I have been shooting with the Light Lens Lab 35mm f2 for about 6 months now. I use it for black and white portraits on a M10M and it is just amazing in terms of character and glow. It does vignette in a super pronounced way, and I tend to up my contrast as well, but I love the resultant look from it. I have never used the original Leica 8 element, so your comparison was helpful, but I do own 5 other 35mm lenses, including the current Leica Summilux f1.4 - there is no right or wrong, but I do find myself reaching for the Light Lens Lab most of the time. I find it brings me the most joy on any given day.
Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and thank you for watching. Light Lens Lab 35 mm is very interesting in deed, so I bought another two limited titanium edition examples. Current 35 1.4 asph has very strong digital feeling, I know it can never go wrong, but only use it a couple times a year. As 35 mm is my favorite focal lens, so I have tried a lot of different Leica examples. For now, I really enjoy using 35 Summicron V4. But haven’t tried steel rim and 35mm AA yet
@@alanduan6270 another 35mm which I own is the Zeiss C Biogon 2.8 - It's got great warmth and splendid contrast. I am not such a fan of the ergonomics - I think this is Zeiss' fatal flaw, but all of their lenses are just excellent. BTW, if you want to see examples of my Light Lens Lab work, I am @visualwhiplash on IG. I have been shooting a number of portraits in the Salton Sea, using this lens.
Thanks for asking. I own two, the Leica 50mm APO Summicron 2.0, and a Gen 4 summicron. I prefer the APO, and have been using it to do nature photography of succulents. I would like to shoot with it to do more of my documentary style work, but due to the pandemic, I have not had the opportunity to really see it in action. It's been great for the succulents. I did experiment with a Zeiss C-Sonar 1.5 and find the lens pleasing but it did have focus shift and I just didn't want to deal with that. I am thinking about getting their 50mm f2.0 though. In all honesty, before I moved to Leica, which was about a year ago, I shot Nikon, mainly 20-35mm and 50mm was never an intuitive lens for me, as I like the narrative way I use a wide angle to compose a shot. But because of the min focus distance on range finders being so different, I have gradually started using the 50mm more and more and find I like it under the right conditions. More to come on 50mm.
@@robertstacy8438 haha any zeiss biogon structure, must be good. Especially the tiny 35 2.8, a really nice example in deed. Other than Leica Summicron v1 and V4, I also find Leica 35 mm 2.8 summaron to be very interesting. I will check out your ig for sure, would be interesting to see Chinacron’s performance on M10M
Just received my version 6 of this wonderful LLL chrome lens, I feel pretty smug because this lens is rarer than the real Leica lens, the vignette doesn't seem as bad as your copy here and sharpness has improved from all the reviews and against my Zeiss 35mm f2. The truth is this lens probably perform better than a 'bad copy' of the original as I have a friend buy and sell a few until he settle with a good copy.
Alan - I am enjoying your videos. Do you still plan to do a comparison of your two 50mm Summilux lenses? I just purchased a pre-asph v3 and I would be interested in your thoughts. Regards.
Interesting but it is my opinion that only Leica should be producing this lens, potentially as a re-issue. Since they already produced the noctilux asph 1.2 its not out of the question. I don't think company's should outright be stealing optical designs and disregarding patents that date back to the 50's. Leica must not be too pleased about this. The LHSa does have an article on the chinacron so maybe the tune of Leica enthusiasts has shifted. I just don't know how I feel about copys..
