PolarPro’s New LightLeak Lenses Promise Charming Imperfections

Aug 21, 2024

Jeremy Gray

A person is holding up a Sony α7 camera close to their face, ready to take a photograph. The lens is prominently centered in the frame, and the person's fingers can be seen gripping the camera. The background is blurred, focusing attention on the camera.

PolarPro’s new LightLeak lenses promise to bring back the “timeless feel of analog photography” for a digital audience.

The PolarPro LightLeak lenses are available in 16mm, 28mm, and 50mm focal lengths and in Canon RF, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount options. The affordable fixed-focus lenses each promise a distinct look, depending on the focal length, and rely on worse optics to produce a more exciting image.

“Worse” is subjective, of course. Still, these new LightLeak lenses are made to deliver a “vintage disposable [camera] look,” meaning that they aren’t designed to be clinically sharp like most modern lenses or PolarPro’s fantastic photography filters. To further the aim of channeling the look of a cheap, old camera, the lenses have an adjustable light leak function, hence the name.

A close-up of a POLARPRO camera lens with inscriptions stating "LIGHT LEAK," "E 16mm," "F11," and "58mm." The lens features a sleek black and metallic design.

Using an adjustable ring on the lens barrel, users can create a customized opening to allow light to enter the lens, bounce around, and hit the image sensor, making the digital equivalent of the light leak present in some old film cameras that aren’t perfectly sealed. Much like water always seems to find its way into something, photons do, too, which is why sealing is so vital for cameras and lenses. However, in this case, PolarPro wants to let the light in.

A person is holding a Sony Alpha 7 camera with both hands. The camera has a lens attached, and the person's fingers are adjusting the settings on the top dials. The background is out of focus, emphasizing the camera. The person is wearing a dark sleeve and a ring.

“Each frame tells a story and will have a distinct, vintage look — characterized by rich colors, natural grain, and adjustable light leaks that digital cameras simply can’t replicate,” PolarPro promises. The company adds that LightLeak lenses “react different to each sensor and camera setup,” promising unique image rendition depending on the user’s camera and the focal length of their LightLeak lens.

A person wearing an orange cap carries another person on their back at a beach. The ocean waves gently hit the shore under a clear, blue sky with scattered clouds. Both appear to be enjoying the sunny day.

Returning to the lens itself, both focus and aperture are fixed. Focus is fixed to deliver an in-focus image from one meter (3.3 feet) to infinity at a fixed f/11 aperture for the 16mm and 28mm lenses. The 50mm lens has the same fixed aperture, but its focus range starts at three meters (9.8 feet). The lens barrels are constructed of anodized aluminum in all three cases, while the “glass” is an optical-grade polymer.

The vignette is the only other difference between the three lenses besides their lengths and weights. While the LightLeak 28mm and 50mm lenses don’t have any noted vignette, the ultra-wide 16mm lens has corner darkening whether the light leak is open or closed. When it’s closed, corners are one to 1.5 stops darker. When the light leak is open, the vignette is reduced to 0.75 tone stopop.

Three camera lenses placed side by side, arranged by size from left to right: a 16mm wide-angle lens, a 28mm medium lens, and a 50mm standard lens. All lenses are in a brownish metallic finish with black focusing rings and yellow focal length numbers.

Sample Images

A person wearing a cap, white tank top, and black pants is sitting on the ground with legs spread out, leaning back on their hands. Their skateboard is lying in front of them. The person is in sunlight while the surroundings are in shadow.

Two people carrying surfboards walk toward a rocky beach with waves crashing in the background. The shoreline is framed by a coastal cliff on the right and plants in the foreground. The sky is clear, and the scene exudes a tranquil, adventurous vibe.

A beach scene with gentle waves breaking near the shore. Several surfers are in the water, awaiting or riding waves. In the foreground, a cluster of tall palm trees stands on a sandy beach, where a few people can be seen walking near the water's edge.

A woman wearing a bikini relaxes on a rock by a stream, with her right arm shielding her eyes and her left hand resting on her stomach. Sunlight illuminates her body while the water flows gently nearby.

Two people wearing rain jackets and scarves are smiling and facing each other on a misty beach. The person on the left is in a dark green jacket and the person on the right is in a light green jacket. The background features a foggy shoreline and distant hills.

Two surfers carrying longboards wade into the ocean from a sandy beach under overcast skies. The beach has small waves approaching the shore, and the image has a greenish-blue tint. The scene captures an early morning or late afternoon surf session.

Pricing and Availability

The LightLeak lenses are available for $130 each, regardless of the focal length and lens mount. Again, they’re available in 16mm, 28mm, and 50mm focal lengths for E, RF, X, and Z mount cameras. They are full-frame lenses, so the equivalent focal lengths will be longer when using an APS-C camera, such as any Fujifilm X Series body. PolarPro also offers all three new LightLeak lenses in a bundle for $350, a $40 savings.

Image credits: PolarPro