Updated: Apr 16, 2023
After the success of their 60mm f/2.8 2:1 Macro lens, Venus Optics officially announces the second member of their macro line-up: The Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO.
When we first heard about the lens back in September 2018, there wasn’t much information available regarding specs. We now know it to be the world’s first 100mm Macro lens with a 2:1 magnification at an attractive price point. Great news for video shooters looking to buy or replace their current macro lens.
With the ability to focus from infinity up to 2:1 magnification, this lens is full frame compatible. 100mm is a pretty common focal length amongst camera operators when it comes to shooting with macro lenses, however most of these lenses have a 1:1 magnification ratio (like the popular Canon 100 F/2.8L Macro IS USM, which is the one our video team uses on video shoots). Having a 2:1 magnification makes this lens vital when shooting minute objects such as insects.
In terms of size it’s just barely longer than other popular 100mm macro lenses with 1:1 magnification, quite impressive since a lens with 2:1 magnification is usually much larger. According to Venus Optics, the Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x has an apochromatic (APO) characteristic that makes chromatic aberration at both ‘in-focus’ & ‘out-of-focus’ invisible.
The Laowa 100mm f/2.8 is available in Nikon, Canon, and Sony FE mounts. There is neither an autofocus feature nor internal stabilization, and only the Canon mount has an integrated CPU chip and aperture motor. With an internal focusing structure, the lens’ front element will not extend when changing focus, and the optical design features 12 elements in 10 groups.
Specs:
The Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x is available for pre-order for $499, potentially making it an attractive choice for videographers and camera crews on a budget considering the higher price points of some of their 100mm macro competitors without the 2:1 magnification.
You can see the full specs and details at Venus Optics's website here.