Far from all lenses are about perfection and clinical sharpness. Some are about feeling and heritage. The Light Lens Lab Z21 50mm f/1.5 is one of those lenses. Inspired by one of the most distinctive fast fifties of the 20th century, it blends mid-century optical magic with modern precision and reliability. It’s a lens that is so fun to use, that it gets kind of addictive.
It’s been a while since I last did a review on the site. Actually all the way back to the massive GFX100RF review. That project was so massive for me, that I really needed to take a break from it all. Knowing that at some point I would want to do some more writing again. And here we are. Over the past several months, I’ve shot the Z21 on some very different cameras — the Leica MP240 and M9, the Konica Hexar RF (loaded with various film stocks), and adapted to the Fujifilm GFX50R. Each pairing revealing a different side of its personality.
On digital, it’s warm and moody. On film, it’s pure emotion. And on the GFX, it becomes something entirely new.
This isn’t a lens for charts or MTF graphs.
It’s a lens for feeling.
Before we get going, let me post my usual disclaimers for good measure.
Disclaimer 1: I was not paid, nor asked to make this post by Light Lens Lab. All opinions expressed in this article are my own.
Disclaimer 2: All images of, and from this lens have been taken by me and is not to be used or redistributed without my prior consent.
About Light Lens Lab
If you’ve spent any time around modern rangefinder shooters, you’ve probably heard whispers of Light Lens Lab. A small optical workshop based in China, and founded by Mr. Zhou – LLL has built a devoted following by reviving long-lost classic lens designs— not as replicas, but as faithful, working recreations. Their process is closer to “optical archaeology” than mass production. Each lens begins with months, and even years of research, reverse-engineering, and material testing. LLL sources or even fabricates period-correct optical glass types, including rare high-refractive lanthanide elements that most modern makers have abandoned.
Their goal is simple: keep the character and soul of these vintage optics alive, while ensuring they perform with the reliability of modern manufacture.
They build their own tooling, grind their own elements, and hand-assemble each lens in small batches. Coatings are tailored to emulate the flare, reflection, and spectral character of the original.
The result is not a copy — it’s a continuation.
Among rangefinder users, LLL has earned a cult following with lenses like the 8-element 35 mm f/2 Summicron replica, the 50 mm f/1.2 “Noctilux”, and the latest offering the Double Aspherical 35mm f/1.4 Summilux replica — each a faithful resurrection of a bygone optical philosophy.
The Z21 50 mm f/1.5 represents one of their most ambitious undertakings yet: the recreation of a 1950s French masterpiece whose soul was cinematic long before the word became fashionable.
The Original: Angénieux Type S21
To appreciate the Z21, you must first know its origin — the Angénieux Type S21 50 mm f/1.5, designed in France in the early 1950s by Pierre Angénieux (1907–1998).
Angénieux was one of the true visionaries of optical design. Trained at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers, he founded Société Pierre Angénieux in 1935, in Saint-Héand, near Saint-Étienne.
While Germany was then the epicenter of lens innovation — with Leitz, Zeiss, and Schneider setting the tone — Angénieux took a different path. He sought not just technical perfection but an emotional, pictorial rendering of light.
His lenses were known for their depth, tonal richness, and cinematic flare. In cinema, he pioneered retrofocus wide-angle and zoom designs that transformed filmmaking forever. By the 1960s, NASA had chosen Angénieux lenses for lunar missions.
The Type S21 50 mm f/1.5 was one of his earliest and most expressive designs — a fast double-Gauss formula with a twist. It was built during a period when photographers demanded both speed and artistry, and Angénieux answered with glass that could paint light rather than merely describe it.
The S21 was known for its:
- Pronounced optical vignetting, which produced the signature swirl.
- Delicate spherical aberration glow at wide apertures.
- Creamy, cinematic tonality, unlike the cooler, contrasty German lenses of its time.
Today, original S21s are almost mythical — rare, expensive, and often fogged with age. Which makes Light Lens Lab’s recreation so remarkable. The Z21 is a living homage to Pierre Angénieux’s genius.
Build and Feel
The Z21 is quite exquisitely made — and noticeably distinct from LLL’s usual heavy brass designs.
Its body is crafted from high-grade aluminum, and the first thing you notice while pulling it from it’s very nicely designed box and leather pouch is that its coated in a glossy enamel-like finish that echoes the French originals. It’s light yet solid, elegant yet mechanical. A very unique appearance that you don’t come across very often.
The front and back bodycaps are made from shiny milled aluminum and frankly looks the best I’ver seen such accessories look. Pure high class.
The engraving is deep and crisp, filled with enamel paint and the focus ring glides with precise resistance. Beautiful! The focus ring has a long, damped throw — perfect for precise focusing at f/1.5 — and the aperture ring clicks softly, but firmly at full stop increments.
It feels deliberate, analog, alive.
On the Leica M bodies, the balance is absolutely perfect. On the Konica Hexar RF, it feels like a vintage lens reborn. And adapted to the Fujifilm GFX50R, it looks a bit silly but the devil is in the corners so to speak. Cause this lens covers the full GFX sensor. But more on that a little later.
