Laowa Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1-5X Ultra Macro APO

Early reviews place it at the top of the high-magnification class. Detail and contrast hold up across the 1–5x range, colour fringing on specular highlights is well controlled, and the parfocal behaviour is the feature testers keep returning to, because it removes most of the refocusing that slows down 2.5–5x work with older designs.

The caveats are the usual ones for this kind of optic: it is fully manual with no electronic contacts, depth of field at 5x is razor thin so stacking is close to mandatory, and it needs a lot of light. It is also heavier than Laowa's older 25mm 2.5–5x, which matters on a focusing rail.

Early owners are mostly focus-stacking and insect photographers moving up from a 2x macro or a microscope objective. They like being able to set up a shot at 1x and zoom in without touching the rail, and the fixed working distance makes diffuser and lighting setups simpler.

Complaints so far centre on the weight on lightweight rails, the dim viewfinder at higher magnifications, and the separately sold tripod collar. Supply was limited in the first months after launch.