Laowa Venus Optics 24mm f/14 Probe Lens for ARRI PL | Cine-Mod Version

The Laowa 24mm f/14 Probe Lens, produced by Venus Optics, stands out as an exceptional lens tailored for close-up photography. Characterized by its elongated and slender barrel, this macro lens achieves a maximum magnification of 2:1, with a minimum focusing distance of 1.5 feet and a close working distance of 0.8 inches. Despite its short working distance, the lens extends to 1.3 feet in length, allowing photographers to maintain a comfortable distance from their subjects. Furthermore, as a wide-angle lens, it offers an increased depth of field compared to conventional telephoto macro lenses, enabling enhanced detail in the background while minimizing subject isolation.

The optical configuration incorporates both extra-low dispersion and extra-refractive index elements, effectively reducing chromatic and spherical aberrations, thus ensuring high clarity, color fidelity, and sharpness. The manual focus mechanism allows for adjustments from 1.5 feet to infinity, and the lens features a built-in LED ring light at the front to facilitate focusing on close subjects. The slim 0.2-inch diameter of the lens barrel enhances the potential for front lighting of subjects. Additionally, the front section of the lens is waterproof, making it suitable for capturing images of subjects just below the water’s surface or in challenging, dusty conditions.

This “cine-mod” variant of the lens has been specifically optimized for videography, incorporating integrated gears on both the aperture and focus rings, which facilitate precise iris and focus adjustments using a follow focus system.

• Unique macro lens design offers a greater-than-life-sized 2:1 maximum magnification along with a minimum focusing distance of 1.5′ and a working distance of just 0.8″.
• The long tubular lens barrel contributes to producing a distinct bug-eye perspective and, despite the short working distance, the length of the lens barrel places the camera at a comfortable shooting distance.
• Wide-angle 24mm focal length affords greater depth of field and more surrounding detail than traditional telephoto macro designs, which tend to isolate subject matter with shallow depth of field.
• Optical design includes two extra-low dispersion elements that control color fringing and chromatic aberrations to produce greater clarity and color accuracy. One extra refractive index element is also featured, which reduces spherical aberrations and distortion for improved sharpness and accurate rendering.
• Slim 0.8″ front diameter allows performing unique “slide-in” shots as well as affords a greater range of close-up, inconspicuous shooting opportunities. The smaller front diameter also makes it easier to illuminate close-up subjects from the front.
• The front of the lens is waterproof, allowing you to comfortably work just under the water surface or in dusty environments.
• The front of the lens has a built-in LED ring light which is powered via a micro-USB port on the barrel, providing some illumination on close-up subjects for easier focusing.
• Designed for use as a close-up macro lens, the manual focus operation also lets you focus at infinity.
• This “cine-mod” version of the lens has built-in focus and aperture gears to aid in doing focus and iris pulls.
• Seven-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality.