Which Vintage Lens Maker Does What?
Revival Brands (Historical Names Resurrected)
These companies reissue or modernize classic optical formulas, often using the original brand.
Meyer-Optik Görlitz (Germany)
Signature lines: Trioplan (soap-bubble bokeh), Primoplan (creamy swirl), Lydith, Orestor
Mounts: Canon EF/RF, Nikon F/Z, Sony E, Fuji X, MFT (varies by lens)
Aesthetic/handling: All-metal builds with classic engravings; modern mechanics
Rendering: High character: bubble bokeh, glow, gentle contrast; modern coatings tame flare a bit while keeping “Meyer look.”
Specializing now: Faithful re-creations/modernizations of historic Meyer formulas; most famous for the Trioplan 50/2.8 II & 100/2.8 II.
Vintage analogs: The original Trioplan and Primoplan families (1930s–60s).
Website: Meyer-Optik-Goerlitz.com
TTArtisan (China)
Signature lines: M-mount 50 mm f/0.95, classic 28 mm f/5.6 “pancake” aesthetic; many creative fast primes across mounts
Mounts: Leica M + mirrorless (E/RF/Z/L/X/M43) depending on lens
Aesthetic/handling: Retro cosmetics on selected lenses; clicked apertures; solid metal barrels
Rendering: From clinical to “vintage-leaning” (lower micro-contrast, glow wide open) depending on lens; bokeh-forward designs (e.g., 50/0.95)
Specializing now: Affordable, fast manuals that echo Leica/Sonnar/Planar era ergonomics and look without being 1:1 replicas.
Vintage analogs: Pre-ASPH Leica and Sonnar-style signatures on select models.
Website: Ttartisan.com
7artisans (China)
Signature lines: Budget-friendly manuals (full-frame & APS-C) plus compact cine primes
Mounts: E/RF/Z/L/X/M43 (lens-dependent)
Aesthetic/handling: Simple metal shells; some models styled with retro cues
Rendering: Often “classic-ish” with softer contrast and pleasant fall-off; some designs nod to Sonnar/Planar ideas; cine sets tuned for gentle roll-off
Specializing now: Accessible character glass for everyday shooting and video, with increased coverage of compact wides and tiny pancakes.
Vintage analogs: 1970s-90s third-party manuals; Sonnar-like bokeh on some 50s.
Website: 7artisans.store
Thypoch (China)
Signature line: Simera 21/1.4, 28/1.4, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 75/1.4; Eureka portrait series
Mounts: Leica M (native), Nikon Z & Sony E (native on newer releases/adapters available)
Aesthetic/handling: 1950s–60s Leica-style engravings; click/de-click aperture; long, buttery focus throws
Rendering: Filmic contrast, smooth transition, gentle vignetting; center sharp with character at edges wide open
Specializing now: Modern production with vintage M-era ergonomics and look at accessible prices
Vintage analogs: Early Leica Summilux/Summaron vibe (not clones)
Website: Thypoch.com
Light Lens Lab (China)
Signature lines: LLL 35 mm f/2 “Eight-Element,” 50 mm f/2 “Rigid / SP-II,” 50 mm f/1.2 “1966,” 28 mm f/2.8 “Nine-Element”
Mounts: Leica M/LTM (with adapters to mirrorless)
Aesthetic/handling: Faithful cosmetic recreations (brass, classic knurling/engraving); period-style coatings available
Rendering: Purposefully period-correct: classic spherical aberration glow wide open, gentle micro-contrast, vintage bokeh textures
Specializing now: High-fidelity recreations of historically important Leica-era optics (mechanics + optics), built in small batches
Vintage analogs: Leica 35/2 v1 “8-element,” 50/2 Rigid/DR era, early 50/1.2 designs
Website: Lightlenslab.com
Zenit / KMZ (Russia)
Signature lines: Helios-40-2 85/1.5 (swirl-bokeh icon), Zenitar manuals
Mounts: Canon EF, Nikon F, M42; some mirrorless options via adapters
Aesthetic/handling: Classic Soviet styling; solid metal builds
Rendering: Strong character—swirl, cat-eye bokeh, glow wide open; portrait-centric look that’s deliberately “imperfect”
Specializing now: Reissues/updates of USSR-era designs, especially Helios; selective new Zenitar primes
Vintage analogs: Original Helios 40 family; Zenitar portraits and wides
Website: Zenit.photo
Lomography (Austria, with KMZ partnerships)
Signature lines: Petzval 55/1.7 & 85/2.2, Daguerreotype Achromat 64/2.9, experimental Art Lenses
Mounts: Canon EF/RF, Nikon F/Z, Sony E (varies per lens)
Aesthetic/handling: Nostalgic brass finishes; Waterhouse stops on some; show-piece industrial design
Rendering: Ultra-expressive: pronounced swirl, field curvature, painterly glow, or achromat softness; creative bokeh plates
Specializing now: Modern re-imaginations of 19th-century optics for artistic effects on digital/film
Vintage analogs: Petzval portrait lenses (1840s lineage), early achromat “soft focus” lenses
Website: Lomography Art Lenses hub.
