Light Lens Lab 28mm f2.8 9 Element Lens Review

[Vanillasludge]

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Perhaps the quest for perfection has reached its logical conclusion in that most of us (me included) can’t tell the difference between modern lenses/cars/televisions etc. 

Even the cheapest Kei car in Japan now has features and ride quality that would exceed a luxury car of the 1960’s.  

A phone camera can more easily capture the kind of cranked up images people seem to crave.  

All we have left is what we use these tools for—content it’s now called, and there’s so much of that we can’t come close to seeing it all. 

8 hours ago, kiwidad said:

key word "objectively" better.

Is a car better because it's faster or more comfortable to ride in or perhaps quieter? the problems is to what standard? is a lens better if its sharper or is it the rendering? Is an old tube stereo specced the same as a new transistor one worse purely because it not newer? 

I find it interesting that with some of the older lenses now suffering from the effects of age (fungus, haze etc), companies are making what are essentially replicas of a sort with modern tech improvement ( I would guess coating probably inmost cases). 

Leica try to fill the shoes in both worlds and at a huge cost. 

I acquired a LLL 50mm f2 "cook" panchromatic lens earlier in the year and It does definitely have look in certain lighting situation.  Can't beat the flare but its not an everyday carry for me.

 

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[Alberti]

on the lens hood/filter: (I am surprised no review mentions this. Am I alone?)

would this fit: Haoge LH-E2P 49mm Square Metal Screw-in Lens Hood. The 'original" is such an ugly thing, big, takes up in my perception half of the viewfinder.

And it screws into the 49mm, so with a slim fit filter I'm done. (Still I like the  12504 hood I had for the 35mm Summicron - IV more - it is all open) See it alive here.

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And this comes with a plastic hoodie too

 

Edited December 19, 2024 by Alberti
example

[Alberti]

My B+W filter came. It fits! This just fits into the recess. [ the Amazon seller Erhardt mentioned the external size as 51mm - so it should fit and it does; on the B+W site I could not find that info.]

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As well, my shop came back yesterday that they tested the K&F filter for me, and yes, that fits inside the hood too as the second one shows.

Edited December 22, 2024 by Alberti

[Einst_Stein]

I wish the review could add Thypoch 28mm f1.4 as well. Yes, different aperture. 
It seems the Thypoch offerings exceed the expectation of the offering from Voigtlander. 

[Einst_Stein]

Leica/ LLL 28mm look Ugly? Anyone think the outlook of Thypoch or Voigtland 28mm is prettier? 

[Alberti]

On 1/3/2025 at 7:44 PM, Einst_Stein said:

I wish the review could add Thypoch 28mm f1.4 as well. Yes, different aperture. 
It seems the Thypoch offerings exceed the expectation of the offering from Voigtlander. 

Ugly is relative - my problem is the finder blocking with the hood - in 1970 there was no 28mm wide capability on the RF-viewer of the body. So you would use an external one. 

And maybe the 'alignment/centering' (also called QC) is better too . . . as my wife said when I saw some problems @ F2.8 : 'why don't you just buy a Leitz lens?'

[Einst_Stein]

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14 minutes ago, Alberti said:

my wife said when I saw some problems @ F2.8 : 'why don't you just buy a Leitz lens?'

Wow! I wish my wife could say that! 

[ronaldc]

On 11/19/2024 at 3:37 AM, streetrattakesphotos said:

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I somehow managed to break my LLL 28mm 9e already, but not in a severe way. The front barrel is apparently glued in place, and rotates freely if the glue becomes undone. Should I blame Leitz for the rather lousy ergonomics that led to that happening (especially in the handling of the hood) or LLL for using glue on the front barrel? (I kid, I kid)

Regardless of my clumsiness, I like the photos that it takes. When a shot lands well with this lens, it *really* lands well. The way it renders complements the v1 summicron and 50mm f/1.2 replicas quite nicely. Too bad my composition skills aren't quite always all there. The camera should have been pointed way up, then the 2:1 crop wouldn't have been needed. Can't complain too much about your gear when you're not quite there yet as a photographer. 

it broke? I was thinking of purchasing this lens, not sure now if its held together by glue ? the the barrel fall out ? 

[streetrattakesphotos]

On 9/26/2025 at 4:30 PM, ronaldc said:

it broke? I was thinking of purchasing this lens, not sure now if its held together by glue ? the the barrel fall out ? 

The front barrel did not fall out, but became unfixed along the rotational axis. It's still locked into the rear of the lens.

Admittedly, I did force it when the hood got stuck. The big blocky hood allows you to apply quite a bit of force on the front barrel.

@Einst_Stein was hoping there was a comparison with the Thypoch 28/1.4. Well I did a very unscientific comparison here.

Honestly, if you like the rendering of this lens, I think the solution is to just shoot it without the hood. Everyone saying it's ugly is right. What's worse is that it's unergonomic. This is the only LLL lens I've had a problem with, and I think it's the exterior design.

[ronaldc]

On 9/29/2025 at 2:39 AM, streetrattakesphotos said:

The front barrel did not fall out, but became unfixed along the rotational axis. It's still locked into the rear of the lens.

Admittedly, I did force it when the hood got stuck. The big blocky hood allows you to apply quite a bit of force on the front barrel.

@Einst_Stein was hoping there was a comparison with the Thypoch 28/1.4. Well I did a very unscientific comparison here.

Honestly, if you like the rendering of this lens, I think the solution is to just shoot it without the hood. Everyone saying it's ugly is right. What's worse is that it's unergonomic. This is the only LLL lens I've had a problem with, and I think it's the exterior design.

Thanks for reply, mine came but there seems to be some barrel movement I noticed when screwing a filter on, did yous have this front and back movement ? I can notice it also when I focus 

[streetrattakesphotos]

I can't say there's much play in my copy. But if there's such a movement in the new ones, then they may have changed the internals so that it's no longer glued?

I still wouldn't use it with the hood.

[ronaldc]

8 hours ago, streetrattakesphotos said:

I can't say there's much play in my copy. But if there's such a movement in the new ones, then they may have changed the internals so that it's no longer glued?

I still wouldn't use it with the hood.

Yeah mine has considerable movement, the whole lens moves but the mount that goes into M doesn't. I contact light lens labs and was told it's normal as the helical is held on by a retaining clip and there has to be movement so doesn't scrape. 

 

It's kinda takes away the feeling of quality though as when you try focus you can feel the whole lens shift, in saying that it's still a Incredible bit of glass and the photos are sublime. I will just have to get used to the movement.

 

I don't seem to have any issues with the hood, it goes on easy and off easy, not sure how your one got stuck

Edited October 8 by ronaldc