I’ve been a fan of Lawoa probe lenses since they released their first 24mm T14 version about 6 years ago. They’re easy to use and make getting unique shots way more accessible—all without being crazy expensive like other cinema lenses. I recently filmed a TV commercial for Dulux, a major paint brand, where the creative approach required 50% of the shots to be done on some type of probe lens. I chose the new Lawoa Pro2be 3 lens kit because of the multitude of lens angles it offered. The new T8 versions meant I could use less light and get more background blur at the same time.
We filmed in some pretty cramped spaces, and that’s where the Pro2be lenses really came through. Their compact size and flexibility meant we could get into those tight spots with ease, capturing angles that would’ve been tough with any other lenses. It’s a huge plus when trying to fit between paint cans or go inside a paint roller. The Pro2be’s matched the look of my other “normal” 25mm cine lens, seamlessly cutting together in post.
My favourite lens has been the “periscope view.” It gets shots that would be hard or even impossible to achieve with a regular lens. It’s a great tool for adding dramatic flair to your footage. Here’s a hot tip I picked up: rotating the periscope lens 90 degrees can really open up your creative shot options. Combine a dolly back with a pan to move the image on 2 different axes in a single action. For this commercial, we started with a close-up of a phone and dollied out to a medium. With a simple pan at the same time, I was able to make the camera appear to do a 180 dolly to reveal our talent sitting on the couch.
The Lawoa Pro2be lenses delivered big time. They made it easy to handle tight spots and get creative shots that made the commercial really pop. The new T8 was much welcomed and saved me (and the production’s budget) from having to use a crazy amount of light. If you would like to see the final spot it can be found on my website at www.tonyedgar.com/#/dulux
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Edgar is an award winning cinematographer based in Toronto, Canada.
His work has taken him across the globe, filming in some of the most remote locations with diverse crews both big and small.
Tony’s focus is in the commercial space having worked with many prominent brands, BMW, Lexus, Genesis, United Arab Emirates, Cirque du Soleil, Destination Canada, MasterCard and TD Bank to name a few.
