Last Updated on 04/28/2025 by Nilofer Khan
Film photographers have often been threatened by the rising prices of rolls today. Analog photography, after all, is not what it used to be before. Yet, that does not deter some people from venturing into the film genre, with many using the medium for their personal projects or to have a change of pace in their creative journey. In fact, to help photographers, we also created articles on choosing the best film cameras to film emulsions based on their needs. As we navigate through analog photography, we also like to share some good news. A new film emulsion is on its way, and this could be just the thing any film photographer needs.
All images in the article are screenshots from Light Lens Lab’s webpage.
According to Mirrorless Rumors, Light Lens Lab, an optical equipment company, is now working to create photography and cinematic film emulsions. The company was founded in 2018 by Mr. Zhou in Shangrao, China, and they have since then gained a reputation for making high-quality lenses. As part of their Lunar New Year celebration, the company has announced that they are now venturing into creating films for their new lineup. This means they are already in the research and development phase.
Light Lens Lab has also worked on the first set of tests from their new series, which appear quite promising. The initial film emulsion is their black-and-white T-Grain silver halide structure with ISO speeds ranging from 100 to 1600. , which is important to their development progress. The organization has conducted a test shoot with the vintage Seagull Upgrade Project TLR Camera, and the results appear quite magical. However, this time, they have used an antihalation layer, but from here on, they will incorporate it in the future. Here is a look at the results:
In addition to the black-and-white film emulsion, other films include C-41, E-6, Instant Peel-Apart Film, and ECN-2, which are designed for cinematographic use. While this is just the start, Light Lens Lab aims to produce new formats, the details of which will be revealed over the next few months.
Furthermore, the creation of these films will be with the help of a proprietary machine and emulsion process developed by the company itself, which will give them the freedom they need. The lineup will also come under a separate brand name, which will be unveiled in future updates.
Honestly, this seems like a good initiative, as it will give photographers more variety to choose from. Moreover, there are two different things that can make this venture more successful: quality and pricing. Since Light Lens Lab has already received positive reviews about their recreated lenses, there is a chance they will be able to do justice to the film production, too. One must keep in mind while they are pushing boundaries, the introduction of a Chinese brand in a largely Western-dominated field could be helpful. For instance, if we remember the third-party lens industry boom, we know how much of a difference the Chinese lens manufacturers actually made. Moreover, the cost was far better than what the Japanese lens makers were offering. Similarly, Light Lab Lens could give us a good product, which may be priced slightly lower than what Kodak, Ilford, or Fujifilm have been providing.
In addition, having complete control over their production also means they will be able to actively listen to the feedback of the users and improve the product as needed. For now, we wait to see Light Lens Lab’s further strategy. Maybe they carve out a niche that is pushing boundaries.