Venus Launches Unique Lens on KickStarter

2018.08.01

In an unusual move for a major company, Venus Optics is launching a extraordinary macro lens with a KickStarter Campaign. The lens is fully designed but its manufacture will be crowd funded. This technique allows a company to get interest rather than relying on market research. As with all KickStarter campaigns, not reaching the funding goal means the lens will not be produced.

The new Laowa 24mm F/14 Macro Probe is a unique lens that delivers 2X magnification and a 84° angle-of-view at a 47cm focusing distance from the lens mount. Its extended tubular body means a dim F/14 maximum aperture which can be stopped down to F/40 with a 7-blade aperture.

Uniquely for a DSLR lens, the front element is made waterproof. In contrast with being simply weatherproof, the front of this lens can be submerged underwater! This combined with a wide-angle 24mm focal-length when mounted on a full-frame camera, gives it a unique view with extensive depth-of-field compared to other macro lenses.

The Venus Laowa 24mm F/14 Macro Probe lens is expected in Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony FE mount. This is a manual focus only lens which features built-in LED illumination on the front element. Venus expects the lens to ship for $1500 USD some time after October 2018.

• Lens