L.O.M.O.

Born in Soviet-Era Russia, these 1980s cinema lenses are characterized by their soft focus falloff, distinct rainbow flares, low contrast, and blooming highlights when shot wide open. At T2.8 you get less blooming and impressive sharpness. No matter the stop, these look straight up cinematic.

The original housing was tough to use. A spinning aperture ring on the front of the lens made using a matte box tricky and the focus was stiff. Now, the GL Optics rehouse transformed these from vintage oddities to optimal cinema lenses.

If you’re a fan of the Cooke Speed Panchros or Zeiss Super Speeds, you’ll love these.