Laowa has just announced "the world's first full-frame AF 35mm lens with true 1:1 magnification", promising the unique life-size rendering of a macro lens with the environmental context of a wide-angle lens.
Unlike traditional macro optics, built around longer focal lengths that carve a subject out of the scene, the new Laowa Acris 35mm f/2.8 1x Macro Apo brings a 1:1 reproduction ratio to a much wider perspective – and combines it with a fast f/2.8 aperture and advanced autofocus.
Well, the autofocus part comes with a bit of an asterisk: the lens will be available with AF on Sony E, Nikon Z and Canon EF mounts, while on Canon RF and L-Mount it is manual focus only.
The AF versions offer what Laowa is calling a Dual-Mode Hybrid Focusing system designed to work across all distances.
The Standard Autofocus mode (from infinity to 0.5m) "delivers fast, responsive, and accurate subject acquisition for everyday shooting, street photography, and environmental portraits."
Then there is Macro Focus Assistance (from 0.5m to 1:1), which "takes over in the close-up range to provide tactile micro-step manual precision. This setup integrates seamlessly into focus-bracketing workflows, making handheld or tripod-based focus stacking simple, efficient, and exceptionally accurate for high-depth-of-field macro shots."
As the name suggests, the Laowa Acris 35mm f/2.8 1x Macro Apo boasts Laowa's apochromatic optical design, which the manufacturer says "virtually eliminates both longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberrations (CA) in both in-focus and out-of-focus areas."
The optical design features a total of 13 elements in 10 groups, with 9 aperture blades in the AF version and 13 in the manual. The minimum focus distance is 180mm, with a minimum working distance of 48.6mm.
Weight and dimensions vary across the various mounts. The Sony version is a good representation of the mirrorless versions at 79mm x 114mm and 560g, with a 72mm filter thread, while the Canon DSLR version measures 79mm x 87.4mm and weighs 530g, with a 67mm filter thread.
All versions of the lens are weather-sealed, which makes this a very capable option for shooting outdoor subjects or working in damp and dusty environments.
The Laowa Acris 35mm f/2.8 1x Macro Apo is on sale now, priced $449 (£339 / AU$645).
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