Lenses with unique renderings will always be kryptonite for my wallet, and when it comes to capturing the magic of the silver screen, few lenses can rival the timeless appeal of the Cooke series of cinema lenses. The latest release by Light Lens Lab repackages the classic optical performance in a modernised, affordable form factor with the introduction of the Speed Panchro II for Leica M mount.

Let’s dive in to see how it performs on various cameras.

A SPEEDY HISTORY LESSON

The “Cooke Look” infuses a sense of nostalgia and elegance through lenses that produce a soft yet sharp images, gentle flares, and pleasing contrast imparting a magical touch to every frame.

The Cooke Speed Panchro lenses were initially developed in the 1920s and gained prominence during the golden age of Hollywood due to their fast f/2.0 aperture to address noisy arc lighting interfering with audio recording. These lenses were widely celebrated for their ability to create a unique cinematic look, characterized by their smooth focus roll-off, beautiful contrast on film stocks, and pleasing bokeh.

The Cooke Panchro series of lenses have been used on films such as Casablanca (1942), The Sound of Music (1965) and most recently The Witch (2015)… personally one of my favourite films.

UPDATED FOR MODERN CAMERAS

Light Lens Labs is a fairly new company that specialises in reproductions of classic lenses; starting with the optical formula, even the specific type of glass used in the construction, producing lenses for modern cameras usually in Leica M-mount.

The Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro II has been optimised to cover a full-frame sensor (rather than the smaller S35 coverage of the original) and provides rangefinder coupling for Leica cameras.

The Light Lens Lab 50mm F/2 “Speed Panchro II” on the Leica M10. Despite upsizing the image circle for full frame, the lens is not that girthy, the brass construction balances well with M bodies.

Here’s a quick rundown:

  • Recreation of the famous Speed Panchro II 50mm f/2 Cinema Lens from the 1940s.
  • Full brass body elements are made in-house with lanthanide elements infused. Fully compatible with all M-Mount cameras.
  • A removable UV filter is integrated into the lens.
  • Single-coated elements
  • 10-Blade Aperture
  • Lenses are made by hand and assembled in limited quantities at the highest quality control and tolerance.
Double-pronged focusing tab reminiscent of the original Cooke lenses.
Reid Styled clamp on the lens hood, also shown is the removable integrated UV Filter that blends seamlessly with the design.

Focal Length: 50mm
Coverage: 135 Full Frame (24x36mm)
Optics: Double-Gauss Design, seven elements in five groups
Minimal Focus Distance: 0.7 meters with rangefinder focusing
Diaphragm: f/2 to f/22, half stop clicks
Lens Mount: M Mount
Filter Thread: E43
Lens Hood: Reid Style Clip-On Hood
Length: 61mm Diameter: 51mm
Weight: 345g

STILL READING? HERE’S SOME STILLS…

LEICA M10

Such a beautifully crafted housing that complements Leica design, down to the colour matched silver tone.

The first camera I had to try the Speed Panchro II on was my Leica M10… importantly to ensure the rangefinder coupling was perfectly calibrated, but also the instant gratification of seeing what images this new toy delivers.

Below are some quick snaps where I was a guest at a wedding, quite fitting for this combination… as the saying goes: something old (my Leica M10), something new (the Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro II), something borrowed (the Cooke optical formula), and something blue (my suit, of course).

LEICA M3

What a classy looking combo, the double pronged focusing tabs are extremely ergonomic.

The first Leica M camera, paired with one of my favourite films, Lomochrome Metropolis. When considering the largest set of framelines on the M3 is 50mm, it seemed to be perfect Leica camera where I can fully absorb the visual framing and composition of the Speed Panchro II.

SONY A7IV

A very compact rig for video shooting, you could almost call it… a Smallrig.

I couldn’t have a lens renowned for cinema without dabbling in a little videography. Here we have the focusing tabs removed from the Light Lens Lab and fitted with a Tilta Seamless Focus Gear Ring (49.5 to 51.5mm) , rigged up with various Smallrig parts on my Sony A7IV and keeping wide open for the dreamy rendering and delicious bokeh with the help of a SLR Magic Variable ND filter.

The “glow” from hard sunlight on skin is quite flattering. Surprisingly, less bloomy compared to rim lit portraits taken on film cameras.

BONUS ROUND: LEICA M11 MONOCHROME

Like a moth to the flame, I was drawn into the Leica store on the day I was testing the Speed Panchro II on my Leica M3.

I had the opportunity to test the lens and also experience the new Leica M11 Monochrome:

Before, I hadn’t considered black and white output for the Light Lens Lab Speed Panchro II, and now I’m seriously contemplating adding a monochrome camera to my ever-growing collection. Note the painterly, textural bokeh and the soft glow in the out-of-focus areas, particularly the text around the lens. It’s that extra flavour I’m after in a character lens.

FINAL MUSINGS

So what do I think after running this lens through a gamut of Leica M cameras and video on Sony?

The “Cooke look” is definitely prominent, quite noticeable being the uniquely outlined bokeh and soft skintones only a lens with an undercorrected spherical aberration can deliver. Other optical characteristics are delivered quite subtly, the center sharpness that rolls off into softer outer edges and the glow which is dependant on the specularity of the highlights. The closest in look from a Leica lens from personal experience would that that of the Leica 50/2 Summitar with its glow, however finding a decent copy nowadays is quite hard.

It also behaves quite differently from film to digital. On film due to the organic grain structure and light capture, the lens exhibits more blooming than that of digital pixels. Perhaps next I’ll run this lens on my Leica M6 with a roll of Kodak 5222.

In my opinion, Light Lens Lab has produced a very economical character-driven lens with reverence to a historical look without compromising on build quality. There is no slop in focusing or defects you may find in the exponentially more expensive original Cooke lenses converted to Leica M mount on the second hand market. I hear they may be bringing a cine version to the market soon, which I would seriously consider just for a front filter diameter larger than 43mm for better rigging to matte boxes and other cine accessories.