The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro and the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 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. Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 148mm. The LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro with a length of 134mm, is 14mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro also has a larger diameter of 81mm 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, 19% (125g) lighter than the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro's weight of 646g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Macro Prime Lenses in Sony E Mount for size comparison purposes.
Macro Lenses in Sony E Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro has a filter size of 67mm whereas the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro and the LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro has the same Sony E lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Sony E lenses are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V.
LAOWA 180mm f4.5 Macro is also available in Nikon Z , Canon RF and Leica L mounts.
Focal Range
Sony FE 100mm F2.8 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
150mm.
On the other hand, the 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.
