Another review:
Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5x - 5x Ultra Macro lens review
Yes, it's a specialized macro lens. If you haven't got the hang of shooting at 1X magnification, specialized higher magnification lenses will be very challenging. Even if you're comfy with 1X, it's still a jump moving to 2X and beyond.
It's also fully manual, including stopping down the aperture.
It also offers magnification no native Pentax lens can match.
For what it's worth, I've had decent results at 3-4X magnification focus stacking with a Velbon Rail clone by manually spinning the knob. A higher precision automated rail would be more convenient at these magnifications, and starting to get into the realm of necessary as you hit 5X or greater if you want optimal results. I've been contemplating an automated rail & microscope optics to move into 5X and possibly beyond, this lens might be a good stopgap before the wallet aims at microscope objectives, I'll wait for more samples.
Personally, I find these sorts of strange lenses to be exciting announcements. I'm happy there are companies producing niche products like this and ecstatic that they include the K-mount (adapters would be possible, but it's nice if you don't need to!).
---------- Post added 03-08-18 at 01:29 PM ----------
Originally posted by Ontarian50 Another pitfall macro enthusiasts encounter with magnification greater than 1:1, is that a lot of the creativity of photography goes out the window.
A lot of the, composition, beauty and artistry you look for in the world of the very small is overridden by issues with focus, depth of field, camera shake, and how to light your tiny subject with that hulking camera and lens in the way.
Essentially you've turned your camera into a microscope - and artistic efforts become more scientific. Which is great if that's what you are after. But I think a lot of photographers find the fun they had with their macro lens fades away after they go beyond 1:1.
This is a question I've often struggled with. I keep finding smaller and smaller stuff I want to photograph and I ask myself if it isn't just for the purpose of doing it - to overcome a technical challenge with artistry taking a back seat. Is something that's solely a technical exercise worth pursuing? Maybe. But then I look at competitions like this:
https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleries/photo and I stop questioning whether there is artistic creativity to be had at extreme magnifications and turn to asking what unique things I can bring to table.
Artistry aside, there is also a HUGE educational component to be had here. I absolutely love seeing things I've never seen before, and being able to represent the things I find with a photograph to share with others is always my goal, no matter the magnification involved.