The weight is kept very low at only 313 grams because of the aluminum construction. Something that makes varying it around all day much nicer than the bigger chunkier pieces of brass that is usually present in the Leica M series lens catalogue.
Tech specs
Optical formula: 6 elements in 4 groups — faithful to the Angénieux S21.
Aperture: 10-blade diaphragm (f/1.5 – f/22).
Minimum focus distance: 0.7 m.
Filter thread: E52 (52 mm).
Mount: Leica M bayonet.
Dimensions: Ø 60.7 mm × L 64.2 mm.
Weight: ≈ 313 g.
Coverage: Full frame (usable on 44 × 33 mm sensors).
Glass: Lanthanide-infused high-refractive optical glass, custom ground by LLL.
Finish: Gloss-painted aluminum with engraved markings.
Usage & Image Quality
Now this is where everything starts to get interesting – And let’s face it – important.
It’s where the Z21 begins to sing!
Wide open at f/1.5, the Z21 glows, and oozes with character. The center is crisp but never clinical; the edges melt into painterly gradients. Highlights bloom softly with that 50’s aesthetics, and the midtones carry that cinematic, low-contrast depth that Angénieux lenses were known for.
Stopped down from f/4 and onwards you loose a lot of the character of this lens, and it sharpens up considerably, as well as looses its glow and distinct oof rendering.
Wide open, the swirl is unmistakable.
It’s not an accident — it’s the product of optical vignetting, carefully replicated by LLL from original blueprints. The background curves gently around the subject, giving portraits an almost three-dimensional motion, when you center the subject mid frame. This effect becomes more pronounced as you mount it onto the GFX to further render those far corners.
There are definitely more swirly lenses out there, but this one has just the right amount without it looking too much.
On the Leica, tones are warm and moody, with amber hues and soft transitions. When used on digital bodies, the rendering remains cohesive — a reminder that character and resolution are not the same thing.
On film, it’s AMAZING! — especially in black and white, where its subtle glow adds texture and soul. – This is where I found this lens to be at its very best – On the film medium. For film shooters around the world considering a fast character fifty, this is the one to get.
I tried it on various film stock. Kodak ColorPlus 200, Ilford XP2, Ilford HP5 and Harman Phoenix II. Obviously the film stock contributes most of the character of tonal rendering etc, but combined with the Z21 lens characteristics it’s a complete package!
On the Fujifilm GFX50R, it’s something else entirely — dramatic fall-off, abstract edges, and a dreamlike quality that turns digital precision into art. It pairs very well with the modern Fujifilm digital color science, and you get even more swirl since that gets more pronounced as you move closer to the edges.
The vignette on the GFX sensor is only slight, and can easily be corrected. – And with a lens like this mounted on 44x33mm sensors you get a full frame eq of 40mm f/1,2 – It looks amazing!
The Z21 isn’t a “fast fifty” for convenience — it’s a deliberate instrument. It slows you down. It asks for focus, for awareness. At f/1.5, depth of field is razor-thin, but what lives in that plane is luminous. Flare is gentle, and never harsh. The lens rewards backlight, embracing glow rather than fighting it. Contrast is moderate, making it perfect for monochrome or cinematic color grading.
It renders with a ton of imperfection — the kind of gentle aberrations and errors that you either love or hate! – I personally love them ( I think this review shows that)
The glow, the swirl, the fall-off — they come together to form a complete atmosphere.
Final thoughts
I think it’s worth noting just how far Light Lens Lab has come. What began as a niche workshop is now an independent optical house capable of producing everything in-house: glass melting, element grinding, coating, machining, and assembly.
They design with respect — not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, but as an act of preservation. Each lens revives not only the look, but the intent of its original designer.
The Light Lens Lab Z21 50 mm f/1.5 isn’t a technical lens — it’s an emotional one.
It brings the spirit of Pierre Angénieux’s artistry into the present with authenticity and respect. It invites you to photograph not just what’s in front of you, but what it feels like. And it’s quite addictive!
I love how different the feeling of the lens is when switching sensor sizes, sensor types and when going into film photography. It really is something really unique.
And for those of us who cannot afford the obscene prices of an original S21 this alternative might even 1-up the original for a fraction of the cost.
Well done Light Lens Lab!
You can buy the Z21 by going to LightLensLab.com HERE
Sample images
All digital samples have been shot on the Leica M240 and M9 or the Fujifilm GFX50R with the Light Lens Lab Z21 50mm f/1.5 lens. They are RAF or DNG files that I have processed to my liking in Lightroom.
All analogue film images have been captured using my Konica Hexar RF and scanned on a Cancan 9000F mk2 through Silverfast and into Lightroom for cropping and small contrast adjustments. The films were home developed using Cinestill CS41 kit and ADOX Rodinal
Digital images
Analogue film images
Beautiful review, as always. I saw the post and was pleased – most pleased of all because I generally don’t favor manual-focus lenses, and at a glance I thought this would not fit my Fuji GFX camera. I thought I was safe, I could just read the review and not worry that I’d be tempted to purchase it. Yet I read your experience, saw your images, and came away still wanting to buy one. I won’t (I think) but I still want one.
Marvelous article, very well presented. Thanks for sharing this.
Mybe I missed it somewhere in the review but what about focus shift, kind of you get from Sonnar 50/1,5 ?