SL2 with Leica 24-90 or Sigma 24-70 F2.8?

[SJH]

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Morning All - my new SL2 is about to arrive and currently I have modern M glass (75mm 2.4, 50mm 1.4 and 35mm 1.4) to use with it from my M10P and MP system. I have the Sigma 24-70 F2.8 on order and it should arrive very shortly also, initial reviews appear to show the lens on a par with or better than the Sony 24-70mm GM for example. However, I’m still thinking that the 24-90 might be better and thought I’d seek everyone’s views?

Equally I’m also thinking of adding a 50mm SL AF lens and had the Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art v Leica 50mm 1.4 on my list or the 50mm APO SL which appears to be better in many ways than both of those. Leica Review on YouTube claims there really isn’t much difference between the first two, so again I’d like to seek your views on this as I will be new to the SL2. All the Sigma’s I’m looking at are of course L mount.

To throw a spanner in the works I also rather like the look of the Sigma 45mm F2.8 as it has an aperture ring, great build and I’ve seen good reviews of it in L mount form. However, it’s 2.8 of course but would make a great walk around day lens with the 35mm and 50mm M lenses for evening/poor light and manual focus.

I’d welcome your thoughts, thanks. 
 

[Jk1002]

I am going to order the Sigma 24-70 as well as its lighter and significant cheaper  than the Leica 28-90 and am not a huge zoom or autofocus fan. Am shooting mostly Leica M lenses, preferable 50mm. 
I was thinking about the 50 SL Summicron  but all of this might be too much for travelling. 
 

With my Q I rarely used autofocus so am thinking to live a bit with the Sigma  and see how it goes and then maybe down the line add something else.

 

[SJH]

Thanks for your reply and very similar to my thinking and if the Sigma tops the Sony 24-70 GM in early reviews then it’s going to be a stellar lens. 

I’m looking forward to using my M lenses with the SL2 and it may we’ll be all I need, the only slight concern is I do shoot in tropical climates fairly regularly so having weather sealed AF is a plus. I think the 45mm 2.8 is moisture and dust resistant but not fully weather sealed although of course the other primes I mention are. 

it will be interesting to hear others views on the Sigma L mount Art lenses v the Leica SL equivalents. 

[ocean2059]

If cost is not a consideration, I would recommend the Leica Vario-Elmarit 24-90. It's one of the best 'normal' zoom lenses ever make, if not the best. As a zoom lens, the Vario-Elmarit has excellent resolving power and should work best for 47MP sensor in SL2.  The added 20mm focal helps as a do-it-all travel lens for travel. While it's a large and have lens, compared with M lenses, it balances real well with SL/SL2/S1/r bodies.    

Regarding the Sigma 45mm lens, it's a nice compact and well made lens with unique characters. It doesn't have the resolving power of Leica SL lenses. 

[RoySmith]

Resistance is futile, get the VE 24-90 SL. You won’t regret it. As an everyday carry it’s perfect. It is heavy, so I use it with a 130 cm strap attached to opposite corners which allows me to carry it all day, cross chest with the lens pointing down. I can then just slide it up to take a photo. The Harry Benz Brogue SL strap is excellent for this. 

[Jeff S]

24 minutes ago, RoySmith said:

Resistance is futile, get the VE 24-90 SL. You won’t regret it. As an everyday carry it’s perfect. It is heavy, so I use it with a 130 cm strap attached to opposite corners which allows me to carry it all day, cross chest with the lens pointing down. I can then just slide it up to take a photo. The Harry Benz Brogue SL strap is excellent for this. 

Opposite corners... meaning attached to strap lugs?

Jeff

[wolfloid]

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"While it's a large and have lens, compared with M lenses, it balances real well with SL/SL2/S1/r bodies."

I really don't understand this at all. There is no balance; it is just a very heavy lens, which makes the camera seem front heavy. Lead brick comes to mind.   

[Jeff S]

18 minutes ago, wolfloid said:

"While it's a large and have lens, compared with M lenses, it balances real well with SL/SL2/S1/r bodies."

I really don't understand this at all. There is no balance; it is just a very heavy lens, which makes the camera seem front heavy. Lead brick comes to mind.   

Simple... don’t use it.  Others understand.  Choices are good.

Jeff

[bags27]

is now the time to recount my anecdote again?

At the Louisiana outside Copenhagen 2 summers ago, I bumped into a guy with the SL and the 24-90. I was carrying my Q. "Great kit," I said to him. He looked at my camera wistfully and the first words out of his mouth were something to the effect about how much lighter mine was. The guy was clearly unhappy. 

Great for some folks, but it's not a combination I'd ever buy without having walked around with it all day.

[RoySmith]

12 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Opposite corners... meaning attached to strap lugs?

Jeff

When looking from the back, The strap is attached to the upper left camera lug. At the bottom right, it is attached to a RRS base plate. A few SL users have dropped the SL and damaged the base plate in such a way as the battery won’t come out. The RRS baseplate protects that area, has the Arca-Swiss dovetail, and gives that useful strap attachment.

