
Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO (MF, Canon RF)
Launch MSRP
$499- Weight
- 500g
- Filter
- ⌀62mm
- Min focus
- 0.30m
- Max mag.
- 1.50×
- Formula
- 12E / 9G
- Released
- 2025
Specification sheet
Optical construction
- 2x ED
- 1x UHR
- Aperture range
- f/4.5 — f/32
Physical & ergonomics
- Weight
- 500g
- ⌀ × length
- 67.6 × 134.4mm
- Filter
- ⌀62mm
- Weather sealed
- No
- Aperture ring
- Yes
Autofocus actuator
- Stabilisation
- Body IBIS
- Teleconverter
- Not supported
- AF speed score
- —
Close-up performance
- Min focus distance
- 0.30m
- Max magnification
- 1.50× (1:0.7)
Optical character
Laowa's tele-macro reaches 1.5:1 magnification at a working distance of about 148mm, which leaves room to approach live insects and to light the subject. At around 500g and 67.6mm wide the lens is light for a 180mm. Focusing is internal, so the barrel does not extend.
The APO design uses two ED elements and one ultra-high-refraction element in a 12-element formula to keep colour fringing low. Unlike the Sony E, Nikon Z and Canon EF versions, the Canon RF version is manual focus only, with an aperture ring that stops down to f/32. Laowa's own suggestion for RF shooters who want autofocus beyond 1.5m is the EF version on an EF-RF adapter.
Reviewer consensus
Reviewers, who tested the autofocus Sony E version with the same optics, rate the image quality as very good. One found edge-to-edge resolution superb at telephoto distances and saw no colour fringing at all; the other measured clear softening towards the edges in the lab and lateral CA a little higher than usual, but found neither visible in real shots. Distortion is negligible, vignetting is slight, and out-of-focus areas are smooth, with occasional outlining of bright highlights.
The build is described as well above its price, with a mostly metal barrel, internal focusing and a long, very smooth focus ring that makes manual focusing at high magnification a pleasure. The f/4.5 aperture gives very thin depth of field up close and limits low-light and portrait use. Both reviewers see the manual-focus Canon RF version as the least versatile option, since it loses autofocus for general telephoto work, but it is fully usable for macro, where they focused manually anyway.
Owner sentiment
Owner feedback will appear once we have verified real-world reports for this lens.
Strengths, weaknesses & performance
Strengths
- +1.5:1 magnification with ~148mm working distance
- +APO design: very low colour fringing
- +Light for a 180mm, about 500g, internal focus
- +Smooth, long-throw focus ring
- +$499 launch price
Weaknesses
- −Manual focus only on Canon RF
- −Some edge softening in lab tests
- −f/4.5 is slow for a 180mm
Six-axis rating
- Sharpness
- 8.5
- Bokeh Rendering
- 8.0
- Autofocus Speed
- MF
- Flare Resistance
- 7.5
- Build / Sealing
- 8.5
- Value / Size
- 8.3
Editorial 0–10 ratings synthesised from published reviews.
Technical specifications
| Mount | Canon RF · full frame |
|---|---|
| Focal length | 180mm |
| Category | Macro |
| Maximum aperture | f/4.5 |
| Minimum aperture | f/32 |
| Construction | 12 elements in 9 groups |
| Special elements | 2x ED · 1x UHR |
| Aperture blades | 9 |
| Focus type | Manual Focus |
|---|---|
| Drive | Manual Helicoid |
| Minimum focus | 0.30m |
| Max magnification | 1.50× |
| Stabilisation | None (uses body IBIS) |
| Teleconverters | Not supported |
| Weight | 500g |
|---|---|
| Diameter × length | 67.6 × 134.4mm |
| Filter thread | ⌀62mm |
| Weather sealing | No |
| Aperture ring | Yes |
| De-clickable aperture | No |
| Release year | 2025 |
| Launch MSRP | $499 USD |
Sources
Verified against the pages below. Specifications come from the maker; summaries only reflect reviews and owner reports we actually read.
Launch price
- digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/lenses/laowa-180mm-f-4-5-1-5x-ultra-macro-apo-revie
Professional reviews
- digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/lenses/laowa-180mm-f-4-5-1-5x-ultra-macro-apo-revie
- photoreview.com.au/reviews/mirrorless-lenses/mirrorless-lenses-full-frame/laow
Similar focal length alternatives
- VS180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO (MF, Canon RF) vs RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM
- VS180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO (MF, Canon RF) vs RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM
- VS180mm f/4.5 1.5X Ultra Macro APO (MF, Canon RF) vs RF 75-300mm F4-5.6
- CanonL
RF 100-300mm F2.8 L IS USM
100–300mmF2.8- WT
- 2,590g
- FLT
- ⌀112mm
- MFD
- 1.80m
- MSRP
- $9,499
AFSTABWR - Canon
RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM
100–400mmF5.6–8- WT
- 635g
- FLT
- ⌀67mm
- MFD
- 0.88m
- MSRP
- $649
AFSTAB - Canon
RF 75-300mm F4-5.6
75–300mmF4–5.6- WT
- 507g
- FLT
- ⌀58mm
- MFD
- 1.50m
- MSRP
- $219
AF


