Light Lens Lab's 300mm f/1.9 Apo could be the wildest lens of the year

Light Lens Lab (LLL) has announced that it's developing a 300mm f/1.9 Apo telephoto lens – and yes, it's just as wild as it sounds. Not only does this optical beast promise an incredibly fast aperture at this focal length, but it's also designed to cover the sensors of medium format cameras!

A 300mm lens with an f/1.9 aperture has been nearly unheard of outside military optics or prototype designs. Combine that with apochromatic (Apo) correction – minimizing chromatic aberrations – and you've got something that could be a genuine optical landmark. As shared by trusted site Photo Rumors, LLL is working hard to get this telephoto lens on the market.

For context, most 300mm prime lenses max out at f/2.8 – and even those are massive, expensive and limited to full-frame coverage. Lenses like the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM or the Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II (there's no alternative in Nikon's current Z-mount lineup) are fast, yes – but LLL is taking it a full stop faster – with precision color correction normally reserved for lab-grade Apo glass.

As mentioned, this new LLL lens is being built to cover medium format sensors – the kind found in 100MP cameras like the Fujifilm GFX 100 II or Hasselblad X2D II. That means edge-to-edge performance, on some of the largest digital sensors available today.

LLL 300mm f/1.9 Apo key specs (so far)

Focal length: 300mm
Aperture: f/1.9
Image circle: Covers medium format
Optical design: Apo (Apochromatic)
Mounts: TBC (likely LPL, PL or adaptable)
Focus: Manual (expected, but might be LLL's first AF lens)
Release Date: TBC
Price: TBC

LLL is known for its meticulously crafted manual-focus lenses, built with mechanical precision, optical quality, and manual operation. The company has never produced an AF (autofocus) lens and, unless we see a major shift in engineering capabilities, the 300mm f/1.9 is expected to be manual focus only.

That alone places it outside the realm of fast-paced sports or wildlife photography, where lenses like the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS, or Canon's upcoming RF 300mm f/2.8 make more practical sense. But for fine-art, portrait, fashion and astro shooters, this lens could be a once-in-a-generation tool.

The LLL 300mm f/1.9 Apo is one of the boldest lens announcements this year. With an ultra-fast f/1.9 aperture, apochromatic correction and medium format coverage, it's expected to be a serious piece of optical engineering. If it performs as promised, it may become a modern classic.

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