[SJH]

Thanks everyone this is really useful. My camera is arriving tomorrow and then I’ll make my final decision and post some pics, please keep adding if anyone has further thoughts or receives the 24-70 Sigma and has some views around it. I have a Q2 also for street and travel stuff which covers 28 and 35mm really well. 

[SJH]

On 12/16/2019 at 7:48 AM, SJH said:

Morning All - my new SL2 is about to arrive and currently I have modern M glass (75mm 2.4, 50mm 1.4 and 35mm 1.4) to use with it from my M10P and MP system. I have the Sigma 24-70 F2.8 on order and it should arrive very shortly also, initial reviews appear to show the lens on a par with or better than the Sony 24-70mm GM for example. However, I’m still thinking that the 24-90 might be better and thought I’d seek everyone’s views?

Equally I’m also thinking of adding a 50mm SL AF lens and had the Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art v Leica 50mm 1.4 on my list or the 50mm APO SL which appears to be better in many ways than both of those. Leica Review on YouTube claims there really isn’t much difference between the first two, so again I’d like to seek your views on this as I will be new to the SL2. All the Sigma’s I’m looking at are of course L mount.

To throw a spanner in the works I also rather like the look of the Sigma 45mm F2.8 as it has an aperture ring, great build and I’ve seen good reviews of it in L mount form. However, it’s 2.8 of course but would make a great walk around day lens with the 35mm and 50mm M lenses for evening/poor light and manual focus.

I’d welcome your thoughts, thanks. 
 

My SL2 just arrived but I crumbled on the Sigma 24-70 and bought the Leica 24-90 arriving tomorrow, however, I did add the Sigma 45mm 2.8 and I have to say what a great little lens so far, very portable and feels just right on the SL2, aperture ring as well and not bad quality either. 

[FlashGordonPhotography]

5 hours ago, SJH said:

My SL2 just arrived but I crumbled on the Sigma 24-70 and bought the Leica 24-90 arriving tomorrow, however, I did add the Sigma 45mm 2.8 and I have to say what a great little lens so far, very portable and feels just right on the SL2, aperture ring as well and not bad quality either. 

And....... this is why the L mount alliance will be great for Leica.

Don’t worry, as good as the Sigma may be (I don’t know) you will be happy with the IQ of the 24-90. It’s great. And if you use either a neoprene strap or a sling strap the weight isn’t really an issue.

Gordon

p.s. If you could all stop tempting me to get the 45mm, that would be greta. Thanks.

[Tailwagger]

 

1 hour ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

p.s. If you could all stop tempting me to get the 45mm, that would be greta. Thanks.

Can't speak to the entire line, but I just received my copy of the Sigma-L 135mm ART.  Haven't spent much time with it yet, but from what I've seen so far, despite the heft, its a very, very good lens. Astonishing sharp even, wide open. Assuming you've the need, and the muscle, it's well worth taking a look at. And as its not the 45mm, I feel not the slightest guilt in mentioning it. 😃

[Guest]

I am afraid if I get the Sigma 45mm I will get the Sigma fp as well...

[setuporg]

So does the Sigma zoom do AF on the SL2 or is it manual focus?

[Jeff S]

On 12/20/2019 at 3:33 PM, FlashGordonPhotography said:

p.s. If you could all stop tempting me to get the 45mm, that would be greta. Thanks.

Even Mike Johnston over at TOP is a fan (middle of post, with pic)...

https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2019/12/sunday-support-group-thorny-issues.html

Jeff

[michali]

8 hours ago, setuporg said:

So does the Sigma zoom do AF on the SL2 or is it manual focus?

The Sigma native L mount lenses operate as seamlessly as the Leica L lenses on the SL & SL2.

Based on the results with the Sigma 45mm f2.8 L, I ordered a Sigma 14-24mm f2.8  L  which I picked up along with my SL2 a couple of days ago.

I don't often shoot wider than 24mm, having said that, some of my best landscape images have been shot in the 16mm - 21mm range with the WATE. I already have the Leica 24-90mm L & 90-280mm L lenses as well as a 50mm Summicron L on order.  Personally, for the odd occasion that I do go wide I felt that it wasn't worth spending the money on the Leica 16-35mm L.

Amongst a pile of Leica M, R & Zeiss lenses accumulated over the past 43 years, the Sigma 45mm f2.8 & 16-24mm are the first  Sigma lenses I've ever owned, must say they're impressive. 

[Chuck Albertson]

Delayed, due to high demand: https://www.videomaker.com/news/sigma-24-70mm-f-2-8-dg-dn-art-lens-will-be-delayed/

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[SJH]

Thanks for all your comments everyone and I’m really loving the 24-90, superb zoom on my SL2 and the Sigma 45mm has a real Leica vibe to it also, small, discreet, character lens and even the hoods metal. Looks cool also! 

It’s meant I’m also seriously considering the Sigma 35mm 1.2 Art to use with autofocus along with my M lenses for manual shots. Check out this review for example http://findingrange.com/2019/11/03/sigma-35mm-f1-2-dg-dn-art-lens-first-impressions-l-mount/