Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 Eight Element

Light Lens Lab 35mm f/2 Eight Element

This lens exists to put a famously expensive optical design back within reach. It is a close recreation of the first-version Leica Summicron 35mm f/2, the so-called "eight element" introduced in 1958, and it was the project with which the Chinese maker Light Lens Lab launched itself, becoming the company's best known and best selling product [1][2]. The "Eight Element" name comes directly from the optical layout it copies, eight elements arranged in six groups, the same configuration as the original Leitz design. The original Summicron of this type has become a sought-after collector item carried to high prices, and Light Lens Lab's stated aim is to reproduce it as faithfully as possible while occasionally improving materials, construction and coatings, all without crowdfunding and at a more accessible price.

Mechanically the lens is compact and notably dense, with review samples built largely from brass that feels heavy for its small size. The focus ring turns roughly 130 degrees from the 0.7 m minimum focus distance to infinity, has even resistance, and carries a focus tab with a hidden infinity lock, a detail copied from the original lens. The aperture ring uses click stops, and because the barrel is small there is very little rangefinder frameline blockage when shooting without a hood. The lens is rangefinder coupled, brings up the correct 35 and 135 mm framelines on Leica bodies, and takes E39 filters; it also accepts original Leitz hoods such as the IROOA, 12504 and 12534, and Light Lens Lab offers its own IROOA and 12504 hood replicas. One reviewer noted that reaching the aperture ring can be slightly awkward with a 12504 hood fitted.

The design has gone through many revisions as the maker has refined it over successive batches. Comparing the earliest version, designated V1LC (version 1, lead glass), with the later V7LC shows substantial change: the aperture ring play of the first version was eliminated, the aperture stops were respaced more evenly, and internal coatings were improved. Finishes have included black paint on brass, and the front ring is engraved with the word "CHINA" in red, which at least one reviewer found unnecessary alongside the Chinese script already on the barrel. Build quality is generally praised, with clean engravings, a smooth paint finish and well made caps.

Optical qualities

Rendering Because the optical formula dates to the 1960s, the lens deliberately carries vintage character rather than modern correction, and Light Lens Lab states that some of its behavior is meant to mimic the original lens of sixty years ago. Reviewers describe it as suited to photographers who want a classic look and cannot or do not wish to pay for an original, rather than those seeking high cross-frame sharpness and contrast wide open or very smooth out-of-focus rendering.

Sharpness Like many older fast wide-angle designs, the lens shows noticeable focus shift; stopping down from f/2.8 to f/4 moves the plane of focus toward the back.

Flare resistance Flare resistance is limited, consistent with vintage designs, and the maker indicates this is intended to reproduce the original lens's behavior.

Distortion Distortion is well controlled and barely visible, a result of the optical correction built into the original 1960s design before software correction existed.

History

Development and Launch Light Lens Lab began producing replicas of legendary lenses around 2018 to 2019, and this 35mm f/2 Eight Element was its first product. It recreates the first-version Leica Summicron 35mm f/2, an eight-element design Leica introduced in 1958 for cameras such as the M2 [3]. After this lens the company went on to release a 50mm f/2 and later a 50mm f/2 Speed Panchro II, among other projects.

Production Evolution The lens has seen numerous incremental revisions across batches, from the early V1LC to later versions such as V7LC, with improvements to the aperture ring tolerance and spacing and to the internal coatings.

Special editions A Stainless Steel Limited Edition was announced, described by Light Lens Lab as a recreation of the famous 35mm f/2 V1 and the company's first use of SUS316 corrosion-resistant stainless steel for the body [4]. Standard production has appeared in black paint on brass finishes.

Collector Notes Buyers should note that the exact configuration depends on the production batch, so the version code (for example V1LC versus V7LC) matters when comparing samples, as later runs improved mechanics and coatings. A practical advantage of a currently produced replica over a vintage original is that it is far less likely to suffer from hazy elements or other longevity problems associated with sixty-year-old glass. The lens accepts original Leitz hoods including the IROOA, 12504 and 12534, which are worth checking for fit and aperture-ring access. The published weight figures vary slightly between sources; one detailed review measured 228 g without hood or caps, a minor difference from the recorded value that likely reflects sample or configuration variation.