Venus Optics, better known under their lens brand Laowa, just announced the 2nd version of their much-lauded probe lens (which they teased two weeks ago), called Laowa 24mm T8 2X Macro Pro2be, and it has a number of improvements over the original version. Let’s take a closer look. We’re still thinking back to 2016 when we discovered a quite curious product at Photokina in Cologne, and shot a video about it – the original Laowa “Snorkel” lens, at that time in prototype status, without the final name. The video ended up gathering 2.8 million views on YouTube so far – certainly because of the unusual look of the product. It became clear at the time already that there is A LOT of interest in this niche lens. (I reviewed the lens a bit later sticking it into a beehive, you can watch the review here.) Niche lens with unique features It’s clear why it garnered so much interest: the unusual shape of the Laowa “Snorkel” Probe lens allows for some unique perspectives. You can get unusually close to small subjects without casting a shadow, and at 24mm, it’s much wider than a typical macro lens, which means you see a lot more of the surrounding than normally. That is incredible not least for wildlife (insect) photography and cinematography. The tip is waterproof which of course allows for some incredible shots as well. Laowa Pro2be enhances probe lens in key areas Yet the length and relatively slow f-stop of the original...
Published By: CineD - Thursday, 17 August, 2023