The Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 "Nine Element" is a M-mount lens for Leica rangefinder cameras. As of July 2026, it sells from €879 used across 1 listing, with a 30-day median of €879. Leica price index ↗
Reference maintained by Thomas Boots· prices updated July 2026
Light Lens Lab built this 28mm around a deliberate act of homage: it recreates the optical layout of Leica's first 28mm Elmarit, the lens collectors know as the "Nine Element," which was introduced in 1965 and survives only in small numbers [1][2]. The original was prized as a character lens but is difficult and expensive to find, with clean examples commanding very high prices on the used market, so Light Lens Lab's stated aim was to give photographers that classic rendering in a new, reliable body rather than gamble on a sixty-year-old optic with possible haze, fungus, or coating wear [2]. The lens keeps the nine-element, six-group symmetrical arrangement of the Leica design while reworking the glass for modern use [1][2].
The lens is built in M mount, is rangefinder coupled, focuses to 0.7 m, and accepts 49 mm filters [3]. Light Lens Lab departed from the original aluminium barrel and uses brass construction, which adds a little weight, and the aperture runs in even half stops from f/2.8 to f/22 [2][3]. Handling references the vintage original closely, with a curved focus tab, an infinity lock released by pressing the tab, and a dedicated clip-on hood in the style of Leica's 12501, aligned by a pin on the barrel [2][3]. Reviewers describe the build as excellent, with smooth focusing and a well-judged aperture ring, though at least one noted slight torsional play in the hood mount [2]. Because the rear group of the original protruded far enough to interfere with the meter arms of some film bodies, the modern version was reworked so that digital M camera metering functions normally [2].
The optical changes are the main point of difference from the lens it imitates. Light Lens Lab developed proprietary fluorite-type elements and added an extra-low dispersion glass element to cut chromatic aberration and improve edge rendering, and it states the design was optimized for digital sensors to remove the red fringing seen on the original [1][2]. The company originally announced a 28mm f/2 ASPH project but changed course to the f/2.8 because the faster design proved impractically large, carrying several aspects of the earlier work into the released lens [4]. The lens is offered in black paint and chrome finishes and is produced by hand in limited, numbered batches; review units have appeared marked as part of a run of 998 [2][4]. It launched at introductory prices of about 799 USD for chrome and 849 USD for black paint, with shipping beginning in late September 2024 [4].
Rendering The lens is built to deliver the older spherical "Nine Element" look while behaving better than the 1965 original. Reviewers report a character that differs from modern aspherical 28mm designs, with a gentle transition from sharp central detail into the periphery wide open and a more corrected, contemporary look as it is stopped down [1][2]. Where the original produced triangular out-of-focus highlights, the redesigned lens renders rounder bokeh [2].
Sharpness Testers found it sharp in the centre at f/2.8 with the periphery improving on stopping down, and one review judged it usable corner to corner for landscapes by around f/4 [2].
Distortion and vignetting Distortion is reported as low, notably lower than some later retrofocus 28mm designs it was compared against, while wide-open vignetting was estimated at roughly two stops at f/2.8 [2].
Flare resistance Flare control is regarded as a relative weak point; the dedicated hood meaningfully reduces flare and veiling glare, and sunstars can be produced deliberately [2].
Development and Launch Light Lens Lab follows a model of studying older and rarer Leica optics and reproducing them with modern materials and manufacturing, and the 28mm "Nine Element" was the company's first 28mm lens [2]. It references Leica's first-generation 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit of 1965, a fast wide angle for its day whose symmetrical design and short back focus made it physically large and, in some cases, incompatible with the meters of certain film bodies [1][2]. The original is scarce, with figures cited around 3,200 units, which underpins both its collector status and the rationale for a recreation [2]. The modern lens completed prototyping and reached the market in 2024, with prototypes loaned to reviewers, including testing associated with Leica Society International, ahead of release [4].
Production Evolution The released f/2.8 design grew out of an earlier, abandoned 28mm f/2 ASPH plan that proved too large in testing, with elements of that work folded into the final lens [4]. Compared with the vintage Leica it imitates, the principal changes are the switch to a brass barrel, the use of in-house fluorite-type and ED glass elements, optimization for digital sensors, and a rear configuration that no longer obstructs camera metering [2][4].
Collector Notes The lens is sold in numbered limited batches in black paint and chrome, and the chrome and black versions carry different prices [2][4]. It ships with a dedicated 12501-style aluminium clip-on hood, matching front and a deeper-than-standard rear cap to clear the optics, a leather pouch, and packaging, so buyers of used examples should verify that the hood and caps are present and correct [2][3]. Because the name "Nine Element" is shared with the rare and far more valuable original Leica Elmarit, listings should be read carefully to distinguish the Light Lens Lab recreation from the vintage lens [1][2].
As of July 2026, the Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 "Nine Element" sells from €879 used, with a 30-day median of €879, across 1 active listing.
As of July 2026, the Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 "Nine Element" is sold by 1 source (1 listing), from €879 used — all compared cheapest-first on this page.
About the usual price. The lowest listing is around the 30-day average.
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Over the last 3 weeks the median price for the Light Lens Lab 28mm f/2.8 "Nine Element" has held steady, ranging from €879 to €879 (now €879).
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