About “Carl Zeiss Jena” today (clarification)
There isn’t an official new CZJ still-photo line being manufactured under a revived company brand for consumers. Instead, classic CZJ optics are being rehoused for cinema by firms like IronGlass and Whitepoint Optics (keeping the original glass, new mechanics). At the same time, Light Lens Lab (above) recreates historically significant Leica-era designs—not CZJ itself. If you want the CZJ look today, the realistic routes are rehousing or vintage originals.
Boutique & Artisan Makers
MS-Optics (Miyazaki Sadayasu, Japan)
Signature lines: Sonnetar 50/1.1, Aporis 135/2.4, Perar 24/4 — ultra-compact, eccentric Leica-mount designs
Mounts: Leica M/LTM (adaptable to mirrorless)
Aesthetic/handling: Featherweight brass/aluminum, tiny focus throws; hand-built in small runs
Rendering: Deliberately “imperfect”: wide-open glow, swirly bokeh, strong character; sharp stopped down
Specializing now: Handmade, one-person atelier lenses that channel pre-ASPH rangefinder charm
Vintage analogs: Classic Sonnar-inspired fast fifties and pre-war compact rangefinder lenses
Info & dealers: Japan Exposures / MK Direct (JP) Japan Camera Hunter
Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics (UK)
Signature work: Restorations & conversions (e.g., Sonnar, Summarit), limited-run designs (e.g., Bertele-inspired 50/2 project)
Mounts: Leica M/LTM rehousings; custom work for others
Aesthetic/handling: Meticulous mechanical rehousing with classic exterior cues; rangefinder coupling where applicable
Rendering: Keeps (or sympathetically tunes) the original vintage signature — Sonnar glow, gentle contrast, distinctive bokeh
Specializing now: Repair, RF-coupled conversions, small-batch “heritage-look” optics and parts
Website: Skyllaney.com
Funleader (China)
Signature lines: CAPLENS 18 mm f/8 “zone-focus pancake”; Artizlab Classic 35/1.4 (M-mount)
Mounts: Mirrorless mounts for CAPLENS; Leica M for Artizlab 35; various accessories/conversions
Aesthetic/handling: Ultra-slim, fixed-focus or minimal-focus pancakes; retro styling on M-mount offerings
Rendering: Street-camera vibe — high vignetting, bold perspective, simple optics for a candid, “film compact” look
Specializing now: Playful, minimalist lenses that emulate disposable/zone-focus and 1980s compact-camera feel
Website: Myfunleader.com (see CAPLENS page)
Mr. Ding Studio (China)
Signature lines: Noxlux 50/1.1 (M-mount), Cookie 18/8 “ultra-thin” focusable pancake; Contax-G→Leica-M conversion kits
Mounts: Leica M (native on key lenses), plus accessories/conversions; adaptable to mirrorless
Aesthetic/handling: Retro-inspired cosmetics; brass/metal builds; tactile aperture/focus feel.
