Laowa 90mm 2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO für L-Mount

The Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO is another attractive macro lens in their arsenal. As of the time of writing this article, it's their 9th (true) macro lens - a release frequency and variety that is putting original manufacturers to shame in this market segment. And like most of its in-house cousins, it is capable of delivering very good results … with just a few caveats. Image sharpness is very decent at f/2.8 and superb at medium aperture settings. The native image distortions are absent. Lateral CAs are well controlled and axial CAs are negligible. The vignetting is only moderately high at f/2.8. The quality of the bokeh is a bit of a mixed bag. Out-of-focus highlights are nicely rendered but the general out-of-focus blur can be a little nervous in the image background. The lens is also quite prone to flare thus you should always use the supplied lens hood. The RSAs aren't ideal in extreme close-up scenarios. It is a fully manual lens which may or may not be a showstopper for some users. There is no AF, the aperture has to be controlled on the lens and there's no EXIF data. On the positive side, the build quality is great thanks to a tightly assembled full-metal body and a super smooth focus ring. Like most Laowa lenses, the 90mm f/2.8 2x Ultra-Macro APO is also comparatively compact. There is no weather-sealing but the inner focusing system should help to protect it against the elements to some degree at least. A big selling point for macro enthusiasts is certainly the maximum object magnification of 2:1 - even Canon doesn't offer this. And finally, let's not forget the pricing. At $499USD, the Laowa lens is very reasonably priced for such an extreme macro lens, especially when taking its apochromatic design into account. It's not a lens for everybody but it'll surely find its friends out there.