LAOWA 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO
Laowa has released its first tele-macro lens, the 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO – and it’s also the company’s first autofocus lens for Fujifilm X-mount cameras.
As such, it’s a good budget choice for $499/£499, especially when you consider that Fujifilm-branded lenses are not designed to be budget buys. So the new lens should appeal to macro and portrait shooters, as well as other photographers looking for an affordable telephoto prime.
Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO key features
- Telephoto-macro in a compact design
- Up to 1.5x macro magnification for close-ups.
- 270mm full-frame equivalent on Fujifilm X cameras.
- 30cm minimum focusing distance.
- AF from 1.5m to infinity, with AF assistance for macro stacking.
- APO optical design for reduced chromatic aberration.
Focussing options
The lens is available with autofocus on Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon EF and now, Fujifilm X-mount cameras. It is manual focus only on Canon RF, L mount and Nikon F mount. Note too that AF is only available for subjects from 1.5m to infinity.
The latest firmware is also now available, enabling autofocus for focus bracketing. You can buy the lens direct from Laowa.
- Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra-Macro APO review – I think this brilliant lens is an absolute bargain for close-ups
- Best Fujifilm X-mount lenses
- Complete guide to macro photography
- You have to see these incredible close-up images taken with Laowa’s groundbreaking new macro lenses
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About
I am the deputy editor of Amateur Photographer, working closely with the team to make the website and magazine as good as possible. I’ve been working on magazines since 1995 and am also a keen travel and portrait photographer when time allows, reaching the finals of the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year contest in 2015 and achieving my Licentiate from the Royal Photographic Society the year before. I also keep my wedding-photography hand in by shooting a few ceremonies a year. I am particularly interested in how photography can help people express their creativity more effectively, or deal with mental health issues and other challenges.