Rendering: Vintage-leaning at wide apertures (glow, gentle contrast), more modern when stopped down
Specializing now: Affordable M-mount character lenses and high-quality conversion hardware that brings classic Contax-G optics into RF use
Website: Mrdingstudio.com
Pergear (house-brand line, China)
Signature lines: Pergear 35/1.4, 60/2.8 Macro 2×, 14/2.8 II — budget manual primes with a classic rendering bias
Mounts: E/RF/Z/L/X/M43 (lens-dependent)
Aesthetic/handling: Compact metal barrels, simple aperture rings, no electronics
Rendering: Lower micro-contrast and gentle roll-off on many models — a “vintage-ish” vibe out of camera
Specializing now: Value-priced character primes and macros sold directly via Pergear’s store
Website: Pergear.com (lens collection)
Meike (China) — stills & cine with a classic slant
Signature lines: Manual APS-C/FF primes (stills) and complete cine sets (T-stops) with vintage-leaning roll-off
Mounts: E/RF/Z/L/X/M43, plus PL/EF for cine
Aesthetic/handling: Simple metal shells; cine lenses with traditional focus/iris gears
Rendering: Smooth focus transitions, moderate contrast; cine sets tuned for a gentle, vintage-friendly look
Specializing now: Affordable cine primes and character-leaning stills lenses for creators
Website: Meikeglobal.com
Modern Manufacturers with Vintage Rendering Options
Voigtländer (by Cosina, Japan — heritage revival since 1999)
Signature lines: Nokton, Heliar, Ultron, Color-Skopar (modern optics, classic ergonomics)
Mounts: Leica M/VM, Nikon Z (native manuals), Sony E (with contacts), Micro Four Thirds, L-mount (select)
Aesthetic/handling: All-metal, knurled rings, classic engravings; “decelerated” manual focus feel
Rendering: Filmic micro-contrast with modern sharpness; some lenses intentionally echo vintage signatures (e.g., classic Heliar/Ultron look)
Specializing now: High-quality manual lenses that channel historical Voigtländer designs while meeting digital-era performance
Vintage analogs: Classic Heliar/Ultron/Nokton families from the mid-20th century
Website: Cosina.co.jp/voigtlander / Voigtlaender.de
Leica (Germany) — “Classic Line” reissues & heritage specials
Signature lines: Summaron-M 28/5.6 (1950s formula, modern mount), Noctilux-M 50/1.2 ASPH (reissue), Summilux-M 35/1.4 “Steel Rim”
Mounts: Leica M (adaptable to mirrorless)
Aesthetic/handling: Faithful vintage cosmetics (engraving, hood styles), 6-bit coding; premium mechanics
Rendering: Purposefully classic character—vignetting, flare behavior, glow at wide apertures—yet sharp stopped down
Specializing now: Select re-creations with near-original optical calculations and modern production tolerances
Vintage analogs: Original 1955–63 Summaron 28/5.6; 1966–75 Noctilux 50/1.2; 1961 Summilux 35 “Steel Rim”
Website: Leica: Summaron 28/5.6; Noctilux-M 50/1.2; Summilux-M 35 “Steel Rim”.
Nikon — Z-mount “SE” (Special Edition) primes
Signature lines: Z 28mm f/2.8 SE, Z 40mm f/2 SE (retro cosmetics to match Z fc)
Mounts: Nikon Z (FX/DX)
Aesthetic/handling: Classic 1970s-style knurling/silver band; compact, lightweight
Rendering: Modern optics but friendly contrast/OOF transitions—pleasant “film-era” vibe with AF convenience
Specializing now: Affordable, retro-styled everyday primes that look like AI-S glass, work like modern NIKKORs
Vintage analogs: AI-S era 28/2.8 and 50/2-ish handling/looks
Website: Nikon USA/Global.
Pentax — FA Limited trio (film-era icons, still in production)
Signature lines: FA 31/1.8, FA 43/1.9, FA 77/1.8
Mounts: Pentax K (full-frame/APS-C)
Aesthetic/handling: Compact metal builds, aperture rings, distance scales; tactile MF feel with AF convenience
Rendering: Lush micro-contrast, rounded highlights, gentle fall-off—“film-era” drawing prized for portraits & reportage
Specializing now: Preserving the Limited-series look/feel with updated coatings (HD versions)
Vintage analogs: 1990s FA Limited heritage tuned for modern sensors
Website: Ricoh Imaging’s FA/D-FA/DA Limited special site.
ZEISS — Loxia (manual E-mount with classic MF ergonomics)
Signature lines: Loxia 35/2, Loxia 50/2 Planar, Loxia 85/2.4
Mounts: Sony E (full-frame)
Aesthetic/handling: All-metal, de-clickable aperture, long focus throws—cine-friendly and retro in operation.
Rendering: Modern Zeiss correction with a more “organic” MF workflow; Planar-style 50/2 has that classic Zeiss pop.
Specializing now: Manual focus, compact primes for mirrorless that feel like adapted classics but are purpose-built for E-mount
Vintage analogs: Planar/Sonnar lineage in a modern shell
Website: ZEISS Loxia overview.
