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 Canon RF 100-400mm 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. Canon RF 100-400mm is the longer of the two lenses at 165mm. The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro with a length of 134mm, is 31mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 100-400mm also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro's 68mm 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 180mm f4.5 Macro weighs 521g, which means it is 114g (17%) lighter than the Canon RF 100-400mm which has a weight of 635g.
Filter Threads
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Canon RF 100-400mm has a 67mm 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 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon RF 100-400mm:
Lens Mounts
Both the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro and the Canon RF 100-400mm has the same Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon RF lenses are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50.
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is also available in the Sony E , Nikon Z and Leica L 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 Canon RF 100-400mm has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.
