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Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Desmolicious
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p.8 #1 · p.8 #1 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

highdesertmesa wrote:
---------------------------------------------

Current price from Popflash is $1,388, which includes the matching brass hood and filter. I just ordered one to go with my 8-e collapsable

So... you'll have a 70mm 16 elements replica?

Jan 10, 2023 at 05:20 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #2 · p.8 #2 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Desmolicious wrote:
So... you'll have a 70mm 16 elements replica?

Jan 10, 2023 at 05:35 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #3 · p.8 #3 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

rscheffler wrote:
@highdesertmesa@

Do you plan to get the LLL 50/1.2? Based on the other thread and their preorder page, looks like it will be almost a year's wait...

I thought about it and decided to wait and possibly pay more. I want a V2 or later that will have the inevitable improvements made to it. If everything looks good, I may still buy a V1 if available from Popflash. Either way, it's a 2024 arrival at best.

What does have my attention a bit more is their coming replica of the Cooke 50 f/2 Speed Panchro II.

https://lightlenslab.myshopify.com/blogs/upcoming-project/light-lens-lab-50mm-f-2-speed-panchro-ii-in-production

The studio tests on the Cooke original on a RED Epic Dragon look incredible, at least with regard to focus falloff:

Jan 10, 2023 at 05:40 PM

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p.8 #4 · p.8 #4 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Is the Zeiss Hologon 15/8 project now on hold?

I looked into the Cooke 50/2 Speed Panchro II but thought it was a bit too long for the M.
Here are some samples from the OG:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69915943@N06/albums/72157647420266566/

Jan 10, 2023 at 05:48 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #5 · p.8 #5 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Jan 10, 2023 at 05:58 PM

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p.8 #6 · p.8 #6 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

highdesertmesa wrote:
"On hold due to other projects" – https://lightlenslab.myshopify.com/blogs/upcoming-project/light-lens-lab-15mm-f8-in-prototype

The Cooke replica would be for my SL2-S and probably for video. It's a weird looking prototype – I guess they tried to make it as narrow as possible to work better on an M, but I wish they'd just keep the original Cooke shape and considered it more of a lens to use with the EVF.

I'm not familiar with any Cooke lens. What makes this lens unique compared to other 50/2 lenses? Rendering? Flare?

Jan 10, 2023 at 06:03 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #7 · p.8 #7 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Fred Miranda wrote:
I'm not familiar with any Cooke lens. What makes this lens unique compared to other 50/2 lenses? Rendering? Flare?

They're popular in the filmmaking community, though I have not researched in depth as to why. I'd guess because they still have a vintage/retro rendering but don't break the bank like higher-end anamorphic lenses would.

https://www.sharegrid.com/learn/lens-sets/cooke-speed-panchro

"Many of the Cooke Speed Panchros being used today date back to the 1950s, and 1960s. They are known for how well they render faces, and for their painterly quality. These are the lenses responsible for the term "The Cooke Look." They are sharp for their age, but their lower contrast gives them a flattering softness.

They have a gentle focus roll-off and are just a little warm. The wider focal lengths have a bit of barrel distortion and vignette. Their simple, older optical designs out of the focal lengths offer a unique "cat's eye" bokeh."

Of course "cat's eye" bokeh is not unique in the Leica M world

Jan 10, 2023 at 06:09 PM

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p.8 #8 · p.8 #8 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

highdesertmesa wrote:
They're popular in the filmmaking community, though I have not researched in depth as to why. I'd guess because they still have a vintage/retro rendering but don't break the bank like higher-end anamorphic lenses would.

https://www.sharegrid.com/learn/lens-sets/cooke-speed-panchro

"Many of the Cooke Speed Panchros being used today date back to the 1950s, and 1960s. They are known for how well they render faces, and for their painterly quality. These are the lenses responsible for the term "The Cooke Look." They are sharp for their age, but their lower contrast gives them a flattering softness.

They have a gentle focus roll-off and are just a little...Show more →

Looks cool for video for sure and I can imagine it would adapt great on the SL series. Looking at some still samples, I don't see much optical vignetting which is surprising since the lens is long for a 50mm.

Jan 10, 2023 at 06:20 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #9 · p.8 #9 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Still life with the 8E collapsable

SL2-S Reporter -|- LLL 35mm 8-Element collapsable -|- f/2

Jan 10, 2023 at 11:01 PM

rscheffler
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p.8 #10 · p.8 #10 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Fred Miranda wrote:
Is the Zeiss Hologon 15/8 project now on hold?

I looked into the Cooke 50/2 Speed Panchro II but thought it was a bit too long for the M.
Here are some samples from the OG:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69915943@N06/albums/72157647420266566/

highdesertmesa wrote:
"On hold due to other projects" – https://lightlenslab.myshopify.com/blogs/upcoming-project/light-lens-lab-15mm-f8-in-prototype

The Cooke replica would be for my SL2-S and probably for video. It's a weird looking prototype – I guess they tried to make it as narrow as possible to work better on an M, but I wish they'd just keep the original Cooke shape and considered it more of a lens to use with the EVF.

From browsing their upcoming projects section, it appears the Cooke replica will also be delivered in a 50 Cron Rigid housing, but with 8 aperture blades instead of 11. An earlier post indicated the Cook would ship in a range of mounts including Canon EF and PL.

And they have a post about a Cooke 75/2 in development. Based on the MTFs, it looks like it might be interesting (sharp in the center with gradual falloff and reasonable astigmatism).

LLL sure does have some interesting projects on the go.

Will also look forward to when they start shipping their LTM-M adapters. Currently priced at a very reasonable $35 on their product page...

