Laowa Releases 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Macro Lens for Full-Frame Cameras

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Hamza Dabjan

On 19/05/2025

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Laowa Releases 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Macro Lens for Full-Frame Cameras

The Laowa 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Macro ultra-wide lens for full-frame cameras is a lightweight and compact (308g / 10.9 oz) manual focus lens available for both SLR and mirrorless mounts (EF, F, E, Z, RF, L). It features a minimum focusing distance of 129mm / 5 inches, 5 aperture blades, and auto-aperture support for E, Z, and EF mounts. The lens includes a 62mm front filter thread and is available now for $399.

Following the recent launch of the Probe Zoom lens, Chinese lens maker Venus Optics is introducing another addition to its macro lineup — a compact ultra-wide lens designed for full-frame cameras, offering 0.5X macro magnification. Here’s a closer look at what it brings to the table.

عدسة Laowa 15mm f/4.5 0.5X macro

The combination of a macro lens with an ultra-wide focal length is quite intriguing, as it captures not only close-up details but also a significant portion of the surroundings — even in macro shots. This unique perspective can be creatively utilized in video work as well, such as by mounting the camera onto different props or moving objects.

The Laowa 15mm macro lens is designed as a manual-focus SLR lens and is available for both Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. Venus Optics also provides a version for modern mirrorless cameras—including Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, and Leica L mounts. This mirrorless version is noticeably longer because it incorporates the SLR lens adapter within the lens body

Laowa 15mm macro lens on a Sony camera. Source: Venus Optics

Since this is a manual focus lens, I would personally choose the EF version and use my own lens adapter for my mirrorless camera, unless you specifically need the lens’s auto-aperture feature. However, the auto-aperture function is only available for E, Z, and EF mounts. Additionally, the lens pins transmit EXIF metadata to the camera.

Laowa 15mm macro lens on a Canon RF-mount camera. Source: Venus Optics

The 15mm focal length on a full-frame sensor provides a 110.5° angle of view. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 129mm (5 inches) from the sensor’s focal plane, allowing the subject to be positioned very close to the front element of the lens. This enables a maximum magnification ratio of 0.5X.

Laowa 15mm macro sample photo. Image credit: Gerry Caracas

Venus Optics also claims that the lens is lightweight and compact, weighing 0.68 lbs (308g) with dimensions of 1.88” x Ø2.76” (47.7 x Ø70mm). This refers to the EF version of the lens; the mirrorless versions are slightly longer.

Laowa Releases 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Macro Lens for Full-Frame Cameras

Laowa 15mm macro lens – EF version. Source: Venus Optics

The lens optical design consists of 16 elements arranged in 11 groups, including 2 aspherical elements, 3 HR (High Refractive) elements, and 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. According to the manufacturer, the lens is engineered to minimize distortion.

The aperture has 5 blades, producing a 10-point sunstar effect when stopped down. The aperture range spans from f/4.5 to f/32.

Laowa 15mm macro lens on a SIGMA L-mount camera. Source: Venus Optics

Like other Laowa lenses, this lens has a full-metal body construction. It includes a 62mm front filter thread, which is impressive for such an ultra-wide lens. Lastly, the Laowa 15mm comes equipped with a removable lens hood.