[Not a Number]

I should point out in Thomas Shahan's recent videos and Facebook presentation say he pretty much stopped using combinations like reversed, stacked and TCs in favor of the various Laowa macros lenses. And he was using the 100mm more than the others mainly due to the aperture automation.

[Paul the Sunman]

And he was using the 100mm more than the others mainly due to the aperture automation.

The aperture automation is a huge deal to me too.

Still no sign of it on the Laowa Australian website yet.

[Mistral75]

The aperture automation is a huge deal to me too.

Still no sign of it on the Laowa Australian website yet.

Couldn't you order it from their website (US$449)?

Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO – LAOWA Camera Lenses

[Serkevan]

The aperture automation is a huge deal to me too.

Being able to use TAv/Av modes is so much more convenient than stop down, yeah.


Now I just need to wait for more info on the D FA 21 to budget appropriately. A super macro like this is interesting but so is a good UWA and money is... well, a number .

[Narog50]

There is also the Mitakon Creator 85mm f/2,8 1-5x super macro. It seems to have the A on the Pentax lens. Here is what they say to Pentax users:
"When applying the A position, half press the shutter and rotate focusing ring. If the subject is
focused, then you would hear the tick sound and see the green spot in the viewfinder glittering.
The reminder of sharp focusing would be invalid , when the aperture is beyond f8.
In M position, the SLR is under fully manual condition.
In addition, Pentax has the trap focusing function,that would press the shutter automatically
when sharp focus happens.More details regarding to trap focusing is in relative part in instruction"

I´m not really shure what they mean with A position and this lens can only be used in macro distances and cannot focus to infinity.

[bdery]

I just need to wait for more info on the D FA 21 to budget appropriately.

Plan on over 1k for the 21, and you know the price for the Laowa

[Doundounba]

I'm also wondering how one lights subjects like the ones that Doundounba shows at the top of this page.

I'm not sure what you mean, but here is what the setup I used looks like:




Basically the important details are that it's a li-ion powered flash on an L-Bracket camera-left, with a thingamajig that allows me to get the flash horizontal. This flash (Godox AD180) has an external battery (the squiggly cable connects to the battery), but I also use a flash that has an internal battery (Godox V850ii). I use the L-bracket because I like my light to be slightly directional, so I don't want the flash quite centered with respect to the lens. Making the flash horizontal brings the flash head and diffusion surface much closer to the subject and allows me to use lower flash power as well as a smaller diffusion surface for equivalently soft light. Low flash power is useful when shooting bursts for focus stacking at 8.3 fps.

p.s.: That being said, I do think I need to up my diffusion game a bit, especially for lower magnification work.

p.p.s.: If you want I can reshoot this with a cleaner background...

[ecostigny]

I'm not sure what you mean, but here is what the setup I used looks like:




Basically the important details are that it's a li-ion powered flash on an L-Bracket camera-left, with a thingamajig that allows me to get the flash horizontal. This flash (Godox AD180) has an external battery (the squiggly cable connects to the battery), but I also use a flash that has an internal battery (Godox V850ii). I use the L-bracket because I like my light to be slightly directional, so I don't want the flash quite centered with respect to the lens. Making the flash horizontal brings the flash head and diffusion surface much closer to the subject and allows me to use lower flash power as well as a smaller diffusion surface for equivalently soft light. Low flash power is useful when shooting bursts for focus stacking at 8.3 fps.

p.s.: That being said, I do think I need to up my diffusion game a bit, especially for lower magnification work.

p.p.s.: If you want I can reshoot this with a cleaner background...

Thanks for the helpful response. I figured you weren't relying solely on ambient light and was curious as to your lighting solution.

[Thagomizer]

I'm not sure what you mean, but here is what the setup I used looks like:




Basically the important details are that it's a li-ion powered flash on an L-Bracket camera-left, with a thingamajig that allows me to get the flash horizontal. This flash (Godox AD180) has an external battery (the squiggly cable connects to the battery), but I also use a flash that has an internal battery (Godox V850ii). I use the L-bracket because I like my light to be slightly directional, so I don't want the flash quite centered with respect to the lens. Making the flash horizontal brings the flash head and diffusion surface much closer to the subject and allows me to use lower flash power as well as a smaller diffusion surface for equivalently soft light. Low flash power is useful when shooting bursts for focus stacking at 8.3 fps.

p.s.: That being said, I do think I need to up my diffusion game a bit, especially for lower magnification work.

p.p.s.: If you want I can reshoot this with a cleaner background...

Thanks for the set-up image. That's a bit more advanced than my standard Pringles tin diffuser! What bracket are you using?

[danecs]

Picked up this morning, now I just have to sit with it in my office all day

[luftfluss]

Picked up this morning, now I just have to sit with it in my office all day

Oh, the sweet agony of anticipation!

[Not a Number]

Hope he has some daylight left after getting off work. Anticipating seeing some test photos.

[UncleVanya]

Picked up this morning, now I just have to sit with it in my office all day

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[danecs]

Lunch time unboxing, I'm really impressed with how solid the lens feels. Finishing looks really good as well.
Now if I was smart I'd have a body with me.

[thibs]

Picked up this morning, now I just have to sit with it in my office all day

I couldn't.