Fun with the new Venus Laowa EF-M 65mm 2x Macro

After reading some really rave reviews about the Laowa 100mm 2x Macro (available in multiple FF mounts), I thought I'd give it's little EF-M brother a try. And little it is. It's smaller in diameter than most other EF-M lenses, and it's a little bit longer (and slightly heavier) than the EF-M 18-150. IOW a lot less of a handful than my standard macro lens, the EF 100L.

Shooting macros with this lens is a breeze. The small diameter makes it very grip-able, and the heft is perfect to give it a little stability.

This is a fully manual lens, so focus is best done by pre-adjusting the focus ring (basically to a desired composition), and then moving the camera to and fro until your subject is in focus. Aperture is also adjusted manually using a ring on the lens. There are no electrical contacts on the lens, so no EXIF either.

A 2:1 macro ratio is about the highest I'm comfortable with hand-holding, esp without image stabilization to assist. And Canon's Focus Peaking really works well for macros.

Since it's still winter outside around here, I took my new toy down into the shop and grabbed a few things to practice on. All of these were shot at 2:1 (an object 11mm wide fills the frame), and aperture was set to f/11 for improved DOF. F/11 is a little beyond DLA (into diffraction) but I've always found that macros can tolerate a large amount of fine detail sharpening.

I used diffused flash for these photos (for convenience), but a good set of photographic LED lights (or even a halogen work light) would work just as well. All but the first image (soda can) were shot at max 2:1, just to see how the lens would do. Files are 2160 high, full frame no cropping (no composing really either). EOS M6 Mark II, handheld. Just for fun.

Click on "original size."

Soda can

Roll of Tape

Bolt

Brush

Wire Cutters

Spring

Crescent Wrench

Fiskars Shop Shears

File

Pliers

Spring

Rod and Cable

Pull Chain

Spyderco Delica

Rubber Bands

Leatherman File

Flashlight Knurling

File

Rasp

Nail-set Knurling

Oak

Bronze Screw

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Bottom line. This lens really rocks. I thought the colors were exceptional, the contrast excellent, and the sharpness very good.

I can't wait to get outside to shoot some bugs with this baby this spring. Highly recommended!

R2

ps. I really like this little lens hood, since it doesn't cut much into the lens' working distance...

52mm (minimal) hood at @mazon

For a bit more protection from stray light, I actually (currently) have it stacked with this other 52mm hood (meant for the RF 35mm f/1.8 lens)...

52mm (very minimal) hood at @mazon

ken_in_nh wrote:

Interesting choice of subjects.

Yeah, just grabbed whatever was at hand!

I should head to my garage for some pics while it's still iced/snowed in outside!

Too bad the lens won't work with focus bracketing.

The 14 fps burst mode (M6ii) actually works very well for stacking (or cherry-picking the best focal plane).

FYI I like the brush and the oak the best, probably because of the color?

It's amazing how at this magnification (frame size), man-made objects are so very monochromatic!

Now git out to the garage!

R2

Thank you for the review and beautiful images!

Great photos!

I’ve long appreciated images of seemingly everyday or mundane objects (in contrast to landscapes, sunsets, flowers, etc) because of how they illustrate how beauty is around us much more than the average person realizes.

I have had this Laowa lens for many months now but have not used it much (so far) because my few outings with it didn’t result in much that was interesting.  I think that was mostly because I was only using ambient light, which didn’t produce anything nearly as interesting as the shots you have shown. 
I need to look into fixing that so I can enjoy this lens more.  Thanks for the motivation.

R2D2 wrote:

After reading some really rave reviews about the Laowa 100mm 2x Macro (available in multiple FF mounts), I thought I'd give it's little EF-M brother a try. And little it is. It's smaller in diameter than most other EF-M lenses, and it's a little bit longer (and slightly heavier) than the EF-M 18-150. IOW a lot less of a handful than my standard macro lens, the EF 100L.

Shooting macros with this lens is a breeze. The small diameter makes it very grip-able, and the heft is perfect to give it a little stability.

