Laowa 24mm T14 2X PeriProbe

[Pete Askew]

For some reason I never posted any information about this lens here before. I bought the lens out of curiosity to see what one could do with it as I have a professional interest in macro (or at least technical) imaging. What an extraordinary optic it is.

This variant is clearly aimed primarily at video creation and covers full frame 35mm and similar sensors and is available in a range of mounts. I bought one in Leica L mount (which in hindsight was a bit limiting) as I have a SL2-s that was not being used for anything much and thought it would make a good combination (which it does) and it really is quite an impressive optic. Having decide that the SL2-s will be dedicated to this lens, static macro and some other video duties I decide to rig it properly to make the ergonomics better (it is quite easy to knock the aperture ring while focussing and the follow-focus solves that).

Here is the lens in its rigged form (sorry for the clutter background) plus an image of a screw on the side of the x-table of one of the macroscsopes. The head of the screw is 6 mm in diameter and it is tucked into a recess and the front element of the lens is only 20 mm or so away from it and you'd struggle to get a normal lens close enough.

 

[Brian Moore]

That is quite the rig, Pete. Sorry I can't offer anything more substantial but its overwhelming for a simple fella like me. Suffice to say it's impressive!

 

[Pete Askew]

Thanks, Brian. I think it looks more complicated than it is because of the cables. They are all power cables going from the battery at the rear to the camera and a USB hub at the front that provides power to the ring light in the lens and the two Relio2 heats mounted on arms at the front. I used two sets of rails to allow me to support the lens at the front and the follow-focus control separately to the hub and lighting mount.

The whole lot is sitting on a Novoflex Castel focusing rack mounted to an Arca-Swiss Cube tripod head. For video I would probably stick an Atomos Ninja on an arm at the side to use as an external recorder and screen.

 

[Hamish Gill]

We have the astahori version at work, though we haven’t used it yet - it’s going to be used for niche video ideas…

 

[Pete Askew]

I'd never come across Astrhori before. It is very similar to the Laowa Macro Probe (f/14, 24 mm), but half the price. The Periprobe version has two front element sections that can be swapped over. One is like the Astrhori and Macro Probe from Laowi, but the other is basically periscopic and has a mirror at the end so it 'looks' sideways allowing you to get ground-level views and to pan through miniatures, etc.

There is great example on the Laowi site of someone filming pond skaters from below the surface of the water.

 

[Hamish Gill]

Half the contrast too, by all accounts! That periscope is very cool!