The Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens Now Available on Kickstarter! 23

We’re thrilled to be back on Kickstarter to present the Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens!

The new addition to the Lomography Art Lens Family is directly inspired by the world’s first photographic optic lens — a 19th century invention created for the Daguerreotype camera by Charles Chevalier. Almost two centuries later, we’ve reworked it as a powerful tool for modern-day photographers and cinematographers.

Combining the inspiring brass design of the timeless original, with all the versatility and compatibility of a 21st century optic, the Daguerreotype Achromat Art Lens celebrates the great return of dreamy imagery.

This 64mm Art Lens offers the ability to experiment with an extensive range of moods and effects — from portraits and still life, to storytelling, and much more.

The lens works with a Waterhouse Aperture Plate System. In addition to the classic Waterhouse Aperture Plates, the new Lumière and Aquarelle Aperture Plates open a realm of creative possibilities. From the tips of your fingers, you can alternate between razor-sharp edges to silky soft-focus and enrich depth of field with watercolor-like textures. The Daguerreotype Achromat Art Lens is compatible with Canon EF or Nikon F mount cameras, as well as many other analogue and digital cameras with the use of adapter mounts.

By backing us today, not only will you have access to offers and prices exclusively available to you, but you’ll also secure a lens from the very first batch, estimated to be delivered by Christmas of this year!

Reinventing a Historic Milestone

In 1838, Frenchmen Charles Chevalier and Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre came together to combine their technological advances. The result would forever leave a mark in history. Chevalier invented the world’s first optic lens, which when used on the Daguerreotype camera, sparked the beginning of practical photography. This camera and lens shot the first photograph of a human at Boulevard du Temple, in Paris, 1838. This historic lens used an achromat doublet design. When shooting at large apertures, its image-forming system would cause light rays to split and disperse, drenching images in a powerful natural glow. Now, more than 150 years later, we have revived these ethereal aesthetics of early photography.

A Versatile Modern Day Tool

With a 64mm focal length, and the classic Waterhouse Aperture Plate system — the lens provides a myriad of photographic possibilities: from dreamy soft focus at f/2.9 – f/4 to crisp precision at f/5.6 and onward. The inclusion of the Lumière and Aquarelle Aperture Plate offers the chance to shoot painterly scenes reminiscent of 19th century masterworks. The Lumière Aperture Plates wrap images in a veil of soft light and create curved, dotted bokeh. The Aquarelle Aperture Plates produce a textured, painterly look, creating the illusion of brush strokes.





















Credits: Martynas Katauskas, Raymond Chin, Emily Soto, Katherine Phipps, Irina Mattioli, Anna Rakhvalova, Jonathan Daniel Pryce, Remy Perthuisot, Daniel Schaefer, & Felix Kwan.

21st Century Compatibility

Available in both Canon EF and Nikon F mounts, the Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens is compatible with loads of analogue and digital SLR cameras.













The Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens, inspired by a long-lost aesthetic, presents the return of dreamy, ethereal photographs. Honing the essence of the world’s first photographic optic, the Daguerreotype Achromat Lens offers the versatility of 21st century technology with the eminent characteristics of 19th century paintings. This premium handcrafted optic, with its unique Lumière and Aquarelle Aperture Plates, is compatible with Canon EF or Nikon F mount cameras and allows for both silky soft-focused details and crisp, defined photographs—boasting the versatile nature of the Lomography Art Lens Family.

Dare to dream and fund this project on Kickstarter to bring the delicate aura of French Romanticism and Impressionism into 21st century imagery!