As previously reported, Light Lens Lab is working on the development of a new black-and-white photographic film:
Light Lens Lab to start producing photographic and cinematic films
Light Lens Lab recently published an update on their film project that focuses on automation, assembly, and production progress:
Light Lens Lab’s current objective is to begin full production-line testing in 2026, with the goal of releasing its first commercially available black-and-white photographic film in 2026. The initial roadmap covers a broad range of formats that will interest analog photographers:
The company is not simply manufacturing film, they are building an end-to-end, internally controlled production system designed for consistency and high quality across multiple formats.
Early testing in late 2025 and early 2026 encountered typical scaling challenges for a ground-up film manufacturing operation. Issues included:
“We cannot allow unresolved quality-control issues to appear in official production. Our objective is to produce a film that meets a high standard of consistency and reliability, without creative or technical compromise.”
Starting from scratch means there is no existing reference emulsion to emulate. Light Lens Lab has been actively listening to community feedback as it defines the visual identity of its film. Development goals include:
Between May and June 2026, Light Lens Lab integrated film production into their existing lens project laboratory in Shangrao. They completed renovation work that included a second clean room dedicated to film production. All machinery, tooling, mechanical components, packaging systems, and supporting infrastructure are developed and built entirely in-house, with no reliance on third-party manufacturing partners for core film production equipment.
Current testing focuses on specialized machines, including:
Light Lens Lab is also working on a new Barnack-based replica film camera