Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
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Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Note: this test was likely poorly done due to the improper aperture setting on the lens. At 10x, it appears that the user is required to set it to 0.3 NA, and so on.
Please wait for a better test.
I have been given permission to do very brief translations of two articles.
Not done by a machine, ask me if clarity is required.
A tl;dr now: Yikes
Anyhow.
Specifications: Note: At 10x, the objective is not 0.5 NA. The relay lens likely shrinks it, acting like an aperture. Laowa calls it a tube lens, it is misleading and wrong. This lens is not an infinity system, those are likely field extenders which are similar to teleconverters.
Article 1: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=Mzg2Mz ... 12ee54a#rd
(Sorry about this ridiculously long URL, that is how Wechat articles are.)
If you want the beginning of the article translated, simply use Google. I will just summarise it here:
- Not an infinity system
- (The article is kind of not getting the point either, I can just slap a longer telan lens to give the same objective more magnification)
- Is the NA at 10x really 0.5? Nah.
- Tables, heading, left to right: Mag#, Brand, Model, NA, equiv. aperture, WD, mass (g), resolution, correction level (半復消=fl/semiapo), ref. price
Test settings:
- Sony a7m4
- Raynox DCR150 FL~208mm
- Olympus FL=180 and Mitutoyo FL=200, so apply 1.16x and 1.04x multiplier
- Shutter speed 1/125, automatic ISO to equalise the exposure
10x, centre:
Left to right top to bottom:
Laowa, Mitutoyo, Evident (Olympus) MPlanFl N 10x NA0.3, Nikon LU Plan Fluor NA 0.3
10x, 300% 10x, top right Centre-corner comparison
Laowa on top, Mitutoyo on bottom. Evident - Nikon Chromatic aberration
Laowa on left, Mitutoyo on right.
Top single frame (200%), bottom stacked (300%). Field flatness 20x
Left to right top to bottom:
Laowa, Mitutoyo, Evident (Olympus) MPlanFl N 20x NA0.45, Nikon LU Plan Fluor NA0.45
Centre 300% 300%, top right. Centre-corner comparison
Laowa Mitutoyo and Evident Nikon Chromatic aberration 20x
Single frame 200% on top and stacked 100% on bottom, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right. I will ignore 35x, no comparison is to be made. Similar case.
Author says 35x can be obtained by cropping since we are already working in the realm of "too many pixels" ie the camera's resolution is too high.
50x
Left to right: Laowa, Mitutoyo
both 200%, centre on top and top right on bottom. Centre-corner comparison
Laowa - Mitutoyo Chromatic aberration, 100%.
Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on Right Author's conclusion:
Laowa is cheaper, consistent, about aprochromatic, good working distance and distortion well controlled.
Laowa's resolution is worse.
Notes on Laowa with some of my (macro_cosmos) thoughts:
- Swapping magnification is laborious. You need to unmount camera and relay lens, and unmount objective lens from relay lens. Then, unmount the 350 yuan ($50 USD) collar. After swapping, you need to reverse all of this, including mounting the optional collar. Also, this needs to be unmounted from the rail. You can see how it is simply a pain in the a$$ ($$ for the collar)
- Those relay lenses have vastly different lengths, you need to adjust the rail for this (not parfocal, whyyyyy???)
- Long, heavy
The author shows that the lens has mechanical vignetting on full frame, you are joking right? Final note. Lovely box, must be extras right?
No, the box is included with the purchase.
The lens collar, is not.
Go figure.
Real life examples.
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=Mzg2Mz ... 3fb87c1#rd
(Again, sorry about this long Wechat link, use Tor if you are worried about weird tracking.)
Papilio butterfly wing.
10x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
300% centre on top, 200% corners on bottom. 20x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
300% centre on top, 200% corners on bottom. 50x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
100% centre on top, 300% centre on bottom. Nikon PlanApo 20x NA0.75 with coverslip adhered.
(Wow...)
Cropped to match.
Laowa on left, Nikon on right
Bottom, Mitutoyo on left Nikon on right Laowa at 50x, versus Mitutoyo 20x and Mitutoyo 10x cropped to match.
20 on top 10 on bottom, Mitutoyo on right.
Please wait for a better test.
I have been given permission to do very brief translations of two articles.
Not done by a machine, ask me if clarity is required.
A tl;dr now: Yikes
Anyhow.
Specifications: Note: At 10x, the objective is not 0.5 NA. The relay lens likely shrinks it, acting like an aperture. Laowa calls it a tube lens, it is misleading and wrong. This lens is not an infinity system, those are likely field extenders which are similar to teleconverters.
Article 1: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=Mzg2Mz ... 12ee54a#rd
(Sorry about this ridiculously long URL, that is how Wechat articles are.)
If you want the beginning of the article translated, simply use Google. I will just summarise it here:
- Not an infinity system
- (The article is kind of not getting the point either, I can just slap a longer telan lens to give the same objective more magnification)
- Is the NA at 10x really 0.5? Nah.
