Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO by Venus Optics, Prime Set, available for cinema lens hire at The Front in Sydney Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO, view 2Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO, view 3
Modern Prime Set

Venus Optics

Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO

1 prime 100mm T2.9 PL

Venus Optics’ Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO is one of the few cine primes that reaches a true 2:1 magnification (twice life-size on the sensor) without any extension tubes or diopters.

Apochromatic correction eliminates chromatic aberration across the focus range, critical for the close-focus work this lens was built for. T2.9 maximum aperture, full-frame coverage.

Character profile

How this lens renders.

Edge-to-edge sharp. True 2× macro. Apochromatic.

Five axes plotting how this set behaves wide-open vs a neutral modern reference. Larger area = more pronounced trait.

Focal lengths

One focal length

  • 100mm T2.9

Talking points

Why DPs pick this set

  1. True 2:1 magnification: twice life-size, no diopters required

  2. Apochromatic correction: zero chromatic fringing across the focus range

  3. Full-frame coverage at T2.9: works on Alexa LF, Venice, Monstro

  4. Internal focus, no breathing: focus pulls hold composition

Technical

Full specifications

Mount
PL
Coverage
Full Frame
Magnification
2:1

Heritage

  1. Origin

    Venus Optics (Anhui, China) released the Laowa 100mm 2× Macro APO in October 2022, three years after the 2019 stills original. Venus Optics built their reputation on extreme-design stills lenses (the 12mm Zero-D, the 24mm probe lens) and brought that engineering rigour to their cinema range.

  2. Filmography

    Adopted across product, commercial, and insert-shot work where true 2:1 magnification is the brief, a focal length and reproduction ratio combination that few other cine lenses can match.

  3. Build

    Modern manufacture. Standard cine housing with 0.8M gears, PL mount, internal focus mechanism that eliminates barrel extension at close distances.

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