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 85mm F2 Macro IS STM 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 Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM with a length of 91mm, is 43mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM has a larger diameter of 78mm 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. Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM weighs 500g, 4% (21g) lighter than the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro's weight of 521g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Canon RF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Canon RF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM 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 85mm F2 Macro IS STM:
Lens Mounts
Both the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro and the Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM 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 85mm F2 Macro IS STM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 136mm.
