Thypoch’s tiny new 28mm pancake lens brings 1950s charm to Leica M cameras

Thypoch Eureka 28mm f/2.8 now in Leica M-mount — (Image credit: Thypoch)

Thypoch has leaned beautifully into the romance of classic lens design with the Eureka 28mm f/2.8, a new manual focus wide-angle pancake lens inspired by the compact optics of the 1950s.

In a market increasingly filled with larger, heavier, more clinically perfect lenses, the Eureka takes a more nostalgic route, offering photographers something small, tactile, and refreshingly simple. It is available now in silver, black, or white colorways, priced at $459 at B&H, or £329 direct from Thypoch.

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The headline here is its size. Protruding just one inch from the camera body, the Eureka 28mm f/2.8 is designed to be genuinely pocketable, making it an easy everyday companion for street photography, travel, interiors, landscapes, and daily documentary work. The 28mm focal length has long been a favorite among photographers who want a wider view without things feeling too extreme, and it gives this lens a pleasingly versatile character for those who like to move through the world with a camera always close to hand.

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But this is not just a lens built to look pretty on a camera. Thypoch has given the Eureka a full brass construction, offering the reassuring, mechanical feel that many photographers still crave. Better still, that brass body should develop its own patina over time, meaning the lens will age with use rather than simply wear out visually. For photographers who enjoy gear with personality, that alone gives the Eureka plenty of charm.

Optically, the Eureka 28mm f/2.8 attempts to balance vintage spirit with modern expectations. Its f/2.8 maximum aperture makes it useful in lower-light situations, from nighttime street scenes to concerts and indoor environments, while still offering enough depth-of-field control for environmental portraits and detail shots. A minimum focusing distance of 15.7 inches also adds creative flexibility, letting photographers get closer to subjects than you might expect from such a compact wide-angle lens.

Inside, Thypoch has used one aspherical element, three HRI elements, and a multicoated front element to help deliver sharp, accurate images with low distortion and natural color rendering.

There is also distortion correction to help keep horizontal and vertical lines in check, which should make the lens particularly appealing for interiors, architecture, and travel shooting. Add in its metal barrel and intuitive focus lever, and the Eureka 28mm f/2.8 looks like a lens made for photographers who want character, portability, and a little old-school magic in their everyday kit.

See our review of the earlier Thypoch Simera 28mm f/1.4

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For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and holds a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since his film days using a Nikon F5. He saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still, to this day, the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, the British Equestrian Writers' Association.

He is familiar with and shows great interest in 35mm, medium, and large-format photography, using products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2, shooting Street/Documentary photography as he sees it, usually in Black and White.