Laowa (Venus Optics) — Argus ultra-fast series with “romantic” rendering
Signature lines: Argus 35/0.95 FF, Argus 45/0.95 FF (+ APS-C/MFT 0.95s)
Mounts: E/RF/Z/L/EF/FE (lens-dependent)
Aesthetic/handling: Solid manuals; long throws; minimal electronics
Rendering: Low-light monsters with cinematic, slightly vintage-leaning glow wide open; cleaner by f/1.4–f/2
Specializing now: Creative primes (macro, ultra-wides, shift) + Argus line for classic, shallow-DOF character
Vintage analogs: Fast 1960s/70s normals reimagined (Noct/Nikkor/Canon dream-lenses territory)
Website: Venus Optics.
Fujifilm — XF 35mm f/1.4 R (modern classic with filmic draw)
Signature line: XF 35/1.4 R (2012-) — a cult classic in X-mount
Mounts: Fujifilm X (APS-C)
Aesthetic/handling: Aperture ring, compact metal barrel; classic Fuji tactile feel
Rendering: Beloved for its “organic” contrast, gentle fall-off, and flattering bokeh—many shooters call it the most “film-like” XF prime
Specializing now: Not a reissue—just a modern lens with a uniquely vintage-leaning rendering that endured
Vintage analogs: Classic fast 50s on film (52mm-eq FoV)
Website: Fujifilm official “X” page.
Creative & Specialty Lens Makers
Lensbaby (USA) — Selective-Focus Creativity Since 2004
Signature lines: Velvet 56 / 85 mm, Twist 60, Sweet 35 / 50 / 80, Edge 35 / 50, Omni Filter System
Mounts: Canon RF/EF, Nikon F/Z, Sony E, Fuji X, Micro 4/3, PL (cine)
Aesthetic/handling: Modular design — swappable optics with tilt housings; modern production, playful ergonomics
Rendering: Intentional blur, central sharpness, edge swirl, or glow depending on optic; Velvet line gives vintage “dream lens” diffusion
Specializing now: Contemporary creative lenses recreating analog effects without post-processing
Vintage analogs: Soft-focus portrait lenses (Cooke, Wollensak Velostigmat) and toy-camera lenses
Website: LensBaby
Funleader (China) — Zone-Focus Street Simplicity
Signature lines: CAPLENS 18 mm f/8 II (fixed-focus “pancake”), Classic 35 mm f/1.4 Artizlab (M-mount)
Mounts: Sony E, Fuji X, Nikon Z, Canon RF, Leica M
Aesthetic/handling: Super-compact metal pancakes; fixed or minimal focus; retro industrial vibe
Rendering: Sharp center, heavy vignetting, simple optical signature reminiscent of disposable film cameras or Lomo compacts
Specializing now: Playful, accessible lenses encouraging intuitive shooting and street spontaneity
Vintage analogs: 1980s zone-focus compacts (Olympus XA, Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim)
Website: Funleader
MiNT Camera (Hong Kong) — Modern Instant Cameras with Vintage Soul
Signature lines: InstantKon RF70 / SF70 (Instax Wide & Square rangefinders), SLR670 (SX-70 revival)
Mounts: Integrated instant-camera systems using Fuji Instax film
Aesthetic/handling: Retro rangefinder and SLR bodies built from metal and leatherette
Rendering: True instant-film aesthetic — optical design prioritizes contrast roll-off and soft tonal transitions
Specializing now: Reinventing Polaroid-style cameras with precision optics and manual control
Vintage analogs: Polaroid Land Camera 180, SX-70 Sonar
Website: MiNT Camera
Yongnuo YN Lens Art Series (China) — Character-Oriented AF Primes
Signature lines: YN 35 mm f/2 DF DSM, YN 50 mm f/1.8 S DF DSM II Art, YN 85 mm f/1.8 DF DSM Art
Mounts: Sony E, Nikon Z, Canon RF (expanding)
Aesthetic/handling: Plastic-metal hybrids with Art-Series engravings; compact modern form
Rendering: Softer contrast and gentle transitions compared with ultra-clinical contemporaries — a deliberate “classic” touch in AF form
Specializing now: Low-cost AF primes echoing older Canon EF and Nikon AF-D rendering
Vintage analogs: 1990s Canon EF / Nikon AF-D fast primes
Website: Yongnuo
SLR Magic (Hong Kong) — Cine & Stills with a Vintage Look