Hi there, thanks a lot for watching.😋 It would be very interesting if Leica could reissue this optical design instead of only the barrel design which they did in the early 2000’s. LHSA has been interested into this copy and has been testing the lens many times, also there are a lot of posts about it on rangefinder forum. Since this copy lens used the glasses contain lead, which were only allowed to be produced in the old days, I believe Leica will not be allowed to produce these glasses in Europe. So this lens’s optical performance is getting as much close as possible to the original 50s-60s glasses. Technically, any patent over 30 years, has becoming an open patent. Thats why voigtlander can introduce Leica M mount lenses , for example VM 35 1.4 with Leica steelrim Summilux barrel design. For me, as a shooter and a user, I am more interested into the fun part of the lenses. As long as the lenses are joyful to use, and with beautiful optical and barrel designs. Thank you again for your time
Who cares what Leica thinks they sell $9000 35mm lenses. All I want out of Leica is the small form factor. I’ll get glass elsewhere. Stop gatekeeping lenses
@@diegoalvarado1771 Leica isn't the only company on the planet to produce a double-Gauss design. Zeiss, I believe, introduced the double-Gauss design back in 1895 or thereabouts, and currently uses it in its Planar lenses, which are known for their look as a result of the double-Gauss design. Leica didn't introduce the 8-element until around 1958 and produced it until around 1969. Light Lens Lab has clearly differentiated their lens from the 'original' Leica 35mm f/2 8-Element with branding (i.e., they didn't make a forged copy, but a likeness of it, and are not pretending it's an actual Leica lens), and they even went as far as to change the dimensions of their leaded glass elements enough that they couldn't be used in place of the original leaded glass elements in repairs of the Leica 35/2. Nothing is new. Leica borrowed the lens design from Zeiss damn-near 70 years after it was originally introduced. And any patent is long-expired. Further, Leica won't reintroduce it because they can't legally create that glass in Europe since the entirety of Europe is a nanny state so Light Lens Lab is giving folks an affordable, classically-designed optic that performs the way a Double-Gauss optic should. Get off your high horse.
@@MatthewMorse how callous of you, Matthew Morse. I am the original patent holder, Frank Leica, and you oughta be ashamed of yourself. Keep your hands off MY lenses. - FL
I have been shooting with the Light Lens Lab 35mm f2 for about 6 months now. I use it for black and white portraits on a M10M and it is just amazing in terms of character and glow. It does vignette in a super pronounced way, and I tend to up my contrast as well, but I love the resultant look from it. I have never used the original Leica 8 element, so your comparison was helpful, but I do own 5 other 35mm lenses, including the current Leica Summilux f1.4 - there is no right or wrong, but I do find myself reaching for the Light Lens Lab most of the time. I find it brings me the most joy on any given day.
Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and thank you for watching. Light Lens Lab 35 mm is very interesting in deed, so I bought another two limited titanium edition examples. Current 35 1.4 asph has very strong digital feeling, I know it can never go wrong, but only use it a couple times a year. As 35 mm is my favorite focal lens, so I have tried a lot of different Leica examples. For now, I really enjoy using 35 Summicron V4. But haven’t tried steel rim and 35mm AA yet
Hi Robert, what is your favorite 50mm lens? Thanks
@@alanduan6270 another 35mm which I own is the Zeiss C Biogon 2.8 - It's got great warmth and splendid contrast. I am not such a fan of the ergonomics - I think this is Zeiss' fatal flaw, but all of their lenses are just excellent. BTW, if you want to see examples of my Light Lens Lab work, I am @visualwhiplash on IG. I have been shooting a number of portraits in the Salton Sea, using this lens.
Thanks for asking. I own two, the Leica 50mm APO Summicron 2.0, and a Gen 4 summicron. I prefer the APO, and have been using it to do nature photography of succulents. I would like to shoot with it to do more of my documentary style work, but due to the pandemic, I have not had the opportunity to really see it in action. It's been great for the succulents. I did experiment with a Zeiss C-Sonar 1.5 and find the lens pleasing but it did have focus shift and I just didn't want to deal with that. I am thinking about getting their 50mm f2.0 though. In all honesty, before I moved to Leica, which was about a year ago, I shot Nikon, mainly 20-35mm and 50mm was never an intuitive lens for me, as I like the narrative way I use a wide angle to compose a shot. But because of the min focus distance on range finders being so different, I have gradually started using the 50mm more and more and find I like it under the right conditions. More to come on 50mm.
