Laowa 65mm f/2.8 UM

A lens that produces phenomenal photos

If you shoot small, this optic will produce phenomenal photographs

Like many of Laowa’s offerings, the 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO promises premium performance at a pocket-friendly price. Laowa has fast carved a niche for itself not just as a purveyor of exotic optics, but of expertly engineered ones that offer more than just quirkiness or lower cost of entry – and this is no exception.

Designed for APS-C systems using the Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X or Sony E mount, the Laowa 65mm Macro is a size and weight befitting a smaller system. Its signature feature is its 2x magnification feature, delivering a reproduction ratio of 2:1.

If you’re new to macro photography, this means the image recorded on your sensor is double the life-size ratio of 1:1; so if you take a photo of a screw head, it will be double the actual size.

Performance

This lens is very sharp. While our scrutinous lab testing revealed that sharpness drops off more than expected away from the centre, in practice this wasn’t a huge issue. Even shooting wide open, the Laowa 65mm f/2.8 renders crystal-clear images, reaching its peak at f/4 – although at these wide apertures and with this magnification, the depth of field is still incredibly shallow, even with the APS-C crop mitigation.

The best results are achieved when you shoot at f/4 and use focus-stacking or focus-bracketing, though you can safely stop down to about f/11 and use a longer shutter speed. However, bear in mind that – again at this magnific ation – even the most minute movement will be enough to throw your plane of focus. Make sure you shoot with an electronic shutter and set both your tripod and subject on the firmest surface possible.

If this is your first time using a macro lens, you will find it an absolute joy. Just remember to use your camera’s focus peaking as a guideline, and use Live View to make sure that what the camera thinks is sharp actually is sharp! James Artaius