- Tables, heading, left to right: Mag#, Brand, Model, NA, equiv. aperture, WD, mass (g), resolution, correction level (半復消=fl/semiapo), ref. price
Test settings:
- Sony a7m4
- Raynox DCR150 FL~208mm
- Olympus FL=180 and Mitutoyo FL=200, so apply 1.16x and 1.04x multiplier
- Shutter speed 1/125, automatic ISO to equalise the exposure
10x, centre:
Left to right top to bottom:
Laowa, Mitutoyo, Evident (Olympus) MPlanFl N 10x NA0.3, Nikon LU Plan Fluor NA 0.3
10x, 300% 10x, top right Centre-corner comparison
Laowa on top, Mitutoyo on bottom. Evident - Nikon Chromatic aberration
Laowa on left, Mitutoyo on right.
Top single frame (200%), bottom stacked (300%). Field flatness 20x
Left to right top to bottom:
Laowa, Mitutoyo, Evident (Olympus) MPlanFl N 20x NA0.45, Nikon LU Plan Fluor NA0.45
Centre 300% 300%, top right. Centre-corner comparison
Laowa Mitutoyo and Evident Nikon Chromatic aberration 20x
Single frame 200% on top and stacked 100% on bottom, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right. I will ignore 35x, no comparison is to be made. Similar case.
Author says 35x can be obtained by cropping since we are already working in the realm of "too many pixels" ie the camera's resolution is too high.
50x
Left to right: Laowa, Mitutoyo
both 200%, centre on top and top right on bottom. Centre-corner comparison
Laowa - Mitutoyo Chromatic aberration, 100%.
Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on Right Author's conclusion:
Laowa is cheaper, consistent, about aprochromatic, good working distance and distortion well controlled.
Laowa's resolution is worse.
Notes on Laowa with some of my (macro_cosmos) thoughts:
- Swapping magnification is laborious. You need to unmount camera and relay lens, and unmount objective lens from relay lens. Then, unmount the 350 yuan ($50 USD) collar. After swapping, you need to reverse all of this, including mounting the optional collar. Also, this needs to be unmounted from the rail. You can see how it is simply a pain in the a$$ ($$ for the collar)
- Those relay lenses have vastly different lengths, you need to adjust the rail for this (not parfocal, whyyyyy???)
- Long, heavy
The author shows that the lens has mechanical vignetting on full frame, you are joking right? Final note. Lovely box, must be extras right?
No, the box is included with the purchase.
The lens collar, is not.
Go figure.
Real life examples.
Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=Mzg2Mz ... 3fb87c1#rd
(Again, sorry about this long Wechat link, use Tor if you are worried about weird tracking.)
Papilio butterfly wing.
10x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
300% centre on top, 200% corners on bottom. 20x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
300% centre on top, 200% corners on bottom. 50x, Laowa on left and Mitutoyo on right.
100% centre on top, 300% centre on bottom. Nikon PlanApo 20x NA0.75 with coverslip adhered.
(Wow...)
Cropped to match.
Laowa on left, Nikon on right
Bottom, Mitutoyo on left Nikon on right Laowa at 50x, versus Mitutoyo 20x and Mitutoyo 10x cropped to match.
20 on top 10 on bottom, Mitutoyo on right.
Last edited by Macro_Cosmos on Sat Sep 09, 2023 9:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Hi,
Many thanks for that!
For me, as a resolution junkie, Mitutoyo is the better choice.
Best, ADi
Many thanks for that!
For me, as a resolution junkie, Mitutoyo is the better choice.
Best, ADi
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
You do not need to be a resolution junkie to conclude that as I think a $50 finite Nikon MPlan should be better.
(I am trying really hard to not show my disappointment.)
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
It is, technically speaking, something of a bummer.
Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Thanks for the test
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
According to a friend who got a pre-release copy, it seemed that the relay lenses did not automatically shrink the aperture but instead the user was required to set the aperture ring to match whatever relay was installed. He had the impression that failing to make that setting properly resulted in degraded image quality, presumably due to increased diffraction with NA too small and increased aberrations with NA too large.Macro_Cosmos wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 10:30 amI have been given permission to do very brief translations of two articles.
Not done by a machine, ask me if clarity is required.
...
Note: At 10x, the objective is not 0.5 NA. The relay lens likely shrinks it, acting like an aperture. Laowa calls it a tube lens, it is misleading and wrong. This lens is not an infinity system, those are likely field extenders which are similar to teleconverters.
I cannot tell from Google translations of article 1 whether the author understood this requirement and set the aperture correctly.
Is the original Chinese more clear about this point?
