Venus Laowa has just released the 15mm f/4.5 1:2 macro lens available for Nikon Z, Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, Canon RF, and L-mounts. Venus is well-known for making a variety of unique macro lenses, and this 15mm f/4.5 macro is another one. It has a maximum magnification of 1:2, which at 15mm will give a distinct look to your macro shots.
Here are the complete specifications for your information:
- Focal Length: 15mm
- Mount: Nikon Z, Canon EF, Sony E, Nikon F, Canon RF, L
- Autofocus: No
- Filter: 62mm
- Aperture Range: f/4.5-32
- Angle of View: 110.5º
- Working Distance: 1.4″ (36mm) from front element
- Optical Design: 16 Elements, 11 Groups
- Aperture Blades: 5
- Length: 47.7mm (1.9″)
- Weight: 308g (10.9oz)
The new lens has five aperture blades and 16 elements in 11 groups. Two of those elements are aspherical elements, and it is supposed to be well-corrected for distortion, potentially making it usable for architecture and very wide-angle landscapes, not just macro photography.
Of course, the coolest aspect of this lens is its 15mm focal length, which creates a very different look than the typical 50-100mm macro lens. Extension tubes are often difficult to use on wide angle lenses, so this is realistically one of the few ways to achieve such a look. This new Laowa lens has a 36mm (1.4″) working distance from the front element at maximum magnification.
What’s the difference is between this lens and Laowa’s older 15mm f/4 macro for DSLRs? The most obvious is that the old lens went all the way to 1:1 magnification, while this lens reaches only 1:2 at the most. The older lens also had the unusual feature of adding shift capabilities if using the lens on an APS-C camera.
Although you do sacrifice 1:1 magnification with the new lens, you also get a weight savings (308g down from 410g) and a length savings as well (47.7mm down from 64.6mm). Also, the MSRP is $399 down from $499. Whether there has been an image quality improvement remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Overall, I’d say that the newer lens might be more suitable for most, as long as you don’t plan on going past 1:2. For frogs, butterflies, and medium-sized flowers, that should be enough, but those who really crave the most magnification might still want to look at the older lens.
I have to admit, I’d love to try this lens and I might get myself a copy. I already have one of Venus’s 2X macro lenses and have been really impressed by its performance, and I expect this new lens to be quite nice as well.
If you’d like to get a copy, its expected availability date is May 22, and you can pre-order it for $399 with these links below at B&H Photo to support Photography Life!
The lens is also available for Sony E mount on Venus Laowa’s website but as of now, no B&H link is available.
Nice review, Jason. Is it possible to use the older Laowa 15mm on a Z8 with a FTZ adapter? Which one would you choose? I shoot all my macro with an OM systems 90 mm but have been intrigued by using my Z8 for wide angle macro for some time now. Appreciate any comments.
Yes, it’s possible. The old one is fully manual, with manual aperture control and can be used just fine on the Z8 with the FTZ.
Hard to choose but I think I’d go for the old one because of 1:1 over 1:2, but the new one would be superior for 1:2 unless you also want the tilt shift functionality. I’m a big fan of REALLY close up macros, so I would be a little sad without 1:1.
How do you light something with the front of the lens so close? There is a reason Canon makes a 180 macro and Nikon makes the older 200 micro
You try and take pictures where you’re not blocking the primary light source by making sure the light is coming from the side. This lens won’t work everywhere a traditional macro would, but you can certainly make it work in many situations. In some cases, a ring light could help as well, but personally I would probably just use it as is.
Hi Jason, this is interesting! Is this a bit comparable to a lensbaby wide angle (eg 28mm f2.5) regarding the atmosphere and fairytale look? This is of course less wide angle but also has 1:2 macro possibilities. I have been interested in something like this for a while. I have the nikon z 105mm macro … an insanely good lens and not only for macro. Landscape, portrait …. and much more.
No, definitely not. The Lensbaby Velvet 28 f/2.5 is designed to have a dreamy look wide open, whereas the Laowa is designed to be crisp and sharp wide open. Very different looks. The Venus is mainly for the wide-angle macro look, whereas the Lensbaby is mainly for the painterly soft look, totally different. And of course, 1:2 at 28mm as you said will look radically different than 1:2 at 15mm.
It’s probably more practical than the older lens, but I already have that one so…
I think I’d just keep the older one if I were you. 1:1 is cool.
I think it actually looks like a lot of fun, as do some of the other Laowa macro options. But I already don’t have time to make the most of what I have which includes the Z mount 105 mm, so it will have to go on the wishlist.
The Z mount 105 is one of the best Z-mount lenses so I think you have a lot of potential experimentation out there!
What are the uses of wide angle macro/near macro lens in day to day photography?
It is for macro shots where you want to show more of the environment of your subject.
Look up examples. Jason is exactly right, but you can’t appreciate the difference until you’ve seen it. Whether or not you like the effect, of course, is a different thing.