Leica SL Bundle - Too Good a Deal to Pass Up

[lencap]

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Greetings!

Yesterday my Leica SL2-S 50mm f/2.0 lens bundle arrived, and I couldn't be happier.  I had the original SL 601, along with the 24-90 zoom.  It is a worthy combination, but heavy and with some limitations.  The new camera and lens is a wonderful combination - lighter weight by far, and an elegant solution to most of my photography needs.  

Some speculate that the new 50mm lens is a rebranded Panasonic, similar in concept to the Leica 24-70 lens which is based upon the Sigma 24-70 zoom.  Although that may be true, the Leica version of the 50mm lens is built like a tank and feels wonderful in hand.  Equally important is the bundle pricing.  It adds only $700 to the SL2-S base price, and at that price it's a great bargain at a nearly 17% discount from standard pricing for the combo.

Even more impressive is the $1300 Leica incentive that you can get by buying the current bundle before April 30.  That brings the total cost of the SL2-S with the new 50mm lens to $4600.  That's a very rare 35% discount for a brand new Leica lens kit with full warranty and other Leica goodies.  That's too good a deal to pass up.  So if you're thinking about a SL2-S I encourage you to act while this promotion deal is still available.  The kit comes in a massive box containing both lens and camera, and it's like opening a Christmas present as a kid when it arrives.  

Even with the SL2/S replacements arriving soon, the camera is a big step up from my SL 601, feels great in hand, and is a perfect match for the new lens.  You won't be disappointed.  I viewed it as if I were buying the SL2-S body for $3700 and the lens at $900.  At those prices even if you want to upgrade to the SL3/S there seems to be limited financial risk.  

Edited April 28, 2023 by lencap

[Simone_DF]

1 hour ago, lencap said:

Some speculate that The new 50mm lens is a rebranded Panasonic, similar in concept to the Leica 24-70 lens which is based upon the Sigma 24-70 zoom.

Fixed that for you.

But I agree that at 700€ it's a good deal. That should have been the price for a rehousing to begin with.

[lencap]

I view it a bit differently.  Consumers can buy a Toyota or move to a Lexus, which in many ways is the same basic underpinning dressed up in a more upscale product.  Same for VW and Audi, along with almost every other car brand.  The companies are using effective marketing to repackage similar products, each appealing to a different demographic.

Leica is no different, but I do see value added in their branded products.  The Panasonic 50mm lens is housed in a cheap plastic body made in China.  The Leica version is built in house in Portugal.  The magnesium/aluminum housing is light years better in every way compared to the Panasonic.  It objectively also tests better with better corner resolution, likely due to tighter manufacturing tolerances.  Autofocus is also faster and more consistent, according to several reviewers.

The Sigma rebadge is similar in intent and execution.  I don't argue that the Panasonic/Sigma branded lenses are fine value and well done, but like the Lexus buyer Leica is marketing to a different demographic, and it's been largely successful.  It also gives me an option about L mount lenses at various price points.  I see little downside to the buyers as the alliance continues to introduce attractive products at various price points and quality levels.

And, as you point out, when bundled with other Leica products the incremental price increase for the Leica branded product becomes very attractive.  I was very surprised by how nice the Leica 50mm lens feels in hand, and how well it is built.  Seems like a win-win for everyone.

Edited April 28, 2023 by lencap

[hamey]

Couldn't agree more, where ever these lenses are made they all meet Leica's quality standards, love my 24-70mm 2.8 lens, and the beauty about it, it's Made in Japan.

Yesterday I visited my Leica store here in Melbourne and checked out the M11, played with it for a few minutes, NO it's not for me, simply not in the same class as in the SL system.

Congratulations Lencap,  may I offer a suggestion, get yourself the RSS base plate for your SL2-S, I certainly wouldn't do without mine, they are terrific.

Cheers.

[giganova]

I also pulled the trigger and bought the SL2-S + 35/2 bundle. Great deal!

[mumu]

Both new Summicron lenses are built in the Leica Factory, Portugal.

