Jono's Review: Leica Vario Elmarit SL 24-70 f2.8 ASPH

[Slender]

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On 10/28/2021 at 10:31 AM, AKorenc said:

I've just completed the 24/2 + 35/2 + 65/2 trio of Sigma's DN i lenses for my SL2 and I must say I am really, really satisfied. I've had the 65/2 since February and it confirms itself as a great lens again and again. That's why I just added the 24/2 and 35/2 and I immediately noticed the beautiful rendering of the new 24/2 lens. Nice little gems, all three of them - and I payed about 500€ per lens. Judging them by image and build quality I most definitely would not hesitate to pay twice as much for each. And these three focal lengths are basically everything a street/documentary photographer needs, I'd say.

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No issues with Laggy shutter, higher power drain? Its the one thing that keeps me away from looking. @michali are you not having such problem as well?

[michali]

19 hours ago, Slender said:

No issues with Laggy shutter, higher power drain? Its the one thing that keeps me away from looking. @michali are you not having such problem as well?

Hi Slender- no issues at all with the Sigma lenses that I'm using. The "power issue" seems to have been resolved with the last FW update. 

I have a small arsenal of Sigma lenses ranging from the 14-24mm,  24mm f3.5,  60mm f2,  85mm f1.4, 105mm f2.8,  135mm f1.8  & the 150-600mm. All are outstanding, so much so that I sold my Leica L mount lenses with the exception of the VE24-90mm & VE90-280mm & filled in with Sigma lenses in focal lengths that Leica doesn't offer. The proceeds from my Leica L lenses funded the Sigma lenses & there was enough change to purchase an SL2-S as well. 

My experience with the Sigma L lenses mirrors that of @AKorenc

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[Cobram]

2 hours ago, michali said:

Hi Slender- no issues at all with the Sigma lenses that I'm using. The "power issue" seems to have been resolved with the last FW update. 

 

I have a small arsenal of Sigma lenses ranging from the 14-24mm,  24mm f3.5,  60mm f2,  85mm f1.4, 105mm f2.8,  135mm f1.8  & the 150-600mm. All are outstanding, so much so that I sold my Leica L mount lenses with the exception of the VE24-90mm & VE90-280mm & filled in with Sigma lenses in focal lengths that Leica doesn't offer. The proceeds from my Leica L lenses funded the Sigma lenses & there was enough change to purchase an SL2-S as well. 

My experience with the Sigma L lenses mirrors that of @AKorenc

Based on feedback from @AKorenc and you @michali I'm thinking why you both still use Leica SL and not a Sigma L-mount camera instead? Any particular reason? Maybe color rendition and use of M mount lenses? 

[huwm]

2 hours ago, Cobram said:

Based on feedback from @AKorenc and you @michali I'm thinking why you both still use Leica SL and not a Sigma L-mount camera instead? Any particular reason? Maybe color rendition and use of M mount lenses? 

I too have a lot of Sigma glass, 24/2, 45/2.8, 70macro2.8 and 90/2.8 as well as 28-70/2.8, love them all and also the m mount EVF experience too

Whilst the SL lenses are just too big and heavy for me the SL2  itself feels just right, much more than the S5 I also have and have relegated to spare

I’ve not used an FPl but cannot imagine it being anything like as satisfying to use as the SL2 

[michali]

4 hours ago, Cobram said:

Based on feedback from @AKorenc and you @michali I'm thinking why you both still use Leica SL and not a Sigma L-mount camera instead? Any particular reason? Maybe color rendition and use of M mount lenses? 

I love the rendering of the Leica, the simplicity & straightforward, clean menus & the fact that the Leica cameras are not overloaded with superfluous features. 

[Archiver]

On 2/24/2022 at 10:53 PM, huwm said:

I too have a lot of Sigma glass, 24/2, 45/2.8, 70macro2.8 and 90/2.8 as well as 28-70/2.8, love them all and also the m mount EVF experience too

Whilst the SL lenses are just too big and heavy for me the SL2  itself feels just right, much more than the S5 I also have and have relegated to spare

Although I've only handled the SL2 once, and used the Panasonic S5 quite a bit in the last year, I can say that the handling of the S5 is less satisfying than the Panasonic G9, which has a much larger and fuller grip despite having a sensor a quarter of the size. The SL2 had a superb sense of grip and balance in my hands, unlike the S5. In the future, I'll look into getting a SL2-S because of the feel and higher fps burst mode, among other things. As for Sigma lenses, I had the chance to try to the Sigma 65mm f2 on my S5 the other day, and it felt lovely, and the image quality was beautiful. The fact that @michali has sold his Leica L mount lenses in favour of Sigma is very encouraging, too.

[caissa]

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I am trying to find the brochures for the cameras.

If I google with “Leica SL brochure pdf” I can find the brochure for the SL 601.

