Venus Optics officially announces the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe lens, a weird but revolutionary lens for macro videography The range of Laowa lenses available at Park Cameras provide photographers and videographers with unique, practical and affordable options for their content. Notably the entire range is manual-focus (MF) only, enabling you to achieve pin sharp and highly accurate results. Many creators prefer using MF to acquire critical focus when capturing tiny subjects, where just 1mm can throw focus out completely. But what you get here is something truly unique, in philosophy, design, and the results it provides. While its physical operation is little different to a more conventional fully-manual lens, you will need to think more carefully about lighting and especially composition to fully exploit its potential. A wide angle focal length has been chosen to deliver more depth of field and more environment, while the size of the front element allows users to get truly ground-level view. Venus Optics, the camera lenses manufacturer who had previously launched a number of unique Laowa camera lenses, are proud to announce the Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe Lens, a unique & revolutionary macro tool.

Though capable of capturing compelling close-ups, the niche nature of this slender beast and its very narrow aperture mean it's unlikely to replace a traditional macro lens. Factor the not insignificant price tag in, and this is therefore one serious novelty lens, but one that is far from just a toy.

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This second-generation version of the Laowa Probe lens is heavily aimed at the cinema market and features several design changes and optical improvements over the previous model. The focal length remains the same, at 24mm, but the new 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be features a brighter aperture than the original, optical improvements and better weather-sealing. The latest version also includes interchangeable lens mounts and, in fact, comes in three distinct physical designs for different shooting applications.

A probe lens is an elongated barrel that attaches to the lens of a camera. It offers a unique perspective and extreme close up shots. As the name suggests, you are able to get up close and personal with your subject, whilst maintaining a “bug-eyed” wide angle image. The tip of the lens measures just 2cm across and houses a ring of USB-powered LED lights for focus assistance and for lighting the subject. Animals in burrows and underwater can be photographed as the end of the probe lens is water and dust proof, and the LED lights can be used in those conditions. The closest focus-distance is 2cm at which distance the maximum reproduction ratio of 2:1 is achieved. Constructed using 27 elements in 19 groups this is quite a complex optical arrangement Venus Optics states that this new 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be lens features an improved optical design with better overall image quality and color rendition. The new lens includes multiple high-refractive-index glass and Extra-Low Dispersion elements, providing sharper image quality across the frame and suppressing chromatic aberrations. With the recent release of the iPhone 13 Pro, and Apple‘s Shot on iPhone Challenge, it’s all about macro right now. The allure of seeing the weft and warp of a piece of cloth, or every pigment in a cat’s eye, has taken hold of many creators.

Giving you heaps of versatility, the end of the barrel is also waterproof. This means you can submerge the lens for stunning underwater shots. Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Probe is the world’s first consumer-grade probe lens that was developed to provide photographers and videographers with a new perspective and remove their shooting barriers while using conventional macro lenses. Below are the key features of this lens. Many Laowa macro lenses offer a high 2:1 magnification (double life-size), through to 5:1 larger than life size magnification, for unparalleled close-up results. You can also discover the novel Laowa 24 probe lens, capable of rendering extremely fine details, which you would rarely, if ever see with the naked eye.

In 2021/2022 Laowa collected prestigious EISA best product awards, which include best special purpose lens and best manual lens. This is testament not just to the unique capabilities their lenses provide, but to the high optical quality which they have achieved in a few years since forming. If you’re regularly shooting product shots and commercials focused on small products, or wildlife photography —yes. If you’re not doing those things —no. Venus Optics has also improved the waterproof capabilities of the front barrel of the lens. The distance at which the lens barrel can be submerged in water is now up to 36.6cm (14.4 inches). Get your angle rightFor those of you who want to explore this in video, and perhaps haven’t invested in the latest iPhone, it’s time to get friendly with the probe lens. What Is a Probe Lens?

The first thing that strikes you when you see the Probe lens in person is its sheer length. 40cm is long for any lens, but the Probe's mostly narrow diameter creates the optical illusion that it's longer still: this is a lens like nothing else you've seen attached to a lens mount. But while certainly large, it isn't overly heavy. At 474g the Probe is lighter than most conventional full-frame macro lenses. At around almost a foot and a half long, this lens looks pretty unusual compared to most you’re probably used to seeing. The majority of the barrel is just a few centimetres wide. If you’re not shooting this product-focused content, then you’ll definitely not get your money’s worth, and it might end up sitting on your shelf for months on end. Venus Optics has announced a new probe-shaped macro lens that captures 2x life size images down a 40cm/15.7in barrel. The Laowa 24mm f/14 Macro Probe lens is designed to produce extreme macro on full frame bodies, and to reach subjects that are hard to approach with conventional macro lenses. The Laowa 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be lenses will be sold individually or also as a complete set of all three versions.

We look forward to getting a review sample of the Probe lens into our testing labs to fully scrutinize its image quality. The Laowa 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be 'Periscope View' model, with its angled lens mount design, angled front element, as well as 360-degree rotating lens mount, allows cinematographers to place their camera into even more challenging and unique filming situations. The Periscope version is great for getting close, ground-level shots while keeping the camera up at an easy-to-use height.