Test Roll with the Light Lens Lab 50mm f2 Cooke Speed Panchro Replica Lens

We were recently loaned a prototype from lens manufacturer Light Lens Lab. This 50mm f2 Cooke Speed Panchro is a replica lens that has not yet made its way to full production yet but we were lucky enough to get our hands on this advance iteration. Naturally we threw it on our nearest Leica (an M4-2 in this case) and took it out for a roll of film!

The Light Lens Lab 50mm f2 Cooke Speed Panchro Replica recreates a legendary cinema lens from the early 1900s in Leica M mount. The original Cooke Speed Panchro lenses are known for a "Cooke Look:" warm color tone and gentle barrel distortion / vignetting combined with smooth focus transitions. Available in a range of different focal lengths, the Cooke Speed Panchro lenses established themselves as some of the premier optics for cinema work, especially for portraiture. Speed Panchro lenses are often found today as full sets re-housed in modern cinema barrels. 

Still photographers also appreciated the character of the Speed Panchro lenses, and original conversions to Leica M mount can be found -- for many thousands of dollars. As in the case of their other re-creations, Light Lens Lab's 50mm f2 Cooke Speed Panchro Replica seeks to bring the unique imaging qualities of this rare lens to a much wider audience. While the copy we tested was an early prototype, we were impressed with its distinct character. This is not a lens for every subject, but the glowing band of highlight flare that rings the center of the image presents unique creative opportunities. We look forward to Light Lens Lab's announcement of production copies of this lens.