The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro and the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 134mm. The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro with a length of 81mm, is 53mm shorter. Besides being longer, the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro also has a larger diameter of 68mm compared to the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro's 53mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro weighs 289g, 44% (232g) lighter than the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro's weight of 521g.
Filter Threads
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has a 46mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro:
Lens Mounts
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has the Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V for the Sony E Mount and Leica SL3-P, Panasonic S1 II and Panasonic S1 IIE for the Leica L Mount.
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is also available in the Nikon Z , Canon RF and Leica L mounts.
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is also available in Sony E , Leica M, Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
270mm.
On the other hand, the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 127.5mm.