Edited April 30, 2023 by mumu

[maidenfan84]

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I've also been going back and forth between the Sl2s bundle and the M10/11. I currently have the TL2 and as much as I love the camera, it certainly has its limitations. I enjoy the take my time manual do it myself feeling from the M10/11 but the issues are that I plan to keep the camera for many years, especially with spending that amount of money, and as beautiful as the M's are there's definitely things that need to be taken into consideration..no built in diopter (my eyes aren't getting any younger), the need for CLA from time to time, the ongoing issues of the M11, etc. Aside from the classic look and slowed down shooting of the M's, the Sl2s just seems to make more sense as a one camera to do it all. One of my main concerns is if the camera and 50mm lens bundle is small enough together to be carried in a daily sling each day around town, or if it's too big for daily carrying. Also, I like a natural look to my photos and really don't care much for this current trend of insanely oversharpened photos out of the cameras. Not sure if the Sl2s is this way with the L lenses. The biggest factor is Leica is still accepting the $1300 off vouchers until may 31st as long as you downloaded it before April 31st...so that $4600 price tag for the Sl2s 50mm bundle is extremely attractive compared to $9000 for the M11 and then at least another $3000 or so for a 50mm sum f2. I really struggle to imagine the M11, at this price point, is better than the Sl2s for over twice the amount. Please let me know what you think about the camera as far as a daily carry and how possible you think it is.

[AZN]

On 4/28/2023 at 9:27 PM, lencap said:

That brings the total cost of the SL2-S with the new 50mm lens to $4600.  That's a very rare 35% discount for a brand new Leica lens kit with full warranty and other Leica goodies.  That's too good a deal to pass up.

FWIW on May 2nd 2023 the same bundle in Australia is $AUD 9.9 K 😡

See: https://leica-store.com.au/products/10849

Edited May 1, 2023 by AZN

[DadDadDaddyo]

After going scattershot across multiple systems (M series, SL &SL2, GFX100S) for quite some time, I realized the fundamental error I had been making; essentially, I was duplicating capabilities across the systems (despite lens mount), thereby distinguishing them only by their obvious differences, such as sensor and viewfinder. 

The resulting Venn diagram had all kinds of overlaps! It was as if I was trying to ensure as much overlap as possible so that choices made based on the genuine operational differences would have the least consequences. The only logical conclusion if I persisted in this direction would have been eventually to own complete systems across all systems. In other words, Madness. 

So I've begun pulling back, picking systems to have specializations based on their genuine distinctions. This is arbitrary, at least in part, but is based upon my own actual picture making and use patterns. 

I started by concluding that with access to the incredible Leica SL zooms I could get out of the GFX zooms entirely. Instead, I decided to orient my GFX100S system for primes, and likely, for tripod (or monopod) use, say, 65% of the time (with that percentage likely increasing over time).

This oriented my SL and SL2 toward use with the 24-90 and 90-280, although I confess I've been simply unable to part with the 50mm and 35mm Summicron-sl primes. I won't sell them. They're simply too wonderful. If anything, I'll add the 28mm and 90mm Summicron-Ls at some point. That covers mirrorless. 

These specializations cascaded naturally to my M bodies, concentrating on primes in the 28mm to 90mm range (I'll occasionally break out my battered old Hektor 135mm when it's called for: gotta love that old war horse!). Most of this is handheld. I know, I know, no IS, but darn it, I've been shooting rangefinder Leicas handheld for over 50 years (Geeze, that's darn-near half a century!): it's as easy and natural as breathing. 

Now, as I've previously posted, the system that has fallen into the least use of late (for some time actually) has been the GFX100S etc. With the M11 and the M10 Monochrom, I'm just not reaching for the GFX100S, given that I usually print in the 16x20 inch range on 24 inch roll paper, occasionally up to, say,  a 22 inch image on the short side, so around 24x36 paper size. 

Both the M10M and the M11 simply slay an approx.16x20-class print! And the 24x36-class output is a walk in the park for the M11, and within reach for the M10M. 

So you know the next move, right? As soon as I work up the nerve to sever the ties, I'm preparing mentally to clear out the GFX100S etc., and put it into an M11M. 

My prints are for framing for exhibition and private sale. I'm not into making murals. I keep a 24-inch Canon ImagePROGRAF in the basement where I can get at it 24x7 and iterate my way to final results. This is a fabulous printer that completely satisfies my wishes and established needs!

So, I'm evolving away from the Venn diagram, toward less overlap and at least a degree of specialization between systems, or at least, playing to their characteristic strengths. Reducing the overlap has permitted me to go deeper in the systems that remain after the consolidation.

Expensive? I've got a neighbor who's got at least as much into a fishing boat that spends most of its time coveted up on a trailer in his driveway. I'm too polite to ask him if he's ever worked out what his price per pound of fish is....

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by DadDadDaddyo