While conventional macro photos tend to isolate the subject from the background, some photographers – Paul Harcourt Davies is a good example – have explored the potential of wide-angle lenses offering a close focusing distance to create closeup shots with the subject close to the camera but also including the background. The technique is ideally suited for small animals – insects are a good example – and flowers, as it allows photographers to show the main subject in its habitat, but can be applied to other types of photography, for the exact same purpose.
Years ago, Paul Harcourt Davies and Clay Bolt published one eBook, “Wide-angle macro – the essential guide” which pointed photographers to the best path to explore the use of wide-angle lenses in this specific area of macro photography. Although Laowa, who has close to 20 macro lenses in its portfolio, has launched lenses as the Laowa 15mm f/4.5 0.5X Wide Angle Macro, the Laowa 55mm f/2.8 Tilt-shift 1X Macro or the Laowa 15mm f/4 Wide Angle Macro, which is the world’s widest 1:1 macro lens, there was no 35mm lens offering 1:1 reproduction available. Well, there is now!
Unlike conventional close-up lenses that stop at 0.5X, the Laowa ACRIS 35mm f/2.8 1X AF Macro APO lens captures subjects at full 1:1 scale with extraordinary detail, making it the world’s first full-frame autofocus 35mm lens featuring true 1:1 life-size magnification. The lens, engineered for photographers who demand absolute precision where every micron counts, lens combines true macro magnification with an environmental wide-angle perspective, a fast f/2.8 aperture, hybrid focusing control, and an advanced Apochromatic (APO) optical design.
The lens clearly sets a new standard for wide-angle macro photography, as its focal length preserves a natural field of view. This unique wide-angle perspective tells a broader story by keeping environmental depth intact—without the extreme distortion often associated with ultra-wide macro lenses.
· Standard Autofocus (Infinity to 0.5m): Delivers fast, responsive, and accurate subject acquisition for everyday shooting, street photography, and environmental portraits.
· Macro Focus Assistance (0.5m to 1:1): Dedicated focus assistance takes over in the close-up range to provide tactile micro-step manual precision. This setup integrates seamlessly into focus-bracketing workflows, making handheld or tripod-based focus stacking simple, efficient, and exceptionally accurate for high-depth-of-field macro shots.
Featuring an optical construction of 13 elements in 10 groups, the ACRIS 35mm maintains, according to Laowa, “exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness and high contrast across its entire focal range. Even at extreme 1:1 close-up distances—where standard lenses frequently suffer from field curvature and soft edges—the ACRIS preserves fine micro-textures and fine detail, whether shot wide open at f/2.8 or stopped down.”
With Laowa’s renowned Apochromatic (APO) optical design, the ACRIS 35mm virtually eliminates both longitudinal and lateral chromatic aberrations (CA) in both in-focus and out-of-focus areas. By focusing key wavelengths onto the exact same focal plane, images display crisp high-contrast edges, zero color fringing, and authentic, true-to-life color reproduction without requiring heavy digital correction in post-production.
· Striking Subject Isolation: Instantly pops intricate macro details off the canvas by dissolving busy environmental textures into a soft, creamy backdrop.
· Smooth, Aesthetic Bokeh: Out-of-focus highlights are rendered with gentle rounded edges and clean transitions, adding cinematic depth to wide-angle context. The fast aperture also provides excellent low-light flexibility when shooting under dense forest canopies or in dimly lit studios.
Built for demanding professional use in the field, the ACRIS 35mm features a durable, all-metal housing with weather-sealed construction against dust and moisture. An internal focusing design keeps the lens length fixed, preventing accidental contact with delicate plants or live macro subjects. A dedicated Focus Assist Button allows seamless switching between modes, while standard front filter threads (Ø72mm for AF / Ø67mm for MF) easily accommodate polarizers and ND filters.
Available for Sony E, Canon EF and Nikon Z (autofocus) or, on manual mode, for Canon RF and L-Mount, the ACRIS 35mm f/2.8 1X AF Macro APO lens is available on the official Venus Optics website and through authorized global resellers, with a suggested retail price of USD 449.