Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra Macro Captures Crazy Tele-Macro Detail

Sep 17, 2025

Jaron Schneider

A close-up photo of a black Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro APO camera lens, showing detailed focus and aperture markings on a white background.

Venus Optics has announced the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra Macro APO, a tele-macro lens that it says delivers a 1.5:1 magnification ratio to capture life-size subjects in “extraordinary detail.”

The company’s first tele-macro lens, Venus Optics says it is designed to revolutionize telephoto, macro, and portrait photography by combining the 1.5:1 magnification ratio, high-quality APO optics, a compact body, and autofocus to give photographers a level of versatility that was previously unavailable to them.

“This lens empowers photographers to capture intricate details with unparalleled clarity in both close-up subjects and distant scenes. With its robust lens build and innovative features, including autofocus on selective mount options, it’s a handy yet powerful tool for professionals and enthusiasts alike,” Venus Optics says.

The “selective” mounts that receive the ability to use autofocus are Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon EF. Because Canon still aggressively protects its first party, full-frame RF mount optics through litigation, the lens is only manual focus on its mount. Venus Optics is also not a member of the L-Mount Alliance, which is likely why the lens is only manual focus for L-mount as well. Additionally, even for the three mounts that have autofocus equipped, it is only available for subjects from 1.5 meters to infinity.

A top view of a black Sony α7C II camera with a large blue and silver Laowa 100mm f/2.8 lens attached, showing detailed controls and dials on the camera body.

That focusing distance is notable since the lens can focus closer than that: the minimum focusing distance is 300mm (11.8 inches) from the sensor plane, which gives photographers a minimum working distance of 147.6mm (5.8 inches). Given the 180mm focal length, that’s remarkably close to a subject, which Venus Optics says enables “breathtaking close-up shots with unmatched clarity and precision, while providing ample space between the lens and subject for comfortable shooting.” All that said, the close-up capabilities of this lens cant take advantage of autofocus, so that is reserved for when a photographer may want to use the 180mm f/4.5 for other subjects, such as portraiture.

A black Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2:1 Ultra Macro APO camera lens standing upright on a white background, featuring focus and aperture markings in white and red.

The Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra Macro APO full-frame lens features a lens construction of 12 elements arranged into nine groups, including two extra-low dispersion elements and one ultra-high refraction glass element. The lens is, as the name suggests, apochromatic. The company says this design allows the lens to eliminate both longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberrations and results in “exceptional sharpness, true-to-life color accuracy, and minimal fringing across the entire image, even in challenging lighting conditions.”

A close-up view of a black Laowa 180mm f/4.5 APO 2x macro lens standing upright against a white background, showing focus and aperture markings on the barrel.

The lens weighs 522 grams on mirrorless mounts (484 grams on Canon EF) which Venus Optics says makes it one of the smallest and lightest lenses in its class. The lens body features an AF/MF selector switch, a custom function button, and on the versions with electronic contacts (Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon EF), there is a USB-C port on the side of the lens to allow for firmware updates. Venus Optics is offering a tripod collar available separately, too.

Below are a few sample images captured with the new lens, provided courtesy of Venus Optics:

A close-up of water droplets hanging from a curly green tendril, each droplet reflecting nearby red and green berries and leaves in sharp detail against a blurred background.

Close-up of a hummingbird's head with iridescent green feathers and a long, thin beak against a dark blue background.

A cluster of yellow and black fuzzy caterpillars huddled together on a pale green leaf, with their bodies overlapping and fine hairs protruding, against a black background.

A close-up of a flower bud with delicate white petals and yellow stamens, set against a dark background with swirling golden light trails above it.

Close-up of a frog’s face showing its textured skin with mottled yellow and brown colors and a large, shiny, black and gold eye against a black background.