Photography News Issue 59

Photography News | Issue 59 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x UltraMacro £399

Specs

1:1

Price

£399

Format 35mm and APS-C Mount Canon, Nikon, Pentax K, Sony FE Construction Eight elements in six groups Special lens elements One low dispersion element Filter size Not applicable Aperture range F/2.8-22 Diaphragm Eight blades Internal focus N/A Manual focus Manual only Minimum focus 17.3cm at 5x, 23.4cm at 2.5x Working distance 40mm at 5x, 45mm at 2.5x Focus limiter No Maximummagnification 5x lifesize Distance scale No. There is a magnification scale Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No Tripod collar Supplied Lens hood No Weather-sealed No Dimensions 82x65mm. Increases to 137mm when extended Weight 400g Contact laowalens.co.uk

2.5:1

For years, lens makers have been abusing the word ‘macro’, adding it to any lens with a half decent close focusing distance. But macro should mean that a lens can focus close enough to give a lifesize or 1:1 magnification. Thismeans that if you photograph, say, an SD card which measures 15x11mm, then the image will appear that size on the sensor. A half lifesize or 1:2 ratio would give a 7.5x5.5mm image. This Laowa lens delivers 2.5x to 5x lifesize so ideal for keen close-up photographers, and attractively priced at £399. I tried it with its dedicated tripod collar which has an Arca Swiss compatible foot, costing £34.50 extra.

The lens is very compact, so small in fact that it looks out of place on a full-frame Nikon D810 body. While the tripod collar is useful, the centre of gravity of the camera/lens is just about in favour of the body, so you might prefer the camera fixed to the tripod. You’ve probably used a typical macro lens where you get focusing from infinity down to its minimum focusing distance, so ideal for scenics, portraits and general shooting. You don’t get this versatilitywith the Laowa lens – it only focuses at 17.3cmat 5x and 23.4cm at 2.5x. That’s it, and there’s no focusing barrel. This lens is a one-trick pony – but what an impressive trick. All you get is a magnifying barrel and to focus means moving the camera back and forth. You need to get in physically close, too. At 2.5x the lens front is just 4.5cm from the subject and 4cm at 5x, and that can make getting light onto your subject a challenge but here a ringflash can be a godsend. The film plane to subject distance also changes as magnification alters – from 17cm at 2.5x to 20.5cm at 5x. The lens barrel extends, too, by about 5.4cm as you increase magnification from 2.5x to 5x. The lens has a manual aperture control so the optical viewfinder gets dark as you stop down. In practice, composing and focusing even at f/4 and f/5.6 can be a challenge and by the time you get to f/8 and beyond it is nigh on impossible. Using the D810’s live view is easier and viewing and focusing is fine at f/8. Using the lens handheld is possible but isn’t easy and you need steady hands and fast shutter speeds to get sharp natural light shots. Optically, the results you can get from this lens – when everything goes right – are very good, especially with sharpness at the centre of the frame. I did shots at 2.5x and 5x and I’d be happywith the results from f/2.8 down to f/8. Given the issues of using f/11 and f/16 that works out fine and you can enjoy plenty of crisp detail at the wider settings. But actual lens quality is not that much of an issue – you are more likely to get failures due to poor technique than the lens’ skills. You can’t say that this is an easy lens to use because it’s not. But once skills are learnt and a method of working that delivers results discovered, then you can get some amazing shots. WC

There’s no focusing barrel. This lens is a one-trick pony – but what an impressive trick

5:1

Images above To give you can idea of what’s possible with the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 Ultra Macro, we used a 21x24mm definitive stamp which was lit with two studio flash units. An aperture of f/8 was set on the Laowa. 1:1 lifesize, shot with a Nikon 105mm f/2.8 macro lens. 2.5:1 lifesize shot with the Laowa 25mm. 5:1 lifesize shot with the Laowa 25mm.

2.5x

F/2.8

F/4

Verdict

F/5.6

The Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x Ultra Macro is a remarkable lens and great value at £399. But it is not a lens for everyone. Working at such close distances and high magnifications is a challenge. This isn’t just with focusing but also with camera shake and, with live subjects, the issues of movement and the very limited depth-of-field. However, when all is said and done, if you yearn to explore the world of extreme close-up photography, this Laowa lens is a great and affordable way to start getting involved. Pros Great price, compact, high image quality, offers fresh creative challenges Cons Manual aperture gives dark viewfinder image, making composing and focusing tricky

F/8

F/11

Test shots I did a range of test shots from f/2.8 at f/16 at 2.5x and 5x using a Japanese 1000Yen note. The shots were taken on a Nikon D810mounted in a Novo T20 Explora carbon fibre with the shutter released using a 10sec self- timer and three seconds exposure delay mode.

F/16