Venus Optics has just released a new full-frame macro lens, the Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO. It offers 2x magnification, infinity focus capabilities, a 40.9° angle of view, and four lens mount options (E/RF/Z/L). It is now available for purchase for $499.
While Laowa (Venus Optics) has recently debuted into the world of anamorphic lenses with the tiny Nanomorph series, the company is primarily known for its wide-angle and macro lens offering.
Particularly, their 2X Macro lineup is quite extensive already and includes the company’s popular “snorkel” lenses, namely the original 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe and the recently-revisited 24mm f/14 2X PeriProbe. At the start of summer, this family was joined by the 90mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO and now sees the addition of a new 58mm focal length. So let’s take a closer look at it!
Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO: features
The Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO is a 2:1 macro lens, which means that it can reproduce objects at double life-size on the camera’s sensor. The lens comes in four mirrorless mount options, including Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, and Leica L. When paired with full-frame sensors, the lens offers full-sensor coverage and an angle of view of 40.9°.
Although the lens was designed specifically for macro photography and videography, its use cases extend to portrait and landscape applications. Indeed, the focusing range varies from its close focus distance of 18.5cm/7.3” up to infinity. The lens features a fully-manual internal focus mechanism, meaning that its length does not vary when adjusting focus.
Physical and optical design
The Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO has a portable design, measuring ⌀74x117mm/⌀3×4.6” in size and weighing only 595g/1.3lbs. The lens barrel features a 67mm front filter thread to accommodate filters.
The optical scheme consists of 14 elements arranged in 11 groups. These include 3 extra-low dispersion (ED) elements and 3 Ultra-High Refractive Index components. According to the company, the apochromatic design should deliver sharp images with minimal chromatic aberrations in both in and out-of-focus areas. Finally, the fast f/2.8 aperture has a 13-blade design that should result in a smooth bokeh.
Price and availability
The E, RF, and L-mount versions of the new Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO lens are now available for pre-order from CVP. The official retail price of all mount options is set at $499.
For more information, please visit Venus Optics’ website here.
Featured image credit: Laowa (Venus Optics) / Jimmy Chan
Have you ever shot on Laowa’s 2X Ultra Macro lenses? What do you think of the new Laowa 58mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
