A periscope lens is often very popular in commercial product filmmaking. With its probe-like design, a periscope lens can provide a unique perspective of moving through extremely tight spaces and getting super close-up views of products in a creative fashion.
Now Venus Optics has put a twist on the periscope lens concept with their new Laowa 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe, which bends the lens 90° to open up a myriad of other creative possibilities when seeking to grab an image.
The Laowa 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe offers a wide angle image at the end of a long 2x periscope probe that mounts to the camera. The full-rame lens has most of the same design as the traditional Laowa periscope lens, but the 90° bend at the tip is where all the magic happens.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The lens has a 360° rotation as well, for creating a unique motion of the image as the camera moves around the axis. It’s like creating two axes at once, plus when adding a dolly moving in or out, creates a twisting shot that was previously only possible in the imagination.
The lens also has a 1/4” -20 mount thread at the front for attaching close-up lighting or additional magic arms, and the lens can mount to ARRI PL, Canon EF or R mounts, Nikon F and Z mounts, Sony E mount, or the Leica L mount.
Features include:
- 360° rotation
- 0° & 90° interchangeable lens front
- Extra threaded tip (1/4)
- Bug-eye perspective
- 2x magnification
- Deep depth of field
- Long & tubular lens barrel
- Waterproof barrel
- LED ring lite
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The real benefit of the PeriProbe lens is that by bending the lens 90°, the majority of the lens barrel can stay out of the way, while the camera rig is capturing the image up close.
For extremely tight spaces, like a gopher hole, flying through a chess board, or even a stack of bottles, the PeriProbe can then rotate around grabbing up to a 45° angle of view, something never before capable.
The PeriProbe also has an 85° angle of view for gaining more detail without distortion, like a fisheye lens, with a close-up focus distance of .8” (2CM) at 2x magnification. The Laowa 24mm T14 2x PeriProbe also comes with a direct view module for those traditional periscope shots as well.
Image Credit – Venus Optics
The retail price of the Laowa 24mm T14 2X PeriProbe is $2299 for the entire kit, which comes with the main unit, 90° module, and direct view module. Meanwhile, the traditional Laowa Periscope probe lens is now $1449-1599 (cine).
The Periprobe lens will make its US debut in the Laowa booth in the Cinegear show, June 9-11 at the Venus Optics booth #324, together with the Laowa Nanomorph lenses. Meanwhile, more details can be found on the VenusLens website.
[source: Venus Optics]
Order Links:
- Original Laowa 24mm Periscope Lens (B&H)
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate partner and participant in B&H and Adorama Affiliate programmes, we earn a small comission from each purchase made through the affiliate links listed above at no additional cost to you.
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