Signature lines: CINE 35 / 50 / 75 mm T1.5, HyperPrime 50 mm T0.95, Anamorphot 1.33×/2× adapters
Mounts: Sony E, Micro 4/3, PL, Canon EF (cine series)
Aesthetic/handling: Compact cine barrels with gears, matte finish, solid focus feel
Rendering: Low contrast, rich halation, controlled flares — the “Cooke Look” in budget form
Specializing now: Affordable creative-cinema optics for vintage-style rendering
Vintage analogs: Cooke Speed Panchros, Canon TV lenses
Website: SLR Magic
Dulens (China) — Cine Lenses with Classic Flare DNA
Signature lines: Dulens Mini Primes T2.4 (31/43/58/85 mm)
Mounts: PL / EF / E
Aesthetic/handling: Compact silver barrels; geared focus/iris; tactile throw
Rendering: Low contrast, pastel colors, flares modeled on vintage Zeiss Super Speed and Cooke Speed Panchro character
Specializing now: Affordable, color-matched vintage-look cine sets for digital cinema
Vintage analogs: Zeiss B-Speeds, Cooke Panchros II
Website: Dulens
IronGlass Adapters (Ukraine) — Vintage Rehousing and Cinema Conversions
Signature lines: Helios 44-2, Jupiter-9, MIR-1B, CZJ Flektogon rehousings
Mounts: PL / EF / E / RF
Aesthetic/handling: Fully-metal cine rehousings with unified gearing and focus scales
Rendering: Same Soviet-era optics—swirl, flare, glow—reborn for film crews
Specializing now: Preserving vintage optical signatures with modern mechanical precision for cinema use
Vintage analogs: Soviet Helios/Jupiter / MIR families
Website: IronGlass Adapters
Zero Optik (USA) — Cine Rehousing for Classics
Signature work: Vintage Zeiss / Leica / Canon FD / Nikon F rehousings for PL
Mounts: PL (cine)
Aesthetic/handling: Museum-grade precision housings; modern cine standardization
Rendering: True to original glass — faithful preservation of each lens’s vintage identity
Specializing now: Custom mechanical builds for cinema professionals and collectors
Vintage analogs: Many — Planar, Canon FD, Nikkor AI-S, etc.
Website: ZeroOptik
GL Optics (China/USA), incl. Professional Vintage Rehousing & Recreation
Signature work: Rehoused Contax Zeiss, Canon FD, Sigma Art series, etc.
Mounts: PL, EF (cinema)
Aesthetic/handling: Cine-grade steel housings; matched focus/iris; front 95 mm standard
Rendering: Keeps original lens character with cine-ready precision
Specializing now: Full cine rehousing and tuning for consistent vintage rendering across sets
Website: GLOptics
Cine Rehousers and Vintage Look Cinema Optics
Cooke Optics — Panchro/i Classic (vintage Speed Panchro look)
What it is: Modern full-frame and S35 re-creations of the classic Cooke Speed Panchros (1920s–60s) with /i lens-data and robust mechanics.
Why vintage-look: Lower contrast, gentle fall-off, flattering skin tones; the “Cooke Look” in a reliable, matched modern set.
Links: Cooke Optics
ZEISS — Supreme Prime Radiance & Radiance Zoom (controlled flare aesthetics)
What it is: Large-format primes and zooms based on Supreme designs, with a special T* blue coating that produces repeatable, controllable flares while maintaining contrast.
Why vintage-look: Warmer palette, graceful flare behavior without the unpredictability of old glass.
Links: Supreme Prime Radiance
Canon — Sumire Prime (softer, warmer “cinematic look”)
What it is: PL-mount full-frame cine primes with interchangeable mounts and intentionally gentle, warm rendering and smooth bokeh.
Why vintage-look: Softer micro-contrast and skin-tone friendly roll-off compared to Canon’s clinical CN-E primes.
Links: Canon Sumire Prime
Tribe7 — BLACKWING7 (tunable vintage character)
What it is: Hand-built, tunable large-format primes (T/T-stop, halation/flare tuned per set) offering distinct “S/T/X” character levels.
Why vintage-look: Purpose-designed to let DPs dial in flare, halation, and edge behavior reminiscent of various mid-century looks.
