October 30, 2026 // News // BY Matthew Duclos

Laowa ACRIS 35mm f/2.8 1X AF Macro APO

Laowa has built its reputation on lenses that do something a little strange, and the ACRIS 35mm fits that pattern. Announced September 30, 2026, it is a full-frame 35mm prime that Laowa calls the world’s first full-frame autofocus 35mm lens with true 1:1 macro magnification, priced at $449.

LensGeeks has not tested this lens yet. This article is based on Laowa’s specifications and launch coverage, and it flags the one detail buyers need to understand before ordering.

What it is

Most macro lenses are long. A 90mm or 100mm macro keeps you at a comfortable distance and compresses the background. A 35mm macro does the opposite. At 1:1, you are close, the subject is life-size on the sensor, and the surroundings stay in the frame. That makes it a lens for product, food, nature, and environmental close-ups, not just insects.

The ACRIS is a 35mm f/2.8 to f/22 prime, with a 63.4 degree angle of view, an apochromatic (APO) design of 13 elements in 10 groups, and an internal focusing design. Laowa says the APO design virtually eliminates chromatic aberration. That claim, like the autofocus claim, is a manufacturer claim until independent tests arrive.

The autofocus catch

Here is the detail that matters. The headline says autofocus and 1:1, but those two do not fully overlap.

Autofocus versions, for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Canon EF, autofocus from 0.5m to infinity. Below 0.5m, down to the 1:1 maximum, you focus manually, with Laowa’s Macro Focus Assistance mode for precise adjustments. In autofocus mode alone, maximum magnification is roughly 0.1x, not 1:1.

Manual focus versions, for Canon RF and L-mount, do not autofocus at all. That split is easy to miss if you only read the headline, and it changes who should buy which version.

Working distance is also tight, as it has to be at 35mm and 1:1. Minimum focus distance is 180mm, with a working distance of about 48.6mm from the front of the lens at 1:1. You will be close to your subject. That is part of the look, and part of the challenge.

Key specifications

Price and availability

The ACRIS 35mm is $449 in the US for every mount, on sale from Laowa since September 30, 2026, through Laowa’s own store and authorized resellers.

Final thoughts

A wide-angle macro with autofocus, even with the 0.5m autofocus limit, is genuinely new. Most macro work at 35mm will be manual anyway once you are that close, so the limit may matter less in practice than it sounds on paper. What matters more is whether the APO correction, sharpness, and handling live up to the claim at $449.

That is what we want to test. Until then, treat this as a promising, unusual lens with a clear caveat, not a proven macro workhorse.

Sources:

• Laowa / Venus Optics shop: https://www.venuslens.net/shop/?product_cat=camera-lenses&product_count=12&product_orderby=date&product_order=desc&product_view=list
• DPReview announcement, September 30, 2026: https://www.dpreview.com/news/laowa-35mm-2p8-macro-lens-announcement-autofocus/
• DIYPhotography launch coverage: https://www.diyphotography.net/laowa-acris-35mm-f-2-8-1x-af-macro-apo-launched/

TAGS: 35mm / APO / autofocus / full-frame / Laowa / macro / Venus Optics