Light Lens Lab 75mm f/2 "SPII"

Light Lens Lab 75mm f/2 "SPII"

This lens extends Light Lens Lab's "SP-II" project, an effort to recreate the look of the Cooke Speed Panchro Series II cinema optics, into a 75mm mid-telephoto for the Leica M system. The maker first teased a 75mm interpretation in 2023, citing the classic Cooke 75mm T2.2 Speed Panchro II as the visual reference behind the "SP-II" name [1]. It reached final prototype stage in early 2026, with pre-orders opening on 1 March 2026 once the company had cleared its order backlog for the 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical "11873"[3]. The stated long-term aim of the series is comprehensive focal length coverage in a single rendering family, and the 75mm shares the same optical foundation as the existing 50mm f/2 SP-II.

Optically the lens uses a classic Double-Gaussian layout built from eight elements in five groups, with achromatic elements added to control color while preserving the intended vintage character[2]. The 12-blade diaphragm runs from f/2 to f/22, and the lens focuses to 0.7 m. The barrel is aluminum alloy, with a manual aperture ring offering half-stop settings, depth-of-field markings, and a 43 mm (E43) filter thread; one reviewer measured handling weight at around 310 grams. As an M-mount design it is manual-focus, and the lens is not rangefinder-coupled, so focusing relies on the scale or live view rather than the camera's rangefinder patch. Notably, although it covers the 35mm full-frame format, the optics are specified to cover sensors up to 44 by 33 mm, allowing adaptation to medium-format bodies such as Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad X.

In terms of identification and variants, the lens follows the established SP-II styling, including a detachable focusing tab held by two screws, as on the first 50mm SP-II, and ships with an A46 clip-on Reid-style hood. It was offered in chrome and black-paint finishes at launch, with the chrome version priced at USD 749 and the black-paint version at USD 799.

Optical qualities

Rendering The lens is designed for a deliberately vintage, cinematic look rather than clinical correction. Wide open at f/2 it shows gentle tonal transitions and a softer, rounded drawing, then becomes appreciably crisper and more controlled, described by the maker as nearly "clinical," from about f/2.8 onward. This duality between an open-aperture character look and a stopped-down sharper rendering is a recurring theme in early coverage.

Bokeh and transitions Out-of-focus areas are reported as generally smooth with rounded blur, taking on noticeable cat's-eye shapes toward the frame edges, a trait consistent with the lens's vintage-leaning intent.

Flare resistance Early hands-on testing found the lens flares readily in backlit scenes or with strong light sources in frame, even with the supplied hood fitted; whether this reads as creative character or distraction is treated as a matter of taste.

Aberrations In keeping with the older optical formula, chromatic aberration is visible and can be pronounced, though it is reported to clean up easily in post-processing. The lens is explicitly not positioned as an apochromatic, correction-first optic in the manner of Leica's 75mm f/2 APO.

Digital use The design has been shown on Leica M digital bodies and, owing to its larger-than-full-frame coverage, adapted to medium-format digital cameras.

History

Development and Launch Light Lens Lab's "SP-II" line aims to reproduce the look of the Cooke Speed Panchro Series II cinema lenses, and the 75mm was promoted as drawing on one of the most celebrated optical schematics of the twentieth century. After an initial teaser in 2023, the 75mm reached final prototype in early 2026 and entered production following the company's 35mm f/1.4 Aspherical run, with pre-orders opening 1 March 2026. It joined the earlier 50mm f/2 SP-II as a longer focal length built on the same optical philosophy.

Special editions No major factory special variants are widely documented beyond the chrome and black-paint finish options offered at launch.

Collector Notes Because the lens shares SP-II styling cues, buyers can confirm originality through the detachable two-screw focusing tab and the supplied A46 clip-on Reid-style hood. Finish (chrome versus black paint) distinguishes the two launch versions and corresponds to different list prices. As a new-production lens it is free of the haze and coating-separation concerns of genuine vintage optics, but prospective buyers should be aware that its rendering is intentionally uncorrected, with visible flare and chromatic aberration by design rather than as defects.