Jan 11, 2023 at 12:35 AM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #11 · p.8 #11 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

rscheffler wrote:
From browsing their upcoming projects section, it appears the Cooke replica will also be delivered in a 50 Cron Rigid housing, but with 8 aperture blades instead of 11. An earlier post indicated the Cook would ship in a range of mounts including Canon EF and PL.

And they have a post about a Cooke 75/2 in development. Based on the MTFs, it looks like it might be interesting (sharp in the center with gradual falloff and reasonable astigmatism).

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0651/4665/0858/articles/mmexport1671248378666.jpg

LLL sure does have some interesting projects on the go.

Will also look forward to when they start shipping their LTM-M adapters....Show more →

I also noticed yesterday that Popflash now sells an LTM/M version of the regular non-collapsible 8-element. Popflash says the LTM version is made in 500 edition sets versus the regular M-mount, which is made in 1000 edition sets. Both are the same current revision. So three versions total: M, LTM/M, and collapsible LTM/M. The LTM-to-M ring on my collapsible version seems well made.

Jan 11, 2023 at 07:14 AM

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p.8 #12 · p.8 #12 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Some more Cooke lens history/appeal. Starts at 1min.

Jan 11, 2023 at 08:49 AM

bjhurley
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p.8 #13 · p.8 #13 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

It's interesting what they're doing with these Cooke replicas; they seem to be developing them mainly as portrait lenses for photography. They're a bit long for video, especially if you're shooting Super 35. If they start doing wider ones (17.5mm on up) and offered them in PL mount they'd appeal more to cinematographers.

Jan 11, 2023 at 10:03 AM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #14 · p.8 #14 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

bjhurley wrote:
It's interesting what they're doing with these Cooke replicas; they seem to be developing them mainly as portrait lenses for photography. They're a bit long for video, especially if you're shooting Super 35. If they start doing wider ones (17.5mm on up) and offered them in PL mount they'd appeal more to cinematographers.

You can already buy rehoused sets of the originals from more than one company. Very expensive. I’m sure these companies would rehouse the LLL remakes, too. It’s more than the mount, it’s the gearing, uniform filter thread size, etc.

Jan 11, 2023 at 10:13 AM

Desmolicious
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p.8 #15 · p.8 #15 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

rscheffler wrote..

Will also look forward to when they start shipping their LTM-M adapters. Currently priced at a very reasonable $35 on their product page...

I have had no issues using Fotodiox LTM-M adapters. $20. They have been just as reliable as my Voigtlander or Leica adapters. If you get a 'bad' one, just exchange it. I have had 'bad' CV and Leica adapters.

Jan 11, 2023 at 11:46 AM

Fred Miranda
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p.8 #16 · p.8 #16 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

peasant_slave wrote:
Some more Cooke lens history/appeal. Starts at 1min.

Very interesting video. Thanks for posting!

Jan 11, 2023 at 12:30 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #17 · p.8 #17 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

I received the brass version kit today. I like it

Performance is identical to my collapsable version. I tested them at infinity with the same results:

– Center frame infinity focus at f/2 is at the hard stop (center of infinity symbol)
– Center frame infinity focus at f/8 is just before the hard stop (left edge of the infinity symbol)
– Corner performance at f/8 is excellent (center at infinity, corner at ~50m)

Screenshot examples have the default C1 sharpening. Images were taken on the SL2-S (previously had used the M11 and a common lens to set the hard stop on the Hawk's Factory macro adapter for the SL2-S to align with the M11 hard stop).

Note that in the extreme flare example, I'm using the brass-colored filter on the lens, which may add to the effect.

Infinity focus at f/2 is at the hard stop

Infinity focus at f/8 is at the left edge of the infinity symbol

100% – f/8 center (house) vs. far right corner (exposure brightened)

200% – Center at f/2 vs. center at f/8

f/2 – Full image versus 100% crop

f/2 – Full image versus 100% crop (backlit)

f/2 flare – worst case scenario :)

f/2 – Full image versus 100% crop

Jan 11, 2023 at 09:15 PM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #18 · p.8 #18 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Nothing special here, just wanted to upload a few images that were exported instead of screenshots. Vignette correction was not applied to any of these – all shot with the filter and hood attached.

f/8

LEICA SL2-S Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens 35mm f/9.5 1/80s 100 ISO -1.0 EV

f/2

LEICA SL2-S Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens 35mm f/2.4 1/640s 100 ISO -1.0 EV

f/2

LEICA SL2-S Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens 35mm f/2.0 1/640s 100 ISO -1.0 EV

f/2

LEICA SL2-S Summicron-M 1:2/35 lens 35mm f/3.4 1/400s 100 ISO -1.0 EV

Jan 11, 2023 at 09:25 PM

Desmolicious
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p.8 #19 · p.8 #19 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

highdesertmesa wrote:
I received the brass version kit today. I like it

Performance is identical to my collapsable version. I tested them at infinity with the same results:

– Center frame infinity focus at f/2 is at the hard stop (center of infinity symbol)
– Center frame infinity focus at f/8 is just before the hard stop (left edge of the infinity symbol)
– Corner performance at f/8 is excellent (center at infinity, corner at ~50m)

Screenshot examples have the default C1 sharpening. Images were taken on the SL2-S (previously had used the M11 and a common lens to set the hard stop on the Hawk's...Show more →

Nice! Even the lens hood is remarkably well made.

Jan 12, 2023 at 10:57 AM

highdesertmesa
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p.8 #20 · p.8 #20 · Light Lens Lab (LLL) replica lenses discussion & image thread

Desmolicious wrote:
Nice! Even the lens hood is remarkably well made.

Agreed, it’s all very well made. I’m assuming the hood unscrews into two pieces because they had to manufacture it that way versus there being a function for the user. Leica would have put a thread locker on there, but I like being able to separate it even if it serves no function.

Jan 12, 2023 at 11:23 AM

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