--Rik
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
He did not set the aperture at all, it was left at the maximum setting throughout.rjlittlefield wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 4:53 pmAccording to a friend who got a pre-release copy, it seemed that the relay lenses did not automatically shrink the aperture but instead the user was required to set the aperture ring to match whatever relay was installed. He had the impression that failing to make that setting properly resulted in degraded image quality, presumably due to increased diffraction with NA too small and increased aberrations with NA too large.
I cannot tell from Google translations of article 1 whether the author understood this requirement and set the aperture correctly.
Is the original Chinese more clear about this point?
--Rik
This means the test was probably poorly conducted, I will make a note.
Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Thanks for performing the test!
Likely Laowa will not be too happy with your results
Could you test the objective at its intended parfocal distance without the "tube lenses"?
I'm curious about its rear focal distance and "original" magnification alone, and of course about its IQ, image circle and possibilities of be paired with other optics (Just curiosity, I'm not planning to buy it)
Likely Laowa will not be too happy with your results
IMO the term "tube lens" originally refers to a lens placed inside the microscope tube, although now it usually refers to a converging lens focused to infinite used in conjunction with an infinite corrected objective (also called positive telan lens) it has been used for other kinds of lenses, for example the ones placed in the nosepiece of finite corrected microscopes for extending the physical tube length maintaining the optical TL.Macro_Cosmos wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 9:37 pmThe relay lens likely shrinks it, acting like an aperture. Laowa calls it a tube lens, it is misleading and wrong. This lens is not an infinity system, those are likely field extenders which are similar to teleconverters.
Could you test the objective at its intended parfocal distance without the "tube lenses"?
I'm curious about its rear focal distance and "original" magnification alone, and of course about its IQ, image circle and possibilities of be paired with other optics (Just curiosity, I'm not planning to buy it)
Pau
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Yes, he is not happy with the results (I was not the tester).Pau wrote: ↑Sun Sep 10, 2023 1:38 amThanks for performing the test!
Likely Laowa will not be too happy with your results
IMO the term "tube lens" originally refers to a lens placed inside the microscope tube, although now it usually refers to a converging lens focused to infinite used in conjunction with an infinite corrected objective (also called positive telan lens) it has been used for other kinds of lenses, for example the ones placed in the nosepiece of finite corrected microscopes for extending the physical tube length maintaining the optical TL.Macro_Cosmos wrote: ↑Sat Sep 09, 2023 9:37 pmThe relay lens likely shrinks it, acting like an aperture. Laowa calls it a tube lens, it is misleading and wrong. This lens is not an infinity system, those are likely field extenders which are similar to teleconverters.
Could you test the objective at its intended parfocal distance without the "tube lenses"?
I'm curious about its rear focal distance and "original" magnification alone, and of course about its IQ, image circle and possibilities of be paired with other optics (Just curiosity, I'm not planning to buy it)
These were presented and told a different story. The Laowa was clearly better.
Laowa on top, Olympus MPlanFl N 10x on bottom. Laowa on left. Centre Laowa / Evident
Corner Laowa / Evident Unless I have it in my hands, I am not sure who to trust.
Note: The objective is probably the MPlanFl N BD, with non-coaxial light, the contrast is ruined as we can see in this test. Not a very good one either.
Hopefully someone on the forum gets one soon.
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
The peacock feathers showed darkfield images too.
Not happy with either test, I will wait.
Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
I misunderstood your post!
Now, after a more careful reading it makes more sense
Pau
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
I guess the Apo stands for apology, the author issued one.
- Admits to lacking skill with the test
- Used a Keyence hemispherical illuminator
- That caused the fuzziness
- Said he accidentally slandered the product
- Fuzziness caused by inadequate lighting
This illustrates how hard testing these things are and how underappreciated many testers are. Please think about the process before making comments such as "you did not do this" and "you should have done that".
I will apologise for jumping the gun too, I should have waited and asked the author for his testing setup.
This was the illuminator.
Again, I will keep it brief.
- Admits to lacking skill with the test
- Used a Keyence hemispherical illuminator
- That caused the fuzziness
- Said he accidentally slandered the product
- Fuzziness caused by inadequate lighting
This illustrates how hard testing these things are and how underappreciated many testers are. Please think about the process before making comments such as "you did not do this" and "you should have done that".
I will apologise for jumping the gun too, I should have waited and asked the author for his testing setup.
This was the illuminator.
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
It made the laowa fuzzy but not the comparison lenses?
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
Yep.
The working distance or a combination of many factors.
I used to use a sanded bowl when I did photomacrography, it worked well for Mitutoyo but did not really work for the 2.5-5x Laowa. I had to make a smaller one for that.
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Re: Laowa Aurogon Super-Micro lens test and comparison (versus Mitutoyo etc.)
I guess that's what happens when they don't send them out to someone like you or Robert for review. Testing can be fairly challenging. I'm really curious if he'll have updated results with better lighting.
I'll admit I got worried when he didn't know to block the darkfield light path on the olympus...
I'll admit I got worried when he didn't know to block the darkfield light path on the olympus...