AD/ANZEIGE In this episode, I review the brand new 50mm f/2 “Rigid” for the Leica M mount produced by Light Lens Lab. The manufacturer is known for creating high-value copies of hard to obtain vintage lenses using modern manufacturing capabilities and coatings but blending it with going the extra mile of producing special glass mixtures which made past lenses so legendary.
This 50mm f/2 “Rigid” is an homage to the legendary Leica Summicron 50mm f/2 Rigid or V2 which was built from 1956 until 1968. With a price tag of around 800 USD, it tends to be cheaper than the typical vintage Summicron V2 version and is, of course, a brand new lens with one year warranty. It also allows for a 0.7 meters minimum focusing distance while the original only offers 1 meter - except you have the Dual Range edition with glasses that supports up to 48 centimeters.
In addition to the classic optical design of seven elements in six groups, this lens is characterized by its Lanthanide-infused elements, also called LaK-9 elements. Light Lens Lab went through the effort of recreating these elements based on the original chemical formula but claims “changes to lens coating for better durability and render performance”.
All this makes this homage an interesting value proposition for those looking for a similar look and capabilities but with the qualities and reliability of a brand new lens. I took the lens with me on a recent trip to Mallorca shooting some Ilford Delta 100, Kodak Ektar 100 and Kodak Gold 200. I was also curious to see how this lens would perform shooting portraits so I used it for a few shots of a friend on Ilford FP4.
All photos were developed and scanned by my trusted OnFilmLab in Frankfurt. Let’s take a closer look at its features, design and the results it produces.
Gear used:
Leica M6 with
50mm f/2 Rigid by Light Lens Lab
All about the lens here:
https://lightlenslab.com/products/light-lens-lab-50mm-f-2-rigid?ref=zocufxhm
You can get 5% off using the code ANALOGINSIGHTS during checkout.
Films used:
Ilford Delta 100
Ilford FP4
Kodak Ektar 100
Kodak Gold 200
All films developed and scanned by my trusted OnFilmLab in Frankfurt:
https://onfilmlab.de
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