100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APOvs A7CR
Laowa
100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO (2018)
Starting from £399 new
Best for Extreme macro & scientific photography
View 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO
VS
Sony
A7CR (2023)
Starting from £3099 new
Best for Travel, landscape & portrait photography with minimal kit
View A7CR
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Extreme Macro & Scientific Photography — 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO (2018): 2:1 magnification at a price no first-party lens can match — the specialist macro choice for Sony shooters who need maximum magnification.
Travel, Landscape & Portrait Photography With Minimal Kit — A7CR (2023): The world's smallest 61MP full-frame camera — A7R V quality in a pocketable A7C body.
Who should buy what
A7CR (2023)
- Landscape photographers who want 61MP resolution without carrying a large body
- Travel photographers who need professional image quality in the smallest possible package
- Portrait shooters who want A7R V sensor quality with the ease of the A7C form factor
- A7C owners ready for a major resolution upgrade without changing bodies
Quick take: The 100mm f/2.8 2x ultra macro apo is the most affordable; only the a7cr is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO (2018) | A7CR (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £399 | £3,099 |
| Sensor | f/2.8 (max aperture) | 61.0MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 61.0MP |
| Video | 22.6cm minimum focus distance (2:1 macro) | 4K/60p 10-bit, 1080p/120p — S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Manual focus only — precision helicoid for close-up work | AI subject recognition — phase-detect with human, animal, bird detection |
| Stabilisation | None (body IBIS or careful technique required) | 7-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 8fps mechanical, 15fps electronic |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 638g | 514g body only |
| Dimensions | 73mm diameter × 123.5mm length | 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF 0.70× 2.36M-dot |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.03M dots |
| Mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO | A7CR |
|---|---|---|
| Macro | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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