Links: Tribe, BLACKWING7
DZOFilm — Vespid Retro (modern affordability, vintage-inspired palette)
What it is: Full-frame cine set with retro color and flare tuning (coating and mechanics standardized across the set).
Why vintage-look: Consistent “classic” image character across focal lengths; pairs easily with modern workflows.
Links: DZOFilm
True Lens Services (TLS) — rehousing & conversions
What it is: UK specialist that rehouses vintage stills/cine optics (e.g., Canon FD, Nikon AI-S, Cooke, Zeiss) into unified PL cine housings; also service/repair.
Why vintage-look: Keeps the original glass/signature (flare, contrast, bokeh) while delivering modern, reliable mechanics and lens-data options.
Links: True Lens Services
P+S Technik — Kowa Evolution 2× & Kowa rehousings
What it is: Modernized Evolution 2× anamorphics based on the original Kowa optical design, plus rehousing of vintage Kowa anamorphic primes.
Why vintage-look: Classic Kowa traits—compact size, pleasing flares, warmer tones—brought up to modern set-life standards.
Links: P+S Technik
Whitepoint Optics (Finland) — rehoused Hasselblad-glass cine sets
What it is: Rehousing Hasselblad V-series medium-format optics (TS70/HS series) into PL/LPL/E/EF cine housings; huge image circles.
Why vintage-look: Classic Zeiss-for-Hasselblad rendering (smooth transitions, unique bokeh) adapted for today’s LF sensors; optional tilt/swing mounts.
Links: TS70 & HS page • lens lineup page • background article.
Supporting Ecosystem & Niche Innovators
Adapters, cine-mods, and optical accessories that help you get a vintage look from modern cameras.
Focal-Reducing Adapters (“Speed Boosters”)
What they do: Reduce focal length and increase effective aperture when adapting larger-format lenses to smaller sensors — a great way to reclaim the classic field-of-view and punchy, filmic light gathering.
Key makers & links:
- Metabones Speed Booster — the original brand; optical designs by Caldwell Photo.
- Zhongyi (Mitakon) Lens Turbo — budget focal reducers in many mounts (incl. Z APS-C, MFT).
- Viltrox Speed Booster — EF→MFT/EF→Z options, with AF on some models.
Smart & Autofocus Adapters (keep AF/EXIF or add AF to manual lenses)
What they do: Preserve electronics (AF, EXIF, IBIS comms) or even drive manual-focus lenses with autofocus on mirrorless bodies — perfect for giving old glass a modern shooting cadence.
Key makers & links:
- Fringer — high-reliability EF/EF-S→Fuji X, EF→Nikon Z, Contax 645→GFX smart adapters.
- Techart — LM-EA9 adds AF to Leica M and adapted lenses on Sony E via a motorized helicoid.
- Megadap — ETZ21 Pro+ (Sony E→Nikon Z AF) and EFTZ21 (Canon EF→Nikon Z AF).
Mechanical Adapters (tilt/shift, rare mounts, custom builds)
What they do: Unlock obscure mounts, add tilt/shift movements, or solve weird thread/industrial standards — crucial for creative vintage setups.
Key makers & links:
- KIPON — huge catalog incl. Baveyes focal reducers, tilt/shift, cine adapters.
- Fotodiox Pro — comprehensive mount coverage (stills & cine).
- RafCamera — specialty/industrial and custom one-offs; adapter finder & customization tools.
Cine-Mod Services (make photo lenses behave like cinema lenses)
What they do: Standardize fronts, add 0.8 pitch focus gears, and de-click/damp the iris — preserving optical character while making vintage stills glass set-friendly.
Key makers & links:
- Duclos Lenses — Cine-Mod® (front ring, focus gear, de-click).
- SIMMOD Lens — cine rings, de-clicks, front standards, and SIMMOUNT conversion kits (e.g., Mamiya 645→EF/PL/LPL).
Diffusion & Filmic Filters (non-destructive vintage feel)
What they do: Lower micro-contrast, bloom highlights, tame digital “edge,” and add halation — the fastest way to give modern sensors a classic roll-off without touching the lens.
Key makers & links:
- Tiffen — Black Pro-Mist / Pro-Mist / Glimmerglass (screw-in & 4×5.65).
- Schneider-Kreuznach — Hollywood Black Magic® diffusion for cinema.
- Moment — CineBloom (stills-friendly diffusion).
Further reads:
