Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 - You’ll LOVE This Lens If You Know This
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- #lightlenslab #leica #28mm #streetphotography
The Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 “9 Element” is a beautifully crafted lens with stunning image quality and an incredible vintage design. But there’s a catch-its limited camera compatibility might be a dealbreaker for some.
In this review, I dive into the build quality, image performance, and the cameras this lens actually works with, so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
What do you think? Would you buy this lens? Let’s discuss in the comments.
My Gear:
Camera: Nikon Z8 bhpho.to/4b3WNYj
Nikkor S 105 f2.8 Micro bhpho.to/3UnmD3I
Sennheiser AVX bhpho.to/4aFR0Z4
Zoom F6 bhpho.to/4aY29nK
Mac Studio M2 MAX bhpho.to/3xFXk4a
Apple Studio Display bhpho.to/3W0g60h
Lights:
Aputure 300X bhpho.to/4cXwXqJ
Amaran T2c bhpho.to/3W4oGei
Amaran F21c bhpho.to/3TZqXoy
Amaran COB 60X bhpho.to/4d4UYff
Amaran P60c bhpho.to/3Q8KIJi
Bag: 10% off Oberwerth Bags, Straps and Accessories:
shorturl.at/avxX2
Display Cabinet: Terravault
Chair and Desk: SecretLab
This 28mm has been fixed on my M11-D ever since the purchase, it's everything you said, the 3D pop, the film-like sharpness and rendering which makes it one of the best lens for digital sensors. Another honest review Bobby, nice one.
Thanks!! Appreciate the support.
I had the 50mm cooke speed panchro lens for awhile but felt the build quality not what I wanted, kinda swore off these Chinese lenses for awhile until I researched deeply into the 1966 noctilucent… bought it in December and he’ll.. that is my favourite lens amongst all right now. It’s crazy unique and brings a totally new (vintage) look. This 28mm looks just as well crafted as well and your photos look beautiful! ❤
Understand on the Panchro. The 1966 is absolutely stunning! Yes this 28 is really nice, I’m just not a big 28mm shooter personally but can appreciate it
DUDE!!!! The photos turned out amazing!!!! Let's go shoot when I'm in Singapore next? Instead of me going to sg and having indo branded coffee? 😁 That sony and LLL combo is still blasphemous though..
@@robbiesumantri hahaha thanks! I know but what to do! It would have looked amazing on an SL body.
This YT channel is headed to a million subscribers at some point. You have impeccable taste.
@@Abc1987 thank you. I hope so one day
I wish they would make lens this beautiful for Fujifilm. Leica gets such gorgeous 3rd party lens.
@DJJS7 you can adapt it
I have it and love it, really. The only thing missing is a plastic cap for the lenshood. Also, there is a bit more play in the lens than in other lenses from LLL. Nevertheless, this lens is pure magic, especially in black brass
Yes a front cap would be good. I don’t have any play in the copy I have
This is one beautiful lens and as always your video is sublime. Thanks for the excellent review
@@caffeinatedcameras thanks! Loving your work as well!
Very nice video, and thank you for the compatibility insights.
@@crispin8888 thanks for watching it. Yes I feel they need to be more clear on compatibility
Will it adapt to Nikon Z given the Nikon’s very short flange distance to the sensor?
@@tonyhayes9827 yes no issues
Yup, I had to return mine because it wouldn't mount on the SL2-S. It looks like the black shroud around the rear element could be ground down shorter to allow it to fit. It's tempting to tape up the rear element and file it down!
@settingofthesuns yeah it’s unfortunate. You could probably try and file down the rear tube and see if that works. It might :)
@@btonelli Oh, is it a plastic tube around the rear element? I'd have thought it would be brass! That would be even easier.
@@settingofthesuns my bad I just checked it. I don’t think it’s brass but either a hard plastic or some sort of alloy. Either way looks like there is a bit of room to file down which may help.
Excellent video, this lens has quite nice character. And thanks for the heads up regarding non-compatible bodies. I would have to use it on a Nikon body (Z7II). Overall, a sweet lens!!
Thanks! Yes pairs well with Nikon
I agree with you that L-mount cameras are a big miss. I use M lenses on SL2, S1R, and S5 II with the TT artisan adapter, which allows for closer focus. Many Leica users have a Digital M and complementary L-mount camera. It's a beautiful lens, but I can't consider it without the ability to adapt to L-mount cameras.
Understand.
