Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have also been eyeing the Super Vario Elmarit 14-24mm.  Right now I only have the 35 mm, but use my Super Elmar M 21 mm ASPH, but as I age, I am liking auto focus more and more.  

Please comment on the 14-24 mm.

Cheers

Edited by jimleicam3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • jimleicam3 changed the title to Comments Please on the Super Vario Elmarit 14-24 mm

There are tonnes of reviews for the Sigma 14-24. It’s an excellent lens. I had it for a while and sold it because it was too bulky for my taste, but it was very sharp. 
The Leica is just a rebrand, so if you’re happy with what you see on the Sigma, you should be equally happy with the Leica

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello,
I had the (identical ?!) Sigma 14-24-Art until the beginning of December. Unfortunately stolen during our vacation.


The 14-24 is really extremely sharp and the color quality is exceptional, I think the Leica version is probably a bit better due to higher quality control, autofocus on my SL601 is very good, this lens is designed for landscape, architecture and astro due to its wide angle, less for action.
The size is not without its drawbacks (but if you have the SL-Zooms 2490/90280 and also the Sigma 35/1.2Art, it is not unusual) and the workmanship is very good.  Fixed lens hood is also very nice (if I remember correctly, it was made of metal or aluminum at Leica). 

However, when considering a replacement, there is one point that is important to me from my experience with the 14-24: 
Filter
The 14-24 has a filter holder on the back, but it is very difficult to install a 150 filter on the front. 
Although I have the Haida filters (4 ND filters), it's just not so nice to work with the small blades on the "open" camera and lens on a photo tour. Normally I have the 100mm ND and GND (+Pol) filters and here a better use is possible (especially in the landscape, e.g. by the sea etc.). 
That's the only reason that makes me think about an expensive 16-35 from Leica or Panasonic or even Sigma 16-28 DG DN C as a successor for my unfortunately stolen lens. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I prefer the Panasonic 16-35 I now have to either the Panasonic 14-28 or  Sigma 16-28

Used as a general walk around it's very nice and I just love the manual clutch

Didn't try the Sigma 12-24 or Leica 16-35 because of bulk and expense

Link to post
Share on other sites

Had the heavy and bulky Sigma 14-24 and found that almost all my shots were between 20-24 FL. So replaced with SEM 21 and very happy with that.

Later got also the light and bargain cheap Pana 20-60, useful and actually a very good lens with standard 67mm filter size.

Edited by AZach
Added filter info
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Advertisement (gone after registration)

If I can get a good deal on the Leica 14-24 is it worth the difference over the Sigma just from the standpoint of quality control?  I've heard of people having to go through multiple Sigmas to get one that performed up to standard.  Or is there no indication that there isn't the same sample variation with the Leica?

Link to post
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Dr. G said:

If I can get a good deal on the Leica 14-24 is it worth the difference over the Sigma just from the standpoint of quality control?  I've heard of people having to go through multiple Sigmas to get one that performed up to standard.  Or is there no indication that there isn't the same sample variation with the Leica?

Nobody that knows is allowed to tell, but the Sigma lens is outstanding in my experience. I shot some timelapse star fields last year for a video project, and they were sharp from corner to corner, wide open.

My guess is that quality control is the same, but pass/fail criteria might be tighter for Leica-branded lenses. In other words, the best Sigma lens will be as good as the best Leica lens, but the worse Sigma lens could be worse than the worse Leica lens. I wouldn't worry about it, if you can return a faulty sample. Any issues you uncover could be caused by rough handling after the lens left Sigma's factory.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have the Sigma 14-24 and it's been fine.  Very sharp and very good in low light on an SL2-S.  I got mine from a guy that had only used it a few times and it was a good deal for what was essentially a new lens.  It may not have the same build quality as the Leica but it's by no means a cheap build.  I don't use it all that much so that wasn't really an issue.  I got it mostly for night sky photography and it excels at that.   I don't use the 14mm end of it too much but it does come in handy for wide landscapes.   I plan on using it at the Grand Canyon in Arizona next month.  If I had to nitpick on one thing it would be that it doesn't take normal screw-in front filters.  

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 12/21/2023 at 3:41 AM, Tpau17 said:

The 14-24 has a filter holder on the back, but it is very difficult to install a 150 filter on the front. 
Although I have the Haida filters (4 ND filters), it's just not so nice to work with the small blades on the "open" camera and lens on a photo tour.

Can you elaborate on how to install a filter?  The specs say “Holder for foil filter on bayonet” what does this mean and what is a foil filter?