This is a fully manual lens, so focus is best done by pre-adjusting the focus ring (basically to a desired composition), and then moving the camera to and fro until your subject is in focus. Aperture is also adjusted manually using a ring on the lens. There are no electrical contacts on the lens, so no EXIF either.

A 2:1 macro ratio is about the highest I'm comfortable with hand-holding, esp without image stabilization to assist. And Canon's Focus Peaking really works well for macros.

Since it's still winter outside around here, I took my new toy down into the shop and grabbed a few things to practice on. All of these were shot at 2:1 (an object 11mm wide fills the frame),

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

and aperture was set to f/11 for improved DOF. F/11 is a little beyond DLA (into diffraction) but I've always found that macros can tolerate a large amount of fine detail sharpening.

I used diffused flash for these photos (for convenience), but a good set of photographic LED lights (or even a halogen work light) would work just as well. All but the first image (soda can) were shot at max 2:1, just to see how the lens would do. Files are 2160 high, full frame no cropping (no composing really either). EOS M6 Mark II, handheld. Just for fun.

303 geek wrote:

Thank you for the review and beautiful images!

Many thanks.  It was fun just finding something to do inside on a cold winter day!  

R2

Carl LaFong wrote:

Great photos!

Thanks.  Easy to do actually! 

I’ve long appreciated images of seemingly everyday or mundane objects (in contrast to landscapes, sunsets, flowers, etc) because of how they illustrate how beauty is around us much more than the average person realizes.

I know what you mean.  Seeing stuff that close really is an eye-opener!

I have had this Laowa lens for many months now but have not used it much (so far) because my few outings with it didn’t result in much that was interesting. I think that was mostly because I was only using ambient light, which didn’t produce anything nearly as interesting as the shots you have shown.

Absolutely.  Macro is just like everything else, it benefits greatly from good (and interesting) light.

I need to look into fixing that so I can enjoy this lens more. Thanks for the motivation.

Yeah, there are so many ways to enhance, alter, add, reduce, and modify light (esp easy for macros!).  I used a cheapo set of wireless radios to get my flash off-camera, in order to impart a bit of drama to otherwise mundane objects.

Have fun!  And thanks again for commenting,

R2

Dors wrote:

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

Yay! I actually like using the "Frame Size" measurement when describing macro capabilities (ie a 22.2mm frame size, or an 11mm frames size). This leaves any ambiguity out of it, even as regards to sensor size/format.

I would like to do another macro exercise using just a 1:1 magnification ratio with this lens (22.2mm frame size ). And maybe another at 1:2 (1/2 life size, or 44.4mm frame size). It gets harder to keep things interesting tho as frame size gets larger (when shooting small ordinary objects) as the images are less abstract, and composition becomes more important.

I've heard it said that Macro shooters are the only really happy shooters (since they always have a plentiful supply of subjects to shoot). And I'd tend to agree with them!

Thanks for your comments, and I hope you get to shoot all you want! 

R2

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

Yay! I actually like using the "Frame Size" measurement when describing macro capabilities (ie a 22.2mm frame size, or an 11mm frames size). This leaves any ambiguity out of it, even as regards to sensor size/format.

Excellent idea! With this, macro ability of a lens is very clearly stated and imagined. But it is not used as a standard oddly.

I would like to do another macro exercise using just a 1:1 magnification ratio with this lens (22.2mm frame size ). And maybe another at 1:2 (1/2 life size, or 44.4mm frame size). It gets harder to keep things interesting tho as frame size gets larger (when shooting small ordinary objects) as the images are less abstract, and composition becomes more important.

I've heard it said that Macro shooters are the only really happy shooters (since they always have a plentiful supply of subjects to shoot). And I'd tend to agree with them!

Thanks for your comments, and I hope you get to shoot all you want!

R2

Dors wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

Yay! I actually like using the "Frame Size" measurement when describing macro capabilities (ie a 22.2mm frame size, or an 11mm frames size). This leaves any ambiguity out of it, even as regards to sensor size/format.

Excellent idea! With this, macro ability of a lens is very clearly stated and imagined. But it is not used as a standard oddly.

