
Made forFull frameAPS-C
MountsCanon RFSony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, Canon RF
Stabilisedyesstabilisedno
Autofocusyesautofocusno, manual focus
Zoom range2.0×2.0×
Weight570 g463 glighter
Cameras it fits18 in this guide106 in this guidefits more cameras

Focal range, in full-frame terms

142435508513520040080010-20mm equiv.Canon
Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: 10-20mm.
142435508513520040080012-24mm equiv.Laowa
Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF: 8-16mm on APS-C, like 12-24mm.

Aperture

f/4
Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM: f/4 wide open.
f/3.5
Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF: f/3.5 wide open.

Each opening drawn to scale against f/1.4: a smaller f-number lets in more light and blurs the background more.

Field of view

Canon at 10mm · 122°Laowa at 8mm · 113°Canon at 20mm · 84°Laowa at 16mm · 74°
How wide each sees, at each end, on the sensor it was made for.

Cameras they fit

18 cameras in this guide take both, so either works on the same body. In all, the Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM fits 18 and the Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF 106.

Canon RF 10-20mm f/4L IS STM

and 8 more

Laowa 8-16mm f/3.5-5 Zoom CF

and 96 more

On their own pages