This is a nonsense argument, because when you buy a homage of a lens, then the lens as it is, with this rear element. If anyone is faulty, it's the camera, not the lens
@@webersteve1547actually they shortened the back of the lens to fit more Leica M cameras so it’s not exact already. So why not adjust it a bit more to fit L Mount cameras?
@@btonelli because you need the length to "bend the rays" sufficiently. This is the reason why modern lenses are so big and long. And why wide angle lenses are even longer. For me this is ok, I either go vintage with M bodies or just all L mount
@@webersteve1547 if you see the construction they could actually cut or grind own the metal tube slightly more and not affect the glass of the rear element.
Hi @btonelli
This is an amazing coverage of the 28mm LLL! I just wanted to mention that while the build quality is impressive, mine arrived broken. After playing around with it a bit more, I got the feeling that the front barrel might be held together by glue. I checked some forums and found another person reporting the same issue.
In my case, the front barrel, along with the aperture ring, would spin when I tried to change the aperture. I had mine replaced right away, but I wanted to bring this up since build quality is more than just metal and glass-it’s also about how everything is assembled. Additionally, both lenses I received have mild oil leakage, which requires constant cleaning.
Apologies for bringing this up in your channel, but I reached out to other reviewers who covered this lens and didn’t receive any responses. If LLL can address this (which I hope you can help them clarify) it would greatly boost their sales as this is their biggest concern around enthusiasts who care about such quality. I love this lens and I hope we see LLL improve more in the future.
@@DeatHbladeZ604 hi! No need to apologize for bringing this up and it’s good to know. I haven’t experienced this with LLL so it’s good to know. Glad they replaced it though which is important.
Kudos on the callout on the fit to L mount. It’s a detail some reviewers would have omitted.
Thanks for watching, I want to be as thorough as possible
Nice mix of vintage rendering and more contemporary sharpness (where it matters). Good buy at $800 USD. And looks dead sexy on the M3!
@@RobertFalconer1967 yes it has a nice mix to it for the image quality. It’s a stunning lens to hold and use
Hello from Tokyo. After this review I'll place an order tomorrow. I am looking forward to your view on the new "Rigid" 50mm. Mine is a marvel for the few days I have been able to use it since shipment. Thanks for the effort.
Hi! Glad my video helped out. Hopefully I can try the 50 Rigid. I have a Leica Rigid so good for comparison.
I was disappointed when I tried to use the lens on my SL and SL2 bodies, and no, I didn’t see it reported anywhere, until I mentioned on a couple sites. Love the look when I can use it, but likely going to sell because of the fit issue. Fourth LLL and first bad experience.
It’s unfortunate about the limited compatibility
Nice photos! And thanks for bringing this to our attention 👍🏼✨
I want to be able to use all my m-lenses on my SL system as well 📸
@@mauricerijnders3507 thank you and yes I want to as well. I’m okay for it not working on the M5 but the SL system or L Mount is a missed opportunity
Thanks.....wonderfull images! How does it compare to the Thypoch 28mm 1.4 ?
Different lenses. The 28 from Thypoch is meant to compete with the Voigtlander 28mm and the Leica. More modern rendering etc. this Light Lens Lab lens is designed to pay homage to the 1965 elmarit but slightly better in terms of sharpness and correction
Great to hear and see pictures taken on a Sony body. I can't see any issues with those pictures as they say sometimes with wide angle M mount lenses. This is going to be great on a silver A7Cii
Yes will be a nice companion for the A7CII
Thanks for telling us the problem with the adaptation. I would have hated it if that lens scratched my sl haha
Glad to help. I hope they put this info out as many like to adapt lenses to their SL system
Just be clear, it DOES work on Leica digital bodies including the M11 variants?
Yes it does.
@@btonelli Thanks. Good I'm into quirky lenses these days. Less clinical and with all kinds of character, some of which is challenging to use.
@ nice. This will be a fun lens to use
Bobby great photos. First video of February
Thanks! Yes more to come
Possible to order Light lens Lab via their website?
@@Photojouralist123 yes shouldn’t be an issue
Thanks 🙏 the images so beautiful
Thank you 🙏
Wish LLL had an "LTM" version. Thanks
@@stuartflipflops understand. Maybe one day
So, won’t work on the CL either?
@@korling99 not the film CL and probably not the digital one either
I love this lens a lot but quality is lower than another 2.8😅
@@pirapatjirakarnsiri9761 different era. This is replicating the 1960s Leica so it will be slightly different :)
Nikon zf.
Good camera