Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Macro Lens for Sony A (Minolta)

Laowa 15mm f/4 1:1 Wide Angle Macro Lens for Sony A

The Laowa 15mm f/4 Macro is the first wide-angle lens with 1:1 maximum magnification, opening up wide-angle macro photography without extension tubes. Macro lenses usually have medium to long focal lengths, which leave little room for the environment around flowers or insects; with a 110° angle of view at 1:1 the foreground dominates the frame while the background shows where and how the subject lives. This version has the Sony A mount.

It also works as an excellent wide angle focusing to infinity on full-frame cameras. A shift mechanism at the rear offers ±6 mm adjustment (for APS-C sensors), useful in architecture and landscape photography to correct perspective. The 12 elements in 9 groups, with 3 high-refraction elements and one low-dispersion element, reduce chromatic aberration and ghosting for clarity from centre to edge, with controlled distortion. Low-reflection multi-layer coating, 14-blade aperture, manual focus and aperture.

Key features

• 1:1 maximum magnification
• 110° angle of view (full frame)
• Shift ±6 mm (APS-C)
• 14-blade aperture
• Low-reflection multi-layer coating
• Focuses to infinity: also a wide-angle lens

Specifications

• Focal length: 15 mm
• Aperture range: f/4 - f/32
• Angle of view: 110° (FF) / 85° (APS-C)
• Format: full frame / APS-C
• Shift (APS-C only): ±6 mm
• Optical construction: 12 elements in 9 groups
• Aperture blades: 14
• Minimum focusing distance: 12 cm
• Minimum working distance: 0.47 cm (1:1)
• Maximum magnification: 1:1
• Focus and aperture: manual
• EXIF data transmission: no
• Filter thread: 77 mm
• Dimensions: 83.8 x 64.7 mm
• Weight: 410 g
• Mount: Sony A