Link to post
Share on other sites

vor einer Stunde schrieb kkcsm:

Can you elaborate on how to install a filter?  The specs say “Holder for foil filter on bayonet” what does this mean and what is a foil filter?

https://haida-deutschland.de/deals/474/haida-nanopro-mc-ruecklinsen-filter-set-fuer-sigma-2.8/14-24-mm-fuer-sony-e-mount-und-leica-l

here you can see the blades and in the movie the installation.

In the night or in landscape it's for me not a solution.... In the meantime I have the Panasonic 16-35 and on the frontside I use my Rollei 100-ND-Filters ( 8 pieces - ND4  - ND32000) 

or for the 150er filters is a solution (but I never tested this!):

https://kasefilters.de/k150p-adapterring-fuer-sigma-14-24mm-f2.8-dg-sony-mount?utm_source=google&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCD_BwE

-thomas

 

Edited by Tpau17
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

vor 10 Stunden schrieb kkcsm:

I can see how inserting/removing these could be difficult in the field.

For me was a Problem outside with the small blaues and No PolFilter or adding 2 ND or so ….

Btw: the Leica 21.mm.Primelense have another filtersolution on the backside, Not compatible with the 14-24solution. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

vor 12 Stunden schrieb kkcsm:

Thank you.  I can see how inserting/removing these could be difficult in the field.

not very difficult - but the lens "change" could bring dunst onto teh sensor. So a blower is sometimes needed. The only thing you must avoid are fingerprints on the little glas filter and no (thick) gloves. but that's the same as with the square front filters ...

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I used the Sigma 14-24 to do some car shots up in the mountains last week.  I was also taking group photos and needed the wider angle. On the SL2 the camera and lens is a little heavy, but not unbearable.  The lens is sharp and renders nicely.  

 

Edited by Camaro5
Link to post
Share on other sites

I have recently purchased the Super Vario Elmarit SL 14-24. I took it for a test run prior to purchase and it all looked good. The Miami boys did a review on the lens and stated how Leica must have designed the lens in comparison with the Super Vario Elmar 16-35 and along with other anecdotal comments on this forum I decided on the Leica model. I am pretty happy with the lens and the underexposed parts of files clean up very well indeed. The lens is quick to focus and colour is typically Leica, especially when shooting in bright lighting. It's not an Apo lens and there are obviously distortions at 14mm but I am happy with the sharpness. The files work well with noise reduction/sharpening software with good effect. My only complaint with this lens is the huge lens cap. It wont fit in my jeans pocket.     

Best

Ken

P.S. I wont be messing around with that rear filter process.

Edited by Ken Abrahams
PS
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
On 6/19/2024 at 6:31 PM, Ken Abrahams said:

I have recently purchased the Super Vario Elmarit SL 14-24. I took it for a test run prior to purchase and it all looked good. The Miami boys did a review on the lens and stated how Leica must have designed the lens in comparison with the Super Vario Elmar 16-35 and along with other anecdotal comments on this forum I decided on the Leica model. I am pretty happy with the lens and the underexposed parts of files clean up very well indeed. The lens is quick to focus and colour is typically Leica, especially when shooting in bright lighting. It's not an Apo lens and there are obviously distortions at 14mm but I am happy with the sharpness. The files work well with noise reduction/sharpening software with good effect. My only complaint with this lens is the huge lens cap. It wont fit in my jeans pocket.     

Best

Ken

P.S. I wont be messing around with that rear filter process.

I'm thinking about buying the Leica SVE SL 12-24 for use on my SL2-S and have considered numerous other wide angle options for my landscape shooting.  High on that list of alternatives is the Sigma 12-24.  The price and build quality differences have been discussed, but my main concern is color fidelity and saturation being clearly better in the Leica version of this lens, something I observed when comparing the 70-200 Leica and Sigma lenses.  I could probably deal with color in post-processing, but straight from the camera color fidelity would be much better.   I have not done this comparison for the 12-24 Leica and Sigma lenses, but would be interested if others have or have not found better color with the Leica lens.   

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I guess you mean the 14-24? 
Since both lens designs are identical and from Sigma, I would be very surprised to see a "significant" difference in color matching.
I have the 14-24 from Sigma and am very satisfied. Definitely the best ultra wide angle zoom I have ever owned. Of course, I don't have a direct comparison to the Leica in terms of color, but I don't buy both and compare them all the time. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   1 member

×
×
  • Create New...