N°320099 · Family detail
LaowaCinema·NIKON Z mount
Laowa AF 180mm F/4.5 APO Ultra Macro
Specifications01
MountNIKON Z
Focal length180mm
Max aperturef/4.5
TypeCinema · Macro · Telephoto · Prime
Weight521 g
Filter size62 mm
Physical length134.4 mm
Min focus distance0.3 m
Aperture blades9
Optical elements12
Groups9
Lens hoodbarrel-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied)
Additional Info02
Category["Nikon Z (Full Format)"]
Review AuthorKlaus
Review Rating7
Other FeaturesUSB-C port for firmware updates
Focus stop button
Review VerdictThe Laowa AF 180mm f/4.5 APO Ultra Macro is a more unusual lens than the paper specs may suggest. The formal optical parameters are good without standing out. Image sharpness is decent at f/4.5, but you should stop down to f/5.6 to extract the best quality. Image distortions are low, and vignetting isn't something to worry about. Lateral CAs are a bit on the high side. The aspect that impressed us the most was the silky smooth bokeh - at least in the image background. Mechanically, there are a couple of curiosities. Combining the focus ring with an AF/MF switch is an interesting approach, which you may or may not love. The decision to limit the AF to a minimum of 1.5m is also something that we haven't seen before. Given that most 200mm-ish lenses can't focus much closer anyway, we'd state that this isn't fundamentally wrong, though. The AF itself is surprisingly quick for a third-party manufacturer. In terms of build quality, Laowa continues to impress with a tightly assembled metal body. The flattened part on the focus barrel showing the Laowa logo is pretty stylish and also nicely tactile. Some degree of weather sealing would have been nice, though. Overall, the Laowa AF 180mm f/4.5 APO Ultra Macro may not be a crowd-pleaser, but we certainly enjoyed our time with this lens. So, maybe you could as well.
Review Criteria{"Build Quality":8,"Optical Quality":7,"Price / Performance":8}
Review Published2025-09-16T11:01:10+00:00
Optical Construction12 elements in 9 groups, incl. 2x ED, 1x UHR
Summary02
Laowa AF 180mm F/4.5 APO ultra-macro lens for Nikon Z, designed for high-magnification close-ups with a telephoto focal length and fixed f/4.5 aperture.
AI-assisted summary — verify against linked sourcesWhere can this lens be adapted?
The Nikon Z mount has a flange distance of 16 mm. A plain adapter fits a camera whose flange distance is at least 1.46 mm shorter. How lens adapters work
- Native lenses set the aperture, and often the focus, electronically. On a plain adapter they do not work. Use an electronic adapter made for this pair; for many pairs nobody makes one. Fully manual lenses are the exception.
- Nikon Z DX lenses cover APS-C only.
- Nikon ZNative
No plain adapter reaches infinity focus on: Sony E, Canon RF, Fujifilm X, L-Mount, Micro Four Thirds, Fujifilm G (GFX), Canon EF-M, Canon EF, Nikon F.
Sources03
opticallimits.comVisit ↗
Other Mounts03
No alternate mounts are indexed for this family yet.