Most macro lenses boast a 1x magnification that enlarges tiny subjects to the size of the camera’s sensor – but macro specialist Laowa has unleashed a lens that not only reaches ten times that, but does so with parafocal zoom and an unusual solution to lighting tricky shots. The Laowa Asken 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10x Ultra Macro APO is the world’s first commercial 5-10x – and it launches alongside the Laowa Asken 45mm f/2.8 1-5x Ultra Macro APO.
Laowa – the macro specialist brand from Venus Optics – had previously showcased prototypes of the new lenses earlier this year (which is how the series has already won a TIPA Award). But the lenses – which arrive in both photo and cinema variants for multiple mounts – were officially unveiled in full detail on July 31, with orders already open for the new optics.