@@robertstacy8438 haha any zeiss biogon structure, must be good. Especially the tiny 35 2.8, a really nice example in deed. Other than Leica Summicron v1 and V4, I also find Leica 35 mm 2.8 summaron to be very interesting. I will check out your ig for sure, would be interesting to see Chinacron’s performance on M10M
Just received my version 6 of this wonderful LLL chrome lens, I feel pretty smug because this lens is rarer than the real Leica lens, the vignette doesn't seem as bad as your copy here and sharpness has improved from all the reviews and against my Zeiss 35mm f2. The truth is this lens probably perform better than a 'bad copy' of the original as I have a friend buy and sell a few until he settle with a good copy.
Alan - I am enjoying your videos. Do you still plan to do a comparison of your two 50mm Summilux lenses? I just purchased a pre-asph v3 and I would be interested in your thoughts. Regards.
If it is not a problem for you
Could you please write the exact model of this lens?
Thanks 🙏
Would you teach to me how can buy the light lap 35mm 🙏
I just ordered myself the LLL 35mm F2 in black paint. It just looks so sweet in black paint and doesn't break the wallet 😂
Haha it’s just same price of having a paint job done, lens itself is free😋
What is the minimal focus distance?
Interesting but it is my opinion that only Leica should be producing this lens, potentially as a re-issue. Since they already produced the noctilux asph 1.2 its not out of the question. I don't think company's should outright be stealing optical designs and disregarding patents that date back to the 50's. Leica must not be too pleased about this. The LHSa does have an article on the chinacron so maybe the tune of Leica enthusiasts has shifted. I just don't know how I feel about copys..
Hi there, thanks a lot for watching.😋
It would be very interesting if Leica could reissue this optical design instead of only the barrel design which they did in the early 2000’s. LHSA has been interested into this copy and has been testing the lens many times, also there are a lot of posts about it on rangefinder forum. Since this copy lens used the glasses contain lead, which were only allowed to be produced in the old days, I believe Leica will not be allowed to produce these glasses in Europe.
So this lens’s optical performance is getting as much close as possible to the original 50s-60s glasses.
Technically, any patent over 30 years, has becoming an open patent. Thats why voigtlander can introduce Leica M mount lenses , for example VM 35 1.4 with Leica steelrim Summilux barrel design.
For me, as a shooter and a user, I am more interested into the fun part of the lenses. As long as the lenses are joyful to use, and with beautiful optical and barrel designs.
Thank you again for your time
Who cares what Leica thinks they sell $9000 35mm lenses. All I want out of Leica is the small form factor. I’ll get glass elsewhere. Stop gatekeeping lenses
@@DuckinGolf I mean I don’t think it’s ethical to steal designs. I personally would never buy a copy
@@diegoalvarado1771 Leica isn't the only company on the planet to produce a double-Gauss design. Zeiss, I believe, introduced the double-Gauss design back in 1895 or thereabouts, and currently uses it in its Planar lenses, which are known for their look as a result of the double-Gauss design. Leica didn't introduce the 8-element until around 1958 and produced it until around 1969.
Light Lens Lab has clearly differentiated their lens from the 'original' Leica 35mm f/2 8-Element with branding (i.e., they didn't make a forged copy, but a likeness of it, and are not pretending it's an actual Leica lens), and they even went as far as to change the dimensions of their leaded glass elements enough that they couldn't be used in place of the original leaded glass elements in repairs of the Leica 35/2.
Nothing is new. Leica borrowed the lens design from Zeiss damn-near 70 years after it was originally introduced. And any patent is long-expired. Further, Leica won't reintroduce it because they can't legally create that glass in Europe since the entirety of Europe is a nanny state so Light Lens Lab is giving folks an affordable, classically-designed optic that performs the way a Double-Gauss optic should. Get off your high horse.
@@MatthewMorse how callous of you, Matthew Morse. I am the original patent holder, Frank Leica, and you oughta be ashamed of yourself. Keep your hands off MY lenses.
- FL