Introduction
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. for L-Mount is a brand new quick customary zoom lens for full-frame Sony, Leica, Panasonic and Leica cameras.
It’ll additionally work with APS-C sensor cameras with an efficient enhance in focal size to 36-105mm because of the crop issue.
The Leica 24-70mm f/2.8 incorporates a rounded 11 blade diaphragm which creates a pretty blur to the out of focus areas of the picture.
It additionally affords a dust- and splash- proof building, a stepping AF motor for quick and quiet autofocusing, and a minimal focusing distance of 18cm (at 24mm) and most replica ratio of 1:4.5 (at 70mm).
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens is offered now priced at £2299 / $2795 within the UK and the USA, respectively. This lens is made in Japan, somewhat than Germany.
Ease of Use
Weighing in at 856 grams and measuring practically 12.5cm in size, the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. is actually a giant and heavy lens given its focal size.
It is truly a little bit bit lighter than one in all its most important rivals, the Panasonic Lumix S PRO 24-70mm F2.8, which weighs in at 935g, and barely heavier than the opposite, the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Artwork, which is 830g.
As seen within the product photographs above and beneath, it enhances a full-frame digital camera just like the Leica SL2-S that we examined it with very effectively, though it actually makes for fairly a considerable general mixture.
Construct high quality is excellent, which is probably to be anticipated given the somewhat eye-watering price ticket.
The lens has a physique and lens hood which can be made completely of steel, and it additionally incorporates a brass bayonet mount that is purported to be extra sturdy. The optical components are product of high-grade glass.
When it comes to options, the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. customary zoom lens is a somewhat pared again affair, with no exterior controls aside from the main target and zoom rings.
Focusing is usefully inside and handbook focusing is feasible, however solely when set by way of digital camera physique, somewhat than by way of a Focus change on the lens barrel. Full-time handbook focus override is fortunately obtainable at any time just by rotating the main target ring.
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens has a generously sized focus ring, which is ridged for simpler grip. There are not any laborious stops on the ends of the vary, making it tougher to set focus at infinity. Polariser customers ought to be happy that the 82mm filter thread would not rotate on focus.
With regards to auto-focusing, the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. is a really fast performer, taking about 0.10 seconds to lock onto the topic when mounted on the Lecia SL2-S that we examined it with.
We did not expertise very a lot “searching” in any respect, both in good or dangerous gentle, with the lens precisely focusing nearly all the time. It is also a really quiet performer, which makes this lens equally well-suited to each video recording and extra candid stills taking pictures.
It would not embrace built-in Vibration Discount, with the lens counting on the digital camera physique to produce this characteristic. It’s weather-sealed although to assist defend it in opposition to water spray and dirt.
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. ships with a steel petal-shaped lens hood that twists into place.
Focal Vary
On the 24mm focal size the angle of view is 84.1 levels.
24mm
On the 70mm focal size the angle of view is 34.3 levels.
70mm
Chromatic Aberrations
Chromatic aberrations, sometimes seen as purple or blue fringes alongside contrasty edges, are usually not an issue for the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH., even on the edges of the body.
Distortion
There’s some noticeable barrel distortion on the 24mm focal size and slight pincushioning at 70mm which is obvious in each the Uncooked information and uncorrected JPEGs.
24mm
70mm
Mild Fall-off
With the lens set to its most aperture of f/2.8, there may be some gentle fall-off within the corners at each ends of the zoom vary. Stopping-down to f/5.6 nearly eliminates this.
24mm
70mm
Macro
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. is not claimed to be a macro lens, nevertheless it delivers fairly good efficiency nonetheless if you happen to zoom to 70mm. It has a minimal focusing distance of 18cm / 38cm at 24mm/70mm, and a most magnification ratio of 1:4.5 when set to the 70mm focal size. The next instance demonstrates how shut you may get to your topic.
Sunstars and Flare
The Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. produces fairly good sunstars when stopped-down to f/16 and f/22.
As these examples reveals the lens is is a little bit vulnerable to flare when taking pictures immediately into the solar, even with the equipped lens hood fitted, however general it’s effectively managed due to the lens’ Tremendous Multi-Layer Coating.
Bokeh
Bokeh is a phrase used for the out-of-focus areas of {a photograph}, and is normally described in qualitative phrases, resembling clean / creamy / harsh and so forth.
Within the Leica VARIO-ELMARIT-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens, Leica have employed an iris diaphragm with 11 rounded blades, which has resulted in very good bokeh in our view.
We do realise, nonetheless, that bokeh analysis is subjective, so we have included a number of examples on your perusal.
Sharpness
With the intention to present you the way sharp this lens is, we’re offering 100% crops on the next pages.
