Venus Laowa 90mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens for Nikon Z

2024-07-25T18:07:06

I read and watched so many reviews for this lens before ordering. In the end after receiving it, I had a hard time getting used to its ergonomics and having a hard time seeing focus peaking even at the highest level on my a7cr. I was mostly attracted to the 2:1 magnification which this lens probably excels on. However I decided to get the Sony 90mm Macro instead. I needed autofocus for focus bracketing more than I needed 2:1 magnification. I picked up Raynox DCR-250 to compensate for the lack of magnification on the Sony. That paired with extension tubes for when I need to get really close, albeit manually, it's better for my needs. Don't get me wrong. If you are used to just manual lenses, you will probably love it.

Rodney G.

2023-09-15T03:12:38

Great glass for the price, very impressed with the lens. 1:1 to 2:1 magnification is great. Focus ring is a bit large but it's workable. I don't think anyone will be disappointed in this lens for this price.

ZACHARIAH D.

2023-05-02T00:42:28

The Laowa 90mm is a fantastic macro lens, offering sharp glass, smooth bokeh, and a lot of flexibility depending on your shooting style. My standard use of this lens is to take photos of insects and spiders, but it is also a great lens for flower photography if that is what you like. This lens separates itself from the Laowa RF 85mm f/5.6 and Laowa 100mm RF 100mm f/2.8 in a couple ways, which I'll try to explain. All three lenses have a max magnification of 2x, but only the 90mm and 100mm have the faster f/2.8. This gives you a lot of control on subject isolation, and being able to have that dreamy bokeh behind your subject when shooting wide open. One difference from the 100mm is that the 90mm was designed from the ground up for mirrorless, whereas the 100mm was an adapted design from its previous DSLR version. This means that the 90mm is more compact than the 100mm, but has a larger grip and feel to it. You can't go wrong with the 100mm, but the 90mm is just a refined version of it. When comparing the 85mm to the 90mm, the slower f/5.6 of the 85mm will be limiting when trying to isolate a subject. The 85mm is much, much, much smaller, and weighs considerably less which is great for field work. The only thing I detested on the 85mm was the location of the aperture ring, which was at the front of the lens. The 90mm has the aperture control ring at the base of the lens near the mount. Why is this important? When you attach a diffuser, the aperture control ring of the 85mm is hard to access, and will be covered. If you're not adding a diffuser, this detail may not be such a big deal, but it made a world of difference for me when I switched to the 90mm. So what is not to like about the 90mm? I can only think of one thing, which is that the aperture is manual. Even with the exposure compensation of the EVF on my R5, the viewfinder can still be dark or struggle to refresh quickly at f/11 and direct light on a subject at 2x. This is one thing the older EF-mount 100mm had right, which was electronic aperture control, allowing you to have a bright and fast-refreshing viewfinder at pretty much any magnification or aperture value. I still think this lens is a 5/5, as the price is incredible for the performance you get. With those couple differences and gripe out of the way, I think the 90mm is a perfect lens for the user who wants the most control possible, fast glass, and a lens made from the ground up for mirrorless. The price to performance blows every other manufacturer out of the water, and the features are exactly what you need and nothing more. It's pretty much perfect.

BRICE N.

2022-11-10T08:20:08

Quite sharp, standard macro focus breathing, possibly a bit higher Tstop than some. Perhaps and unfair comparison to Sony's mainline/everyday 85mm and 28mm offerings at 1.8 and 2.0, respectively, but as with the 15mm f2, I'm noticing a substantial darkening with the 90mm f2.8 over that I get at the same fstop on either the above Sony offerings, and certainly the 40mm and 55mm Zeiss and Zeiss adjacent offerings. That said, for well lit or daylight, the sharpness of this lens is amazing, especially for the price. Just don't expect to be using this lens inside much.

STEPHEN M.

2022-10-21T09:05:09

Preordered the lens for my Sony A9ii and after a very long wait for it to come in to Adorama the lens was shipped to me and received in three days. Lens was well packed and received with no damage to carton or lens. It would have been nice if lens would have come with even a inexpensive case, but was received with only a plastic/foam sleeve. Seems to be very well built of metal and not plastic. It does come with a cheap plastic lens hood. Have not used a manual focus lens in many years and it takes some practice. Have only this lens since it came in and have used in for Macro, Landscape, and Portrait to get used to it's manual focus. Am quite pleased with results. Very sharp lens. On the downside being a fully manual lens it camera does not record data should you want to know settings later from your picture files. Would only recommend this lens for those willing to take the time to adjust to manual focus or it will sit on the shelf unused.

JAMES N.

2022-08-17T11:46:43

PROS: Beautiful sharp lens. I have been using it the last few weeks and I am really Impressed by the quality. Focus ring is very large and moves very smooth. Feels like its made out of all metal (except for plastic hood). If you don't mind a manual lens and want to pay 1/3 the price of an auto equivalent I would highly recommend this lens. CONS: I shoot on a Panasonic Lumix S5 and noticed just a bit of vignette around the corners but well within correctable range. This lens does not have IBIS and I would not recommend handheld macro without sensor stabilization.

Weston M.

2022-08-11T13:36:44

Using this for aquatic life photography amd even with the challenges that a manual lense brings with a constantly swimming/moving subject, I am able to get stunning, high detail photos with beautiful bokeh. While im sure it adds weight, i personally love that the housing is metal and the aperature ring has tactile feedback too. Chef's kiss! I would, in a heartbeat, recommend this to anybody wanting to do macro photography.

CHRISTOPHER S.