Back in 2014, I was one of the first reviewers of the Lomography Petzval lenses. They had quirks and charm — as Lomography marketing reps like to say. I, instead, called them annoyances. But at the same time, I couldn’t quiet the whispers coming from my heart. The lens was clad in brass, with smooth-feeling knobs, and gave me image quality that I still admire to this day. Truly, some of my best portraits from 2014 were shot with that lens. Quite literally, I had to stop myself for a little while before continuing to write this paragraph to say out loud, “God, Olivia was so beautiful.” Combined with the output that the lens gave me, I could stare at the image we made together in Brooklyn’s Park Slope for hours. Fast forward to 2025, and the Lomography Joseph Petzval 80.5mm f1.9 is in my office for a loaner period with the 35mm f2 on its way to me after a purchase. Let me tell you something: this is by far, Lomography’s best work yet.
