The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe macro lens offers a rare new perspective for photographers and videographers.
Macro lenses offer photographers an extreme close-up view of the world. But most macro lenses create images with a short depth of field that isolates the subject from the background. They also require the photographer to get really close to the subject, which is sometimes tricky in the world of nature photography.
The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Lens offers a unique solution.
‘Probe Lens’ for Macro Photography
The first thing you’ll note about this lens is that it’s really long. But even with its probe-like shape, the lens has a wide 24mm focal length.
It allows photographers to focus really close (2 cm at 2:1) but maintain a long focal length. The brand calls this a “bug angle view,” which looks really cool, particularly in videos. Check out the brand’s pitch video below for an idea of how it works.
Creative Macro Lens for DSLR
The Laowa lens works on mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony FE, and Arri PL. So you can plug it onto a lot of modern DSLR cameras and get shooting.
And while the wide-angle macro nature of the lens is pretty cool itself, the tube design also allows shooting “slide in” shots through tiny areas. For example, the brand suggests sliding the lens inside a drink bottle or between candles on your birthday cake.
It’s a unique niche shot, but it could provide videographers with a lot of creative freedom. We imagine it’s great for things like filming climbers through cracks in rock and shooting gear from exciting new perspectives.
The brand also created a tiny, 0.2cm light for the tip of the lens. This allows it to illuminate dark spaces, like the inside of a climbing shoe. And to top it off, the lens is dustproof and waterproof. Just spitballing here, but we see a lot of possible uses!
The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Lens has really lit up Kickstarter, raising nearly $1 million already. The fundraiser lasts through August 31, and you can still place your order now. You can buy one for $1,400 during the Kickstarter campaign, and it will retail for $1,500. The brand says it will ship in October.
