Macro lens specialist Venus Optics has unveiled the Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2X Ultra Macro APO; a small, lightweight lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras that offers twice life-size magnification. By using a shorter focal length and smaller maximum aperture, it’s about half the weight of the firm’s existing Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO and two-thirds of the length. Initially it’ll be available in Canon RF, Nikon Z, Sony E and Leica M mounts, with the latter version being rangefinder-coupled, but more expensive as a result.
Venus Optics is highlighting the lens’s small size
Optically the lens employs a completely new design, with 13 elements in 9 groups, including 3 made from extra-low dispersion glass. According to Venus Optics, this allows colour fringing due to chromatic aberration to be essentially eliminated – hence the APO designation. The lens employs an internal focus design, with a minimum focus distance of just 16.3cm. Both focusing and aperture setting are manual.
An internal focus design means the Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2X Ultra Macro APO doesn’t extend when set to its closest focus distance
Physically, the lens is remarkably compact, at 81mm long, 53mm in diameter, and weighing just 291g in its E-mount incarnation (RF and Z versions are fractionally larger and heavier). It uses filters a mere 46mm in diameter. The Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2X Ultra Macro APO is available to pre-order now in RF, Z and E-mount versions for £449.
Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2X Ultra Macro APO full specifications
This view of the Laowa 85mm f/5.6 2X Ultra Macro APO on the EOS R6 highlights its compact dimensions
- Price £449 (RF, Z, FE mounts)
- Filter Diameter 46mm
- Lens Elements 13 (including 4 ED glass)
- Groups 9
- Diaphragm blades 7
- Aperture f/5.6 – f/22
- Minimum focus 16.3cm
- Length 81mm
- Diameter 53mm
- Weight 291g
- Lens Mount Canon RF, Leica M, Nikon Z, Sony E
- Included accessories Front and rear caps, hood
