Venus 15mm 1:1 wide angle macro lens

[orionmystery]

I received this lens from Venus/Laowa earlier this week and managed to test it out in the field a couple of times. A steep learning curve for me as wide angle macro is something completely new to me. I have seen many wide angle macro shots that I like though but getting the kind of shots I like is a different story altogether. Tough but fun to use and to see bugs in totally different perspective. Liking this lens so far.

Just like the Venus 60mm, this Venus 15mm has no auto-aperture and is fully manual - manual focus, manual stop-down to the aperture setting you want by adjusting the smooth, stepless aperture to the value you want. The viewfinder will be slightly dark, but not as dark as in the case of Venus 60mm from what I remember.

All shots taken with a 70D with fill flash from a diffused Canon 270EX/Nissin i40 on hot shoe. Mostly handheld, but sometimes, on tripod.

Venus 60 2:1 macro lens and Venus 15mm F4 1:1 wide angle macro lens. There is a SHIFT function for the 15mm but that's more for landscape/architecture.
2015-06-29 13.35.45 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

Taken at F11 I think. I think I'll repeat this with smaller aperture, first thing in the morning when the light is good.
Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1560 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr


Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1508 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1509 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1272 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1255 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

Venus 15mm sample shot_MG_1159 copy by Kurt (Orionmystery) G, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Very cool; looks like a fun toy to play with!

 

[ruifo]

Very nice images. Looks like interesting lenses.

 

[crimbfighter]

Very cool! I like the effect of the wide angle. It really seems to add environmental context to the image.

With the wide angle, are you still able to employ your full flash technique or are you limited to fill flash? Or was it intentional to balance these images with the background?

 

[jimmerjamma]

cool shots! It makes me want to do more macro

In the last photo, what is that thing? I've never seen anything like it before. Very interesting creature

 

[orionmystery]

Thanks for looking and commenting, tirediron, ruifo, crimbfighter, jimmerjamma.

Very cool; looks like a fun toy to play with!

It is FUN to play with. Not easy, but that's part of the fun too!

Very nice images. Looks like interesting lenses.

Yes!

Very cool! I like the effect of the wide angle. It really seems to add environmental context to the image.

With the wide angle, are you still able to employ your full flash technique or are you limited to fill flash? Or was it intentional to balance these images with the background?

I don't shoot full flash with this lens as I want to background/environment to be seen as well! It's not easy to light up such a big scene properly. Best to expose for the background and expose the subject with fill flash.

cool shots! It makes me want to do more macro

In the last photo, what is that thing? I've never seen anything like it before. Very interesting creature

You go!

That's a Zanna terminalis nymph (Fulgoridae).

 

[BananaRepublic]

There is something odd about that beetle. Is it alive?

 

[Raj_55555]

I'm pretty sure you can take great macros with just about any lens, love #3 and that last alien species you went to Mars to photograph, it surely can't be from this planet!

 

[orionmystery]

I'm pretty sure you can take great macros with just about any lens, love #3 and that last alien species you went to Mars to photograph, it surely can't be from this planet!

Thank you, Raj. Much appreciated.