Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO FF Lens (Coaxial Version)

The Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO (Coaxial Version) is a full-frame ultra macro zoom covering 5X to 10X magnification at a fixed working distance, with a built-in coaxial lighting port for shadow-free illumination of reflective subjects.

Change magnification without moving your camera, subject or lighting, while the apochromatic optics deliver exceptionally sharp, virtually fringe-free detail.

Key Specifications

• • Lens Mount(s): Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Canon EF, Fujifilm X or L-Mount
    
  • Sensor Coverage: Full Frame
    
  • Focal Length: 17.5mm
    
  • Aperture Range: f/1.7 – f/5.6
    
  • Working Distance: 22.48mm (fixed)
    
  • Magnification: 5X – 10X
    
  • Subject Size to Fill Frame: 7.2 × 4.8mm (5X) to 3.6 × 2.4mm (10X)
    
  • Focus Type: Fixed (no focus ring)
    
  • Coaxial Lighting: Built-in beam splitter, Ø8mm light adapter included*
    
  • Lens Construction: 17 elements in 12 groups
    
  • Aperture Blades: 11
    
  • Front Diameter: Ø42mm
    
  • Dimensions: Ø70.2 × 127.5mm
    
  • Weight: 570g
    

Note:
• Tripod collar available via special import request.

Coaxial lighting lets you photograph shiny, reflective subjects with even, shadow-free light and no glare. A beam splitter built into the lens projects light straight down the optical axis, so it reaches the subject from the same direction the lens is looking. Rather than bouncing back as hotspots, the light reveals what’s really there: scratches, engravings, dents and fine surface texture.

It’s ideal for flat, polished subjects such as coins, circuit boards, microchips and watch parts, and can be combined with conventional or polarised lighting for more creative results. The lens includes an adapter for a Ø8mm coaxial light. The matching Laowa USB Coaxial Light is sold separately.

Both Aksen lenses are designed so that the distance between the front of the lens and your subject stays fixed as you change magnification, here across the full 5X to 10X range. The parfocal design keeps the subject in focus while you zoom, and the internal zoom keeps the barrel length constant. In practice, you set the lens up on a rail or stand once, frame your subject at 5X, then move in close on a detail at 10X with a single turn of the zoom ring. Your camera and lights stay exactly where you placed them.

Even at 10X, the apochromatic (APO) optical design renders crisp, clean, highly detailed images across the full frame, with virtually no colour fringing (the coloured halos that typically appear around edges at high magnification). The f/1.7 maximum aperture helps keep the viewfinder image bright and resolves fine detail at extreme magnification.

There is no focus ring: you focus by moving the camera or subject to the working distance, which at 5X to 10X calls for a focusing rail or stand. Exposure changes as magnification increases, so expect to adjust shutter speed, ISO or flash power as you zoom.

Notable features include

• • 5X to 10X ultra macro magnification
  • Built-in coaxial lighting port
  • Fixed working distance across the full zoom range
  • Parfocal, internal zoom: change magnification without refocusing or repositioning
  • APO design for virtually fringe-free images
  • Exceptional sharpness and detail
  • Full-frame coverage, available in six mounts
  • TIPA World Awards 2026 winner: Best Ultra Macro Lens

The Laowa Aksen 17.5mm f/1.7 5-10X Ultra Macro APO (Coaxial Version) is built for photographers who want to go beyond standard ultra macro without moving to a full microscope setup. It pairs top-tier image quality with a setup that’s easy to work with. Typical subjects include insect eyes and scales, pollen, crystals, coins, circuit boards, watch mechanisms and more.

Working with larger subjects? The Aksen 45mm f/2.8 1-5X Ultra Macro APO covers life-size to 5X.