ENGLISH VERSION
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First deliveries around from mid-August 2026.
Venus Optics · LAOWA Aksen Series
LAOWA Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1–5X Ultra Macro APO
Parfocal ultra macro zoom for full frame
Zoom seamlessly from 1X to 5X — without rebuilding your camera, subject, or lighting setup.
🔬
1X – 5X
Magnification range
📏
40.35 mm
Constant working distance
🔄
Parfocal
Focus stays locked while zooming
⚙️
9 mounts
Sony, Canon, Nikon, L, Fuji, MFT, PL
A zoom that leaves your setup intact
In ultra macro work, every change of magnification usually costs time: swap the lens, stack extension tubes, realign the tripod, reposition the diffuser. The LAOWA Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1–5X Ultra Macro APO solves this with an internal, parfocal zoom. Physical length stays constant across the entire 1X to 5X range, and so does the working distance — a steady 40.35 mm from the front element.
That means camera position, subject distance, and lighting all stay untouched while you change magnification. When working with diffusers, flash arms, or a macro rail, this is a tangible gain: the setup you dial in once carries through the whole series. And because the lens is parfocal, focus holds while you zoom — a decisive difference from classic magnifying optics for both video work and focus stacking.
💡 What does parfocal mean? A parfocal lens keeps the plane of focus when the focal length or magnification changes. You focus once and can then move from 1X to 5X without refocusing — in macro work, where depth of field is a fraction of a millimetre, that is a substantial advantage.
Practical in the field and in the studio
At roughly 599 g and approx. 70.2 x 121 mm, the lens stays manageable for mobile use despite its wide magnification range. The all-metal housing, the clicked aperture ring of the photo version, and the finely geared ring of the cine version are built for sustained, precise operation. An optional Aksen series tripod collar is available, transferring the weight straight to the tripod and taking the load off the camera mount.
Front diameter is 56 mm, the aperture runs from f/2.8 to f/11 with 11 blades. Focusing is manual — above 1:1 the more precise approach anyway, especially in combination with a macro rail or an automated stacking system.
Ideal for
🐝 Insect and nature macro
From a frame-filling beetle to a single compound eye — without changing lenses.
🔢 Focus stacking
Constant working distance and parfocal design for clean, repeatable stacks.
⚙️ Industrial inspection
Document components, PCBs, and surfaces without altering the setup.
🎬 Video and cine
Internal zoom with no change in length, stepless aperture ring on the cine version.
APO optical design
13 elements in 9 groups with thorough APO correction keep chromatic aberration under control even at five times magnification. Colour fringing on hard edges — otherwise a common problem in macro work — is noticeably reduced, which shows most clearly in stacking series where such errors would otherwise accumulate across many slices.
Manufacturer data from Venus Optics
Venus Optics positions the Aksen series as the world’s first parfocal macro zoom – and as the first commercially available lens that goes beyond 5x magnification with a zoom range. The series carries a TIPA World Award. The core design idea: the zoom works entirely internally, so barrel length and working distance stay fixed and focus stays locked on the subject while magnification changes – no refocusing, no tracking errors.
The official data sheet lists 13 elements in 9 groups for the 45mm f/2.8 1–5X, 11 aperture blades, a front diameter of Ø56 mm, dimensions of Ø70.2 × 121 mm and a weight of 599 g. Minimum working distance is given as 41.35 mm in the spec table and 40.35 mm in the product description – in practice roughly 4 cm between front element and subject, constant across the whole zoom range.
The manufacturer explains the f/2.8 to f/11 aperture range with the realities of high-magnification work: the brighter the lens, the lower the ISO can stay – critical because at ultra macro every trace of noise eats directly into fine detail. For the same reason the sister model, the 17.5mm 5–10X, runs from f/1.7 to f/5.6.
Accessories specified by the manufacturer: Venus Optics lists a tripod collar with rods, the Leofoto MP-180S macro focusing rail, the WeMacro electronic slider bundle and a USB coaxial light (Ø8 mm, 3 W LED) for the Aksen series. Coaxial lighting is also available as an integrated version of the 17.5mm 5–10X.
Technical specifications
| Focal length |
45 mm |
| Sensor coverage |
Full frame |
| Maximum aperture |
f/2.8 |
| Minimum aperture |
f/11 |
| Aperture blades |
11 |
| Aperture control |
Manual, clicked (stepless on cine version) |
| Optical construction |
13 elements in 9 groups |
| Focusing |
Manual |
| Working distance (from front element) |
40.35 mm (constant) |
| Magnification |
1X – 5X |
| Front diameter |
56 mm |
| Dimensions (D x L) |
approx. 70.2 x 121 mm |
| Weight |
approx. 599 g |
| Material |
Metal |
| Colour |
Black, Silver (Cine) |
| Available mounts |
Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Leica L, Nikon F, Canon EF, Fuji X, MFT, Arri PL |
| Award |
TIPA World Award (Aksen series) |
| Manufacturer |
Venus Optics (LAOWA) |
Compatible accessories
Tripod collar with 15 mm rods – the matching Aksen-series tripod collar transfers the weight directly onto the tripod, relieves the camera mount and holds accessories such as follow-focus systems or lighting solutions via the two included 15 mm rods (RRP 99,– €, included with the Cine versions).
Interchangeable bayonet mounts for the Arri PL version – matching interchangeable mounts are available for Sony FE, Canon EF, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Nikon F, L-Mount, Fuji X and MFT (RRP 65,– € each).
Why MJKZZ?
✓ Authorized dealer for LAOWA / Venus Optics lenses
✓ Personal guidance on choosing the right mount variant
✓ Fast shipping and quality-checked stock direct from Germany
First deliveries from mid-August 2026. Prices are MSRP; images may differ slightly from the actual item.
