Venus Optics, under its Laowa brand, has officially unveiled what it claims to be the world’s widest and most versatile probe zoom lens series for full-frame cameras: initially teased in early 2025, the lenses will make their public debut at the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

The new Probe Zoom Macro are the latest evolution of the company’s iconic probe lens lineup, now enhanced with a 2.3x zoom range, a wider angle of view, and modular flexibility “never before seen” in this category.

The lenses come in two focal range options: a 15-24mm T8 version with a faster aperture and a 15-35mm T12 version with extended zoom reach. Each lens boasts an ultra-wide 110.5° angle of view and up to 2.3x zoom magnification, allowing for dramatic shifts in framing and perspective without changing the shooting position. These lenses are parfocal, maintaining focus while zooming, and support macro filming down to just 5mm from the subject, making them ideal for extreme close-ups in tight, hard-to-reach spaces.

One of the most distinctive features is the 40cm waterproof tubular barrel, which allows filmmakers to immerse the lens or capture content in environments that would otherwise be inaccessible. The barrel can also be rotated independently from the zoom and focus rings, thanks to a unique, patent-pending 360° rotation mechanism built into the interchangeable front modules. This design allows for smooth, sweeping movements while maintaining full control over focus and zoom.

The lens system is modular, offering two rear tubes and four interchangeable front modules: Direct View, Periscope, 35° View, and the newly added 90° View. Each module can be rotated 360°, giving users eight different lens configurations in total.