This Beautiful 50mm f/1.1 Lens Is Based On An Ultra-Rare ‘Masterpiece’
Shoten Kobo Co., Ltd. announced a very fast, extremely limited new lens based on a classic and very rare pre-war vintage cinema lens, the Hugo Meyer Kino Plasmat 5cm f/1.5.
As reported by CAPA Camera Web, this inspired new lens is called the Lailens LTM 50mm f/1.1 KP. Shoten Kobo has attempted to recapture the classic, dreamy rendering of the Hugo Meyer Kino Plasmat 5cm, or 50mm, f/1.5 lens by effectively recreating its optical design and materials.
“The Lailens LTM 50mm f1.1 KP is an ultra-large aperture lens inspired by the dreamy rendering of the pre-war German masterpiece, the Kino Plasmat 5cm f/1.5,” Shoten Kobo explains.
This is far from the first time a company has recreated a rare vintage lens, and it won’t be the last. In this case, part of the objective is to make a rare, beloved lens more accessible, at least in spirit.
While the new Lailens LTM 50mm f/1.1 KP is limited to just 70 units worldwide, which will surely reduce its reach, it is priced at just 138,000 yen, which is around $840 at current exchange rates. The lens it is based on is much pricier. Way back during the 19th Leitz Photographica Auction, one of these lenses sold for 10,800 euros, or nearly $12,300. That was way back in 2011, so it’s a safe bet the price today would be significantly higher.
Interestingly, Shoten Kobo started this project because it was commissioned by an individual to try, and then ultimately wound up making 70 of them. The company promises that at its widest aperture of f/1.1, the new lens delivers a “fantastical atmosphere and soft, oil-painting-like rendering.”
Despite its ultra-fast aperture, the lens is not that big, measuring just 44.5 millimeters (1.75 inches) long. The lens weighs about 308 grams (10.9 ounces) and has a 52mm front filter thread.
As expected, it is a manual focus lens. The minimum focusing distance is 0.5 meters, although with rangefinder coupling, it will be 0.7 or 0.9 meters depending on the camera used.
Shoten Kobo doesn’t precisely describe the optical design, only noting that it delivers dreamy, almost blurry images when shot wide open. The company does say that it has a 13-bladed aperture, though. As the sample images below show, the lens certainly lives up to its soft billing.
Sample Photos
Pricing and Availability
The Shoten Kobo Lailens LTM 50mm f/1.1 KP lens is available now for 138,000 yen directly through the manufacturer. The lens covers a full-frame area and is natively available in Leica M-Mount. However, it ships with an L39 adapter ring.
Image creditsShoten Kobo
