Most macro lenses boast a 1x magnification that enlarges tiny subjects to the size of the camera’s sensor – but macro specialist Laowa has unleashed a lens that not only reaches ten times that, but does so with parafocal zoom and an unusual solution to lighting tricky shots. The Laowa Asken 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10x Ultra Macro APO is the world’s first commercial 5-10x – and it launches alongside the Laowa Asken 45mm f/2.8 1-5x Ultra Macro APO.
Laowa – the macro specialist brand from Venus Optics – had previously showcased prototypes of the new lenses earlier this year (which is how the series has already won a TIPA Award). But the lenses – which arrive in both photo and cinema variants for multiple mounts – were officially unveiled in full detail on July 31, with orders already open for the new optics.
A few things have changed from the original prototype – chiefly, the series is now called Asken, not Axon – but what’s remained unchanged is the headline features. The largest magnification in Laowa’s lineup before was 5x, but the Laowa Asken 17.5mm is capable of capturing extreme closeups from 5x all the way to 10x on a full-frame sensor.
A 17.5mm lens that gets that close is nearly touching the subject itself – the lens is designed to sit as close as 22.48mm / .88 inches from the subject – which leaves no room to add lighting equipment.
But Laowa has built in a solution to the challenging lighting that such a close lens brings. The lens can twist on what’s called a Coaxial Light Block, an accessory with a hole to shine a light through. Coaxial lights are more traditionally used for cameras used for machine vision, but Laowa is calling on the concept to help light a subject that’s just milimetres away from the lens.
The Laowa 17.5mm uses a parafocal design. This means that, if the lens is focused at 5x, the subject will still be in focus when the lens twists to 10x, so photographers and videographers won’t need to adjust the focus after zooming in. That’s particularly helpful considering both lenses are manual focus only.
Keeping the lens barrel the same length also helps aid lighting set-ups – and avoiding accidentally bumping the subject itself with the lens.
Laowa says that chromatic aberration – a type of lens distortion that creates distracting colored fringing – tends to be a major challenge with extreme magnification. To help fight that, the lenses are designed with an apochromatic (APO) design to help reduce that colored fringing while also aiding in sharpness.
The Laowa 45mm f/2.8 1-5x brings the same parafofocal design, but brings a less extreme macro range of 1x to 5x and allows for more distance between the lens and the subject with a 40.35mm minimum working distance.
That much magnification requires a lot of pieces and components, so the lenses aren’t exactly compact. The 1-5x sits at 121mm / 4.76 inches and 599g / 21oz, while the 5-10x is at 127.5mm / 5 inches and 570g / 20 oz.
Both new lenses are launching in several mounts, covering a full-size sensor but also compatible with crop sensors. The still version is available in Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, L-Mount, Nikon F, Canon EF, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds. A cinema version will also be available in an Arri PL native mount, with interchangeable bayonets to adapt to Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Canon EF, L-Mount, Fujifilm X, and Micro Four Thirds.
Sales for both lenses opened today, July 31. Both photo variants of the lenses retail for $749 (about £556 / $AU1,066 / CA$1,050), with another $100 added to the 5-10x that includes the coaxial Light block. The cinema variants sit at $1,499 each (about £1,076 / AU$2,133 / CA$2,030).
The 17.5mm 5-10x and 45mm 1-5x are available to order from Laowa as well as authorized retailers.
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