Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO (Canon RF)

Reviewers found it sharp across the frame from f/2.8, peaking around f/4 to f/5.6, and it holds detail well at small apertures, which matters for macro depth of field. Lateral and axial colour fringing are negligible and distortion is effectively zero. Out-of-focus highlights are smooth and round thanks to the 13-blade aperture, though one test found background blur slightly rough-edged.

The drawbacks are vignetting of about 1.5 EV at f/2.8, a tendency to flare without the supplied hood, and the fully manual operation with no aperture control from the camera and no EXIF. The build is solid metal without weather sealing, and the $499 price is widely seen as very good value for an apochromatic 2:1 lens.

Owners report sharp, fringe-free results; one who compared it directly with Laowa's older 100mm 2x macro in focus-stacked tests found the two equally sharp, and preferred the 90mm's more compact, closed design. Another praised the rendering.

The complaints are about manual use: exposure has to be judged on screen, the effective aperture darkens by about one stop at 1x and two at 2x, and dust shows at small apertures. One owner rated portability only 3 out of 5, and focus creep reported on Laowa's earlier 100mm was a worry, though not reported on the 90mm.