Well if you’re talking about just a lens (in isolation), then you HAVE TO use its magnification ratio, because it might be used on any number of (sensor) formats.

But most of the time folks are discussing a (lens/body) combo’s macro capabilities, including adding close-up lenses, ext tubes, etc, and it’s way clearer and more descriptive to simply state the measured Frame Size.  IMHO  

R2

1gregory1 wrote:

This thread cost me $424. today.

Hey, if your S.O. gives you any trouble, tell them we’re helping to support the COVID economy!  

Thanks a lot! great pics tho.

Thanks!  With your aptitude for abstractions (looked at your “Challenge” entries), you should get along fantastically with this lens.  Seek out the good light!  Enjoy.

R2

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

Yay! I actually like using the "Frame Size" measurement when describing macro capabilities (ie a 22.2mm frame size, or an 11mm frames size). This leaves any ambiguity out of it, even as regards to sensor size/format.

Excellent idea! With this, macro ability of a lens is very clearly stated and imagined. But it is not used as a standard oddly.

Well if you’re talking about just a lens (in isolation), then you HAVE TO use its magnification ratio, because it might be used on any number of (sensor) formats.

But most of the time folks are discussing a (lens/body) combo’s macro capabilities, including adding close-up lenses, ext tubes, etc, and it’s way clearer and more descriptive to simply state the measured Frame Size. IMHO

R2

Yes, sure! my bad. Thank you.

Dors wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Dors wrote:

22.2mm (sensor's width) : 11mm is 2:1! At last I got the meaning of macro ratios and 'life size' term.

Thank you!

Yay! I actually like using the "Frame Size" measurement when describing macro capabilities (ie a 22.2mm frame size, or an 11mm frames size). This leaves any ambiguity out of it, even as regards to sensor size/format.

Excellent idea! With this, macro ability of a lens is very clearly stated and imagined. But it is not used as a standard oddly.

Well if you’re talking about just a lens (in isolation), then you HAVE TO use its magnification ratio, because it might be used on any number of (sensor) formats.

But most of the time folks are discussing a (lens/body) combo’s macro capabilities, including adding close-up lenses, ext tubes, etc, and it’s way clearer and more descriptive to simply state the measured Frame Size. IMHO

R2

Yes, sure! my bad. Thank you.

No, not your bad at all.  I was just clarifying something that I might have left ambiguous.

Personally I think taking a photo of a ruler is the most unambiguous method of all! 

R2

R2D2 wrote:

Click on "original size."

Pull Chain

Rubber Bands

Not saying the other pics are bad, but those look especially outstanding to me.

Perfect Covid lens I guess.

thunder storm wrote:

R2D2 wrote:

Click on "original size."

Not saying the other pics are bad, but those look especially outstanding to me.

Perfect Covid lens I guess.

Thanks 'Storm. I just wanted to get in some variety!

I didn't work on my compositions, or even try to get the focal planes perfect. I'm really looking forward to getting serious with some bugs this summer though!

Thanks for commenting. I know you don't really dig macros much.

R2

1gregory1 wrote:

B&H just e-mailed me they shipped my Laowa 65 today. Looking forward to playing with it. Got the 11-22 and 32mm a week or so ago so I've been playing with the 32 and the raynox 250 which works just fine. I also picked up a Fotasy adapter for my M50/2 to mount a boxload of old Konica Hexanon lenses and surprisingly it works quite well. The adapter with the Hexanon 55mm and Konica macro adapter(extension tube) actually produces decent results. the Fotasy Konica/M adapter was $13 so I thought "why not". It fits quite well on both sides. Just wish the weather would cooperate.

And looking forward to seeing your photos!

Sounds like you have a lot to keep you busy.    Enjoy!

R2

Well I had some fun out in the garden last weekend with the Laowa and the M6ii. Had a couple of helpful visitors too.

These were shot at 1:2 (.5x), and then cropped some. F/11 @1/200 second, ISO 200 generally. The Nissin i40 provided some nicely diffused flash. I’m really loving this lens!

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Thanks for looking!

R2