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Laowa FF II 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro Tilt-Shift
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Laowa · f/2.8 · Sony E mount

Laowa FF II 55mm f/2.8 1X Macro Tilt-Shift

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Mount
KEY FACTS
BrandLaowa
Release Year2024
Production StatusIn Production
Lens MountSony E
SystemSony E
What We Like
+True 1:1 macro magnification combined with tilt-shift control for creative depth-of-field manipulation
+Fast f/2.8 aperture with excellent optical performance—overengineered for full-frame for medium-format compatibility
+Exceptional tilt (±10°) and shift (±12mm) range among full-frame tilt-shift lenses, with 360° mount rotation
+Unique tripod collar/foot for superior balance and panoramic stitching capabilities
+Pristine image quality with low chromatic aberration and minimal vignetting across aperture range
Worth Knowing
−Heavy (1345g) and complex with seven adjustment mechanisms, requiring tripod use and significant learning curve
−Mechanical tilt-shift controls reported as difficult to operate—shift knob too small and tilt mechanism requires manual assistance
−Manual focus only with no electronic aperture reporting in EXIF data
−Tripod collar attachment quality concerns and sketchy mechanical implementation of shift/tilt movements

General

Brand
Laowa
Release Year
2024
Production Status
ⓘ
Current status of lens manufacturing (e.g., in production, discontinued).
In Production
Lens Mount
ⓘ
The lens mount will tell you what type of lens range you can fit onto the camera body. Often the same camera company will have different lens ranges for different cameras.
Sony E
System
ⓘ
Indicates which camera system the lens is designed to attach to.
Sony E
Maximum Format
ⓘ
Largest sensor size compatible with the lens.
Medium Format
Read our notes on general
Laowa's first tilt-shift macro lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras combines precise tilt of ±10°, shift of ±12mm, and 1:1 magnification to enable creative focal plane control and life-size detail capture. At 1345g and $1249 USD, it is one of the finest lenses Laowa has made optically, with overengineered optics for the full-frame image circle enabling use on medium-format cameras. However, the tilt-shift mechanism requires significant effort to operate, with shift that falls when unlocked and a tiny tilt knob that is almost impossible to turn without manual lens assistance.

Physical

Lens Weight
1345 g
Lens Diameter
ⓘ
Width of the lens at its widest point
85 mm
Lens Length
ⓘ
How long the lens is from front to back.
168.5 mm
Front Filter Size
ⓘ
Diameter of attachable filters.
77 mm

Optics

Focal Range
ⓘ
Shortest to longest focal length of the lens (zoom range start - end )
55 mm
Aperture Range
ⓘ
Largest aperture at the lens's shortest focal length to longest focal length (aperture range start - end)
2.8
Blades
ⓘ
Number of diaphragm blades in aperture
15020
Zoom Lens
ⓘ
Zoom allows you to vary the focal length, change between long shots and close-ups
No
Closest Focusing Distance
ⓘ
Minimum distance for a subject to be in focus.
27 cm01500

Tilt Shift

Tilt Range
10°
Shift Range
12 mm
Tiltshift Rotation
Yes
Lens Rotation
Yes