The Laowa 24mm f/14 2x Macro Lens is Super Weird… Also Awesome

Venus Optics are quickly becoming a leader in extreme lens design, but even by their standard, they’ve seriously outdone themselves with the Laowa 24mm f/14 Replay 2x Macro lens.

This weird lens, spotted at Photokina by our friends at ePHOTOzine, is designed specifically for photographing “shy” subjects. The extra long barrel allows you to keep your distance, while the optics offer a 2:1 max reproduction ratio.

The two ends of the lens could NOT look any different from one another. On one end you have the mount, which will be compatible with full-frame Nikon and Canon cameras; on the other, you’ve got the tapered end of the lens barrel, which is only a little bit thicker than a typical bubble tea straw.

Check it out in these photos, courtesy of ePHOTOzine:

Venus Optics hasn’t released any pricing or availability info just yet, but it’s scheduled to arrive sometime in 2017. To see a couple more photos of the lens, and a sample photo on the back of a 5D Mark III, head over to ePHOTOzine.

Image credits: Photos by ePHOTOzine and used with permission.