Laowa Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1-5X Ultra Macro APO (L-Mount)

Reviewers found that, with careful setup, it delivers excellent sharpness and clarity with minimal colour fringing and very low distortion, and that the parfocal zoom works as promised: once focused at 1x, you can turn the ring toward 5x without moving the camera. The internal zoom and metal build feel precise, and the lens is light enough that one tester considered handheld use realistic.

The catch is the effort involved. The fixed working distance means focusing is done by moving camera or subject, depth of field at high magnification is razor thin, and a macro focusing rail is close to essential. There are no electronics, so no EXIF or camera aperture control, the mount has no weather-seal gasket, and lighting the subject at about 40mm is a challenge. It is still seen as good value for its design and quality.