Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 Collapsible Eight Element

Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 Collapsible Eight Element

This lens is unusual for taking the optical recipe of the first 35mm Summicron, the early eight-element design, and rehousing it in a collapsing barrel, something the original was never offered in. Light Lens Lab, a Chinese maker known for faithful reproductions of classic rangefinder optics, built it around the same eight-element formula used in its rigid 35mm f/2 Eight Element, then reworked the mechanics so the front group retracts into the body when not in use [1][2]. Collectors took notice both because of that collapsible mechanism and because it lets a fast f/2 wide angle pair neatly with vintage screw-mount Leicas as well as modern digital M bodies [2].

The optical layout is a double-Gauss arrangement of eight elements in six groups, with the glass made in-house and described by the maker as lanthanide and lead infused, echoing the high-index glasses of the period being copied [1]. The barrel is full brass, which gives the compact lens a notable heft for its size, and reviewers single out the build as among the better examples of third-party M-mount construction [1][2]. Aperture runs from f/2 to f/16 with even half-stop clicks, and a ten-blade diaphragm is fitted [2]. Rather than a conventional filter thread, a removable UV filter is built directly over the exposed front element, in part to protect it [1][2]. The lens ships in Leica Thread Mount with an LTM-to-M adapter included, so it couples to the rangefinder and works across LTM and M cameras, including the M5 and CL and digital M bodies [1]. Rangefinder coupling extends to 0.7 m, while the focusing helicoid continues to a closer 0.5 m that is best used with live view since it falls outside the coupled range [1][2].

Light Lens Lab offered the collapsible version in finishes including chrome, black paint and nickel chrome, with the latter two carrying higher prices, and the lens carries an "8E" marking on the barrel that denotes its eight-element heritage [1][2]. Because it has no filter thread, a clip-on A42 hood of the IROOA pattern is supplied for shade and front protection [1]. By collector accounts the collapsible run was small, on the order of a thousand units, in contrast to the rigid Eight Element that was produced in repeated batches, which makes the collapsible noticeably scarcer on the used market [2].

Optical qualities

Rendering The lens is a near one-to-one optical copy of an early-1960s design and renders accordingly, favoring a vintage signature over clinical correction. Reviewers describe it as a lens that leaves a character on the image rather than delivering modern sharpness and microcontrast, and recommend it to photographers who specifically want that classic look [3].

Sharpness The center is usable wide open, but the design shows focus shift: stopping down from f/2.8 to f/4.0 moves focus noticeably rearward, visible both close up and at infinity, so care is advised when relying on the rangefinder around f/4 and f/5.6 [3]. The corners require stopping down to roughly f/8 to clean up [3].

Distortion and vignetting Distortion is very well controlled, as it had to be corrected optically in the era of the original design, with little visible curvature [3]. Vignetting, by contrast, is heavy on a full-frame digital sensor, measured at about 4 EV wide open before easing as the lens is stopped down; the design predates digital sensors and would show less falloff on film [3].

Flare resistance As with most vintage formulas, flare resistance is limited, and the maker states the lens is meant to mimic the flare behavior of the original optic from decades earlier [3].

Bokeh and transitions At f/2 it is a moderate-aperture wide angle rather than a strong background-separation tool, so it is not aimed at photographers seeking large quantities of out-of-focus rendering [3].

History

Development and Launch The collapsible Eight Element grew out of Light Lens Lab's earlier rigid 35mm f/2 Eight Element, itself a reproduction of the first-generation 35mm Summicron, the eight-element design that reviewers and the maker reference as the basis for the optics [2][3]. For the collapsible model the company kept that optical formula and concentrated its changes on the mechanics and on a closer minimum focus distance, presenting it as a new take on a classic rather than a new optical design [1]. It was introduced in 2022 [2].

Production Evolution The most significant change from the rigid version is the retracting barrel and the integrated, removable UV filter in place of a filter thread, a feature the maker links to protecting the exposed front element [1][2]. Where the earlier rigid Eight Element existed in single-coated and multi-coated forms, the collapsible consolidates around the built-in front filter approach [2].

Special editions The collapsible was sold in several finishes, including chrome, black paint and nickel chrome, and the maker has noted further special finishes such as titanium grey, ceramic white and bare brass within the Eight Element line, supplied with matching IROOA hood and UV filter [1]. Custom eight-character front-ring engraving was also offered as a paid option [1].

Collector Notes The "8E" marking identifies the eight-element optics and appears on the collapsible as well as the rigid lens, so buyers should confirm which body they are looking at rather than relying on that marking alone [2]. The collapsible is reported to have been made in a limited run while the rigid version was produced in repeated batches, so verifying the collapsing barrel and the smaller production is worthwhile for collectors [2]. Because the front filter is removable and the front element sits exposed, and because the supplied A42 clip-on hood can carry a 43 mm filter and double as a rough aperture indicator, it is worth checking that the hood, caps, LTM-to-M adapter and case are present and original before buying [1][2].

Sources

• [1] Light Lens Lab. Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 Collapsible Eight Element (product page). https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-collapsible-eight-element
• [2] KeithWee. Light Lens Lab 35mm F2 Collapsible on the Leica M10-P, a first impressions review. https://keithwee.com/2022/10/22/light-lens-lab-35mm-f2-collapsible-on-the-leica-m10-p-a-first-impressions-review/
• [3] phillipreeve.net (Bastian K). Review: Light Lens Lab 35mm 2.0 Eight Element. https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-light-lens-lab-35mm-2-0-eight-element/