Laowa just packed 1.5x macro and 180mm of reach inside a lens that only weighs about as much as a loaf of bread – and there's autofocus (sort of)

A photographer uses the Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1,5X Macro lens.

Laowa is arguably best known for its macro lenses, from the wacky probe lenses to optics that boast an impressive 2x magnification – but most of the brand’s macro lenses don’t include autofocus. That’s changing with its latest launch: the full-frame Laowa 180mm f/4.5 1.5x Ultra Macro Apo meshes telephoto reach with close focusing capabilities and autofocus – although the AF comes with some caveats.

First, the autofocus capabilities are not available in the lens’ Canon mirrorless RF mount and L-Mount – AF is only available in the Sony E, Nikon Z and Canon EF (DSLR) mounts. That’s not too surprising, considering the lens options for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless bodies don’t include third-party optics that have autofocus, and that Laowa isn’t a member of the L-Mount alliance.