Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO review

Not everyone needs a macro lens or, if they do, it's only now and again. So if this sounds like you, then it makes sense to choose a more affordable lens or one that can do other things too. The Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO ticks both boxes.

First, it's a top-quality macro lens at a very affordable price. Often, you have to compromise on optical quality when you spend less, but not here. Second, its 180mm focal length means it can also be used as a general-purpose telephoto, though the f/4.5 maximum aperture is a little restrictive and you don't get autofocus in every mount option.

This is an AF lens, but only in the Sony E and Nikon Z versions. The Canon RF and L-mount versions are manual focus only. Also, even in the AF versions, the AF only operates in the range 1.5m to infinity, so it's still a manual focus lens for close-up and macro work.

Lapwa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO: Specifications

Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO: Price

The Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO has been launched at a price of $499 / £499 (around AU$768), and while this is similar to other mid-range macro lenses, it has a longer focal length which allows longer working distances and would traditionally put it in a higher price category. Its optical performance puts it on the same level as own-brand equivalents but at a much lower price.

Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO: Design & Handling

First impressions are that this is quite a long lens, albeit also quite light and slim. You have to keep in mind that this is a 180mm lens, after all. And, unlike many macro lenses, this one does not extend in use – it does not change in length as you focus in and out, which is especially useful for close-up work.

This also reinforces this lens's premium feel. It also has one of the smoothest and most precise manual focus rings I've used in a long time. This is very important for close-up and macro photography, where the depth of field is tiny and focus adjustments need to be made with great care.

At these distances, the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO is a manual focus lens only – the AF does not become available until 1.5m and beyond. Is this a problem? Personally, I don't think so. For close-focus work I always focus manually because you can see exactly when things snap in and out of focus and you're not constantly trying to adjust the AF point position or hoping that the AF target is small/precise enough.

The AF does become a factor for regular telephoto photography, though. Here, the minimum 1.5m AF distance is not a huge problem – this is a 180mm lens, after all – but the bigger issue is that autofocus is simply not available for the Canon RF and L-mount versions. The Laowa still makes a great macro/close-up lens on these cameras but is a lot less compelling as a general-purpose telephoto.

I have the Sony FE version with AF, and the AF is engaged in a very unusual manner. There's no AF/MF switch at all. Instead, as you turn the focus ring past its infinity setting, it flips over to the AF mode with a VERY soft click which feels more magnetic than mechanical. This feels a bit odd and unsatisfactory... until you use it. Indoors, you focus manually; outdoors you turn the focus ring to the AF setting, and before you know it, it becomes completely natural and instinctive.

Laowa's dark blue/black finish is perhaps an acquired taste for those with black cameras, or maybe it won't bother you at all. It's just a cosmetic thing. Operationally, this lens is just superb. It's the internal focus that does it, and the long, long travel of that silky-smooth focus ring.

Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO: Performance

The 'APO' in Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO refers to its apochromatic design, a lens construction specifically chosen to suppress or eliminate chromatic aberration. This is not just the lateral chromatic aberration, or color fringing, around object edges that you see in a lot of lenses, and which is easily corrected in software. It also suppresses 'bokeh fringing', or longitudinal chromatic aberration, where you get false color effects (often blue) around blurred, out-of-focus objects. This is very difficult to fix convincingly in software, and with a longer focal length lens the quality of the bokeh becomes more important because much more of the scene is likely to be out of focus.

In my tests, the Laowa lived up to its 'APO' designation. I didn't see any trace of either lateral chromatic aberration or bokeh fringing in my test shots. What I did see was superb edge to edge resolution in outdoor telephoto shots and equally impressive definition and contrast in close-ups and macro work.

I did notice that there was a little vignetting when shooting wide open at f/4.5 outdoors, but this aperture setting does also give shallow depth of field and good subject separation, so it's worth the trade-off. Besides, it's all part of the lens's character.

The AF is impressive too, at least in the Sony FE version tested. It's very quiet and pretty quick too. I found it fine for outdoor landscapes and nature photography. I wouldn't use it for sports, mostly because of the restrictive f/4.5 maximum aperture, and it's not ideal for wildlife because 180mm really isn't that 'long'. But it is a great landscape lens because this focal length compresses perspective and makes spectacular backdrops look much larger and more imposing.

Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO: Verdict

Laowa is presenting this lens as a combined macro/telephoto lens, and while there's certainly a case for that with the Sony FE, Nikon Z and Canon EF versions, the manual focus only Canon RF and L-mount versions are more limiting. Also, while AF is available in some lens mounts, it's only from 1.5m onwards, so for macro work this should be thought of as a manual lens. Does a macro lens need autofocus? I wouldn't use it, but others might feel it's important, so keep that in mind.

But let's talk about the build quality, operation and optical performance. At this price, all three are pretty exceptional. The big, super-smooth, long-travel focus ring makes focusing a pleasure, not a chore (yes, really!), the internal focus adds practicality to the quality, and the MF/AF switchover is just genius.

The optical quality is superb. If this is your key priority, then why pay more? On the other hand, if you want AF down to macro distances and perhaps the styling consistency of own-brand lenses, then maybe the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO is not for you.

Alternatives

The Canon RF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM is 2-3 times the price of the Laowa 180mm f/4.5, but offers full AF, a faster maximum aperture and IS. It's the logical alternative for Canon mirrorless macro fans prepared to pay more for performance, versatility and convenience.

IF you're a Nikon Z shooter, then the Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S is the logical alternative to the Laowa. It doesn't offer its extended focal length, but it does have full AF, a faster f/2.8 aperture and VR. You might not gain much in optical performance but you will in everyday convenience.