But if I use “Leica SL2 brochure pdf” or “Leica SL2-S brochure pdf” I do not get what I am looking for. (Remember, I need the marketing brochure, not the manual which is a completely different thing.)

Can anybody help ? Or do no brochures exist at all ? Any link to get the brochures in German or English is very welcome.

[S/W]

Am 21.5.2022 um 21:51 schrieb caissa:

I am trying to find the brochures for the cameras.

If I google with “Leica SL brochure pdf” I can find the brochure for the SL 601.

But if I use “Leica SL2 brochure pdf” or “Leica SL2-S brochure pdf” I do not get what I am looking for. (Remember, I need the marketing brochure, not the manual which is a completely different thing.)

Can anybody help ? Or do no brochures exist at all ? Any link to get the brochures in German or English is very welcome.

You can find the brochure on the Leica Page: https://leica-camera.com/sites/default/files/pm-54744-191101_SL2_catalog_en_lowres.pdf

[Farel]

Hello Everybody, 
I wanted to check if some of you that own the 2.8 24-70 leica L - had some problem with dust inside the lens. 
I did have the lens pre-order and have seen some dust after 4 month. I had then get a exchange from my leica dealer and receive a new one with diferent serie - but unfortunatly I have found some more dust inside . 
So i am just wanted to check if any of person had the same issue . 
Thanks all 

sr 4764559

[Chris Nebard]

22 hours ago, Farel said:

Hello Everybody, 
I wanted to check if some of you that own the 2.8 24-70 leica L - had some problem with dust inside the lens. 
I did have the lens pre-order and have seen some dust after 4 month. I had then get a exchange from my leica dealer and receive a new one with diferent serie - but unfortunatly I have found some more dust inside . 
So i am just wanted to check if any of person had the same issue . 
Thanks all 

sr 4764559

Hi Farrel,

I have the SL 24-70 f2.8 and have found it to be heavy but a lens that performs very well indeed. I bought it from Leica Manchester as part of the SL2-S kit. I can confirm that it suffers badly from sucking in dust. Since I bought it (August 2021) it’s developed 2 visible flecks inside the front element plus smaller specs internally. Lenses, particularly, zooms will always gather some internal dust to some degree but I do hate the flecks on the front element. I have wondered whether to return it for advice/cleaning/exchange - only because I am concerned the visible dust might affect resale value. Other than that, it continues to perform really well - dust will rarely, if ever, impact the image. I too would be interested to hear others’ comments.

Cheers,

Chris

[Simone_DF]

Dust is a known issue with the Sigma 24-70, just do a little search on the internet. This lens is the same Sigma lens plus a red dot.

[Chris Nebard]

On 6/27/2022 at 3:33 PM, Chris Nebard said:

Hi Farrel,

I have the SL 24-70 f2.8 and have found it to be heavy but a lens that performs very well indeed. I bought it from Leica Manchester as part of the SL2-S kit. I can confirm that it suffers badly from sucking in dust. Since I bought it (August 2021) it’s developed 2 visible flecks inside the front element plus smaller specs internally. Lenses, particularly, zooms will always gather some internal dust to some degree but I do hate the flecks on the front element. I have wondered whether to return it for advice/cleaning/exchange - only because I am concerned the visible dust might affect resale value. Other than that, it continues to perform really well - dust will rarely, if ever, impact the image. I too would be interested to hear others’ comments.

Cheers,

Chris

Just an update on my own experience with the Leica SL 24-70: I did eventually take mine back to Leica Manchester (UK) in late July to get their opinion on the dust issue. They returned it to Wetzlar straight away and I picked it up today. Leica had it for a few weeks but the glass is now spotless, the software updated and it’s had a general, certified, check. I’ll see if the problem reoccurs because it has been a known issue with this lens (as it has with the Sigma 24-70, as Simone says). I’m glad to have it back; it’s a lovely lens which, apart from that one problem, has given me some nice results so far.  And the service from Leica Store Manchester was excellent, as it always is. 

[Pierre68]

Hello everyone. I think I read somewhere that the lens hood of the 24-17 f/2.8 SL would fit one thew 24-90 f/2.8-4 but I can't find the info again. Could any of you confirme that this is correct. The lens hood of the 24-90 is ridiculous and I never put it one. But I would probably use the small hood from the  recent zoom.

Tkanks

[buj]

yes - the lens fits!

[Pierre68]

1 hour ago, buj said:

yes - the lens fits!

Thanks

[Mike1974]

5 hours ago, Pierre68 said:

Hello everyone. I think I read somewhere that the lens hood of the 24-17 f/2.8 SL would fit one thew 24-90 f/2.8-4 but I can't find the info again. Could any of you confirme that this is correct. The lens hood of the 24-90 is ridiculous and I never put it one. But I would probably use the small hood from the  recent zoom.

Tkanks

 

Hi , I've asked at Leica Geneve and they told me it fits , no problem for that but i can do some vignetting ,