In summary
A fast stabilised standard zoom lens with internal focusing and a stepping motor drive, designed specifically for the Leica SL-System.
It could also be used on Leica TL cameras (which have APS-C-sized sensors), where it will provide a 36-135mm equivalent focal length range.
Unfortunately, its f/2.8 maximum aperture at 24mm doesn’t remain constant, instead dropping to f/3.1 at 35mm, f/3.6 at 50mm, f/3.9 at 75mm and f/4 at 90mm. The minimum focus of 30 cm provides some scope for close-up (but not macro) photography with the 90mm focal length.
For image quality, this lens is one of the best performers we’ve reviewed.
Full review
The Vario-Elmarit-SL 24″“90 mm f/2.8″“4 ASPH. was the first lens to be released with the Leica SL camera back in October 2015 and remains the only standard-range zoom lens for the system. Covering subjects ranging from landscape and architectural photography to portraiture, its maximum aperture range of f/2.8 to f/4 suits a variety of lighting conditions while also providing scope for shallow depth of field control. Leica’s AquaDura hydrophobic coating on the front and rear elements protects them against moisture and smudging, while the lens is fully dust and water-sealed.
The Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24″“90 mm f/2.8″“4 ASPH. lens. (Source: Leica Camera.)
The optical design of the lens contains a total of 18 elements in six moving groups. Among them are four aspherical elements and 11 anomalous partial dispersion elements, which help to reduce chromatic aberrations and distortions throughout the zoom range.
Six moving elements control focusing and zoom operations. Internal focusing is driven by a stepping motor which controls the linear positioning of just one element and ensures the length of the lens remains constant. This single, small, lightweight element can be moved extremely quickly; Leica claims it can traverse the focusing range in just 110 milliseconds. It also operates almost silently.
Built into the lens barrel is a stabilisation unit that moves another set of elements, which provide up to 3.5 stops of shake correction at 90mm. All told, there are six different groups of moving elements, which makes the lens more complex than similar standard range zooms from other manufacturers. (It also helps to explain the price of the lens.)
Who’s it For?
Put simply, owners of the Leica SL camera who want a general-purpose zoom lens. It could also be used on Leica TL cameras (which have APS-C-sized sensors), where it will provide a 36-135mm equivalent focal length range.
Unfortunately, its f/2.8 maximum aperture at 24mm doesn’t remain constant, instead dropping to f/3.1 at 35mm, f/3.6 at 50mm, f/3.9 at 75mm and f/4 at 90mm. The minimum focus of 30 cm provides some scope for close-up (but not macro) photography with the 90mm focal length.
Build and Ergonomics
Like the Leica SL camera, the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH. is large and heavy for its type, as you would expect from its largely metal and glass construction. Build quality is up to Leica’s class-leading standards. But buyers should be reminded the combination of this lens with the Leica SL body will require you to carry roughly two kilograms of gear.
The lens barrel is finished in a low-gloss black with wide focusing and zoom rings that have thick ridges to provide a secure grip. The focusing ring is located roughly 30 mm behind the front edge of the filter ring (which takes 82 mm filters). It’s 33 mm wide and turns freely through 180 degrees. The close focusing limit for the lens is 30 cm at 24mm and 45 cm at 90mm.
Roughly two millimetres behind the trailing edge of the focusing ring is the zoom ring, which is 37 mm wide and turned through just over 90 degrees. Engraved into the trailing edge of the zoom ring are focal length settings for 24mm, 28mm 35mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm.
Although the length of the lens doesn’t change while focusing, the inner barrel of the lens extends by approximately 45 mm when you zoom in from the 24mm position to 90mm. At the same time, the maximum aperture contracts from f/2.8 at 24mm to f/3.1 at 35mm, f/3.6 at 50mm, f/3.9 at 75mm and f/4 at 90mm.
There’s no distance scale and no depth-of-field indicator. Nor will you find an AF/MF switch or stabiliser control. Stabilisation and setting the focus mode are controlled from the camera’s menu.
The lens barrel continues for 20 mm before stepping inwards to the mounting plate, which is about 60 mm in diameter and made of very solid stainless steel. The lens is supplied with front and end caps plus a generous, rectangular lens hood (shown below) that resembles the hoods on serious movie lenses.
The Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24″“90 mm f/2.8″“4 ASPH. lens with the lens hood fitted. (Source: Leica Camera.)
Performance
Our Imatest tests showed the review lens to be one of the best performers we’ve reviewed to date. As well as comfortably exceeding expectations at its highest resolution, it showed a remarkable consistency in resolution across almost all aperture settings and focal lengths.
