Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens L Mount

Key Features

• L Mount ultra macro lens
• Continuous 5x to 10x magnification
• Bright f/1.7 maximum aperture
• APO optical design reduces chromatic aberration
• Manual focus for precise high-magnification control
• Compact optical design for specialist macro imaging
• Suitable for scientific, industrial and focus stacking workflows
• TIPA World Award-winning Aksen ultra macro series

Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens L Mount Summary

The Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens for L Mount is a manual-focus ultra macro lens delivering continuous 5x to 10x magnification, revealing microscopic textures and structures beyond the reach of conventional macro lenses. Its compact optical design suits insects, minerals, electronics, scientific specimens and other extremely small subjects requiring exceptional enlargement.

An apochromatic optical formula suppresses chromatic aberration for greater contrast, colour accuracy and finer detail, while the bright f/1.7 maximum aperture provides a brighter view for focusing and composition at very high magnifications. Suitable for photographers, researchers and specialist imaging applications, the Aksen series received a TIPA World Award for Best Ultra Macro Lenses.

Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens L Mount In More Detail

Continuous 5x to 10x magnification

Designed for subjects too small to fill the frame with conventional macro lenses, the lens delivers continuous 5x to 10x magnification on full-frame Canon RF cameras. At 5x the image area measures approximately 7.2 × 4.8mm, reducing to around 3.6 × 2.4mm at 10x, revealing microscopic textures and structures in insects, pollen, minerals, electronics, watch components, forensic evidence and scientific specimens. Manual focus provides the precision required for extreme high-magnification photography.

Compact design for extreme close-ups

Despite reaching 10x magnification, the lens measures Ø65.5 × 115mm and weighs 474g. The shorter focal length provides extremely high reproduction ratios while maintaining a practical working distance for controlled lighting, and the lightweight design suits copy stands, macro rails and precision positioning systems used in laboratories, industrial inspection and studio environments.

APO optical design

The optical formula comprises 16 elements in 14 groups with apochromatic correction to minimise chromatic aberration. This delivers higher contrast, improved colour accuracy and excellent edge-to-edge sharpness, while an 11-blade diaphragm contributes to smooth out-of-focus rendering where depth of field allows.

Bright f/1.7 aperture

The bright f/1.7 maximum aperture provides a brighter view for composing and focusing at high magnifications, where light transmission naturally decreases as reproduction ratio increases. The manually adjustable f/1.7-f/11 aperture balances brightness, diffraction and depth of field, with wider apertures aiding focus acquisition and smaller apertures supporting greater sharpness for three-dimensional subjects and focus-stacked images.

Native Leica L Mount

The native L Mount provides direct compatibility with Leica, Panasonic Lumix and Sigma L-Mount cameras without an adapter. Measuring Ø65.5 × 115mm and weighing 474g, the lens remains compact for a specialist 5x to 10x ultra macro optic, integrating easily into research, industrial imaging, product photography and macro video workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between this and the Coax Illumination (CI) version?

Both lenses offer the same 5x to 10x magnification range, APO optical design and optical specifications. The CI version adds a dedicated Coax Illumination port and supplied adapter, projecting light directly along the optical axis to reduce shadows and reflections when photographing reflective or finely detailed subjects. The standard version does not include this feature.

Which Aksen lens should I choose: the 17.5mm 5-10X or the 45mm 1-5X?

The 17.5mm is intended for subjects requiring extreme magnification from 5x to 10x, including microelectronics, biological specimens, fibres and microscopic surface detail. The 45mm covers 1x to 5x magnification, making it better suited to larger subjects such as insects, jewellery and product photography.

What is the working distance at maximum magnification?

The lens maintains a fixed 22.48mm working distance throughout its 5x to 10x magnification range. Its internal parfocal zoom allows magnification to change without moving the camera, subject or lighting.

Why does it have an f/1.7 maximum aperture?

The bright f/1.7 maximum aperture provides a brighter view for composition and manual focusing. The aperture can be stopped down to f/11 to increase depth of field, while focus stacking is commonly used when greater sharpness is required across three-dimensional subjects.

Does this lens require focus stacking?

Not always. Single-frame images are possible, particularly for relatively flat subjects, but focus stacking is commonly used at 5x to 10x magnification where depth of field becomes extremely shallow.

Is the lens compatible with APS-C L Mount cameras?

Yes. The lens is fully compatible with L Mount cameras, including APS-C models. The smaller sensor provides a tighter field of view while maintaining the same optical magnification.

Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens Specifications

What’s in the Box

• Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO Lens L Mount
• Front lens cap
• Rear lens cap
• Lens pouch