The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro and the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 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. Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 82mm. The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro with a length of 81mm, is 1mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 also has a larger diameter of 74mm compared to the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro's 53mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro and Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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, which means it is 66g (18%) lighter than the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 which has a weight of 355g.
Filter Threads
The Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 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 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro and the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8 has the same Leica L lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Leica L lenses are Leica SL3, Panasonic S5 II and Panasonic S5 II X.
Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro is also available in Sony E , Leica M, Canon RF and Nikon Z mounts.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
85mm but while Laowa 85mm f5.6 2x Macro has the fastest aperture of
F5.6, the Panasonic S 85mm F1.8's widest aperture value is
F1.8.