While some edge softening was detected at wider apertures, it was moderate and not easily seen in test shots and by about f/5 it was largely negligible. Diffraction had only a minor effect on image sharpness starting from about f/11, as shown in the graph of our test results below.
Lateral chromatic aberration was negligible at all focal length and aperture settings, as shown in the graph of our test results below. The red line on this graph marks the border between ‘negligible’ and ‘low’ CA.
No coloured fringing was observed in shots taken with either file type, suggesting that regardless of whether chromatic aberration is corrected in-camera, it is a minor issue with this lens. Backlit subjects were generally well handled and shadows only blocked up in very contrasty conditions. Even then, detail could be restored without intrusive noise when DNG.RAW files were processed in Adobe software.
It was also difficult to force the lens to flare, even when the camera was pointed towards a bright light source. Examples are provided in the Samples section below.
We also found little in the way of rectilinear distortion in either JPEGs or DNG.RAW files. Vignetting was found in raw files at the widest aperture settings with all focal lengths, although it was barely noticeable.
Once the camera had engaged autofocusing (see our review of the Leica SL for details, it was both fast and accurate. Leica claims the AF drive in this lens can span the focusing range in just 110 milliseconds, which is explains our findings.
Conclusion
As mentioned in our review of the Leica SL camera, the 24-90mm f/2.8-4.0 lens is very large and heavy for a mirrorless lens of its type. But, like the camera, it is solidly built and a very good imaging performer.
This lens is only likely to be of interest to owners of the Leica SL camera, who should refer to our review for our assessments of its usability. The minimum focusing distance of 30 cm means it’s only suitable for shooting close-ups of larger subjects (flowers, small animals, etc.) with the 90mm focal length, where the maximum aperture is f/4 and a little small for high levels of depth of field control.
SPECS
Picture angle: 72.1 degrees to 27.8 degrees
Minimum aperture: f/22
Lens construction: 18 elements in 15 groups (including 4 aspherical elements plus 11 anomalous partial dispersion elements)
Lens mounts: Leica SL
Diaphragm Blades: (circular aperture)
Focus drive: Stepping motor and linear positioning of one lens element
Stabilisation: Optical, 3.5 stops correction at 90mm
Minimum focus: 30 cm
Maximum magnification: 24mm: 1:7.2; focal length 90mm: 1:3.8
Filter size: 82 mm
Dimensions (Diameter x L): 88 x 138 mm (without lens hood)
Weight: 1,140 grams
Standard Accessories: Lens front and end caps, lens hood
Distributor: Leica Camera Australia http://en.leica-camera.com/
TESTS
Based on JPEG files from the review camera.
SAMPLES
Vignetting at 24mm f/2.8.
Vignetting at 35mm f/3.1.
Vignetting at 50mm f/3.6.
Vignetting at 75mm f/3.9.
Vignetting at 90mm f/4.
Rectilinear distortion at 24mm.
Rectilinear distortion at 35mm.
Rectilinear distortion at 50mm.
Rectilinear distortion at 75mm.
Rectilinear distortion at 90mm.
24mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/100 second at f/9.
50mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/125 second at f/9.
90mm focal length, ISO 50, 1/80 second at f/9.
Close-up with 90mm focal length; ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/4.
Strong backlighting; ISO 50, 1/60 second at f/5.
Crop from the above image at 100% magnification, showing no coloured fringing.
This shot illustrates the absence of flare, even when a bright light source is within the image frame. 46mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/60 second at f/8.
Stabilisation test; 35mm focal length; ISO 100, 1/10 second at f/5.
Stabilisation test; 47mm focal length; ISO 6400, 1/10 second at f/6.3.
44mm focal length; ISO 50, 1/50 second at f/7.1.
34mm focal length; ISO 160, 1/30 second at f/6.3.
75mm focal length; ISO 50, 1/125 second at f/8.
90mm focal length; ISO 2000, 1/80 second at f/11.
90mm focal length; ISO 640, 1/20 second at f/4.5.
24mm focal length; ISO 1600, 1/30 second at f/11.
25mm focal length; ISO 1600, 1/30 second at f/4.5.
90mm focal length; ISO 12800, 1/50 second at f/7.1.
16:9 aspect ratio; 90mm focal length; ISO 6400, 1/50 second at f/8.
Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Leica SL.
Rating
RRP: AU$ 6900 (discounted to AU$5999); US$4950
- Build: 9.0
- Handling: 8.5
- Image quality: 9.0
- Versatility: 8.7