Leica Vario Elmarit 24-90, keep or sell? As have Leica 35mm APO

[daned]

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I just bought the Leica 24-90 lens but trying to figure out if it’s a keeper as the lens is amazing but the weight keeps me from using it. The 35mm APO  & the 35mm Summicron seems to do the job well. Any reason to keep or use the 24-90 or just sell and keep using the 35mm.

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[JohnSantaF4]

I’d sell. Portability is everything if you want a camera in your hands more often. Primes rule, and down the road, you may benefit from the lighter weight lenses from the L-mount alliance.

[tomasis7]

i use primes as well

[Geoff C. Bassett]

For event work the 24-90 is invaluable, and I would never give up mine for that reason. 

If you're just shooting for fun I would sell it. Because if you're even asking the question you know the answer. Hopefully you are still in the return window. 

[daned]

Mostly for fun and travel and hence wonder if worth the extra weight.

[Olaf_ZG]

I changed the 35apo for a 24-90 and couldn’t be happier. Added the lux as well. Carrying the camera over the shoulder, weight isn’t an issue, but, if I want less I can always fall back on m lenses.

[LocalHero1953]

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7 minutes ago, daned said:

Mostly for fun and travel and hence wonder if worth the extra weight.

I would never use the SL for that purpose, but that's another story! If you must use a SL, then a prime would cut the weight carried - unless you took two lenses. You'd cut even more weight by using a M lens, a M camera or a Q, all of which are capable of taking equally high quality fun and travel shots, with a lot less stress on the body.

It's my most used lens, from group shots to headshots. I have SL primes as well, and M lenses, for portraits, headshots and video, but for versatility for events and the like there is nothing to beat it. For fun and travel, I have the Q2.

[drjonb]

3 hours ago, daned said:

I just bought the Leica 24-90 lens but trying to figure out if it’s a keeper as the lens is amazing but the weight keeps me from using it. The 35mm APO  & the 35mm Summicron seems to do the job well. Any reason to keep or use the 24-90 or just sell and keep using the 35mm.

Five primes in one, the practicality and convenience is worth its weight in gold. The value is therefore amazing. But, most importantly, its IQ, in my opinion, is even more amazing; you have to print very big or magnify and squint a great deal, to really see any difference with the primes in real world scenarios. This lens is a classic.

[daned]

1 hour ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I would never use the SL for that purpose, but that's another story! If you must use a SL, then a prime would cut the weight carried - unless you took two lenses. You'd cut even more weight by using a M lens, a M camera or a Q, all of which are capable of taking equally high quality fun and travel shots, with a lot less stress on the body.

It's my most used lens, from group shots to headshots. I have SL primes as well, and M lenses, for portraits, headshots and video, but for versatility for events and the like there is nothing to beat it. For fun and travel, I have the Q2.

Yes, I have thought about the M camera and lens but never used one and always have wondered how easy it would be to adopt to the system specially the manual focusing part.

[Slender]

24-90 "makes/save me so much money/time" on jobs it is simply unthinkable for me to let go of it. If you shoot professionally on a fast paced setting it has several advantages:

1. You have 6 primes in one lens. All of which shaper than any M or R lens ever made (except maybe at 90mm).
2. One 700g APO prime is "only" about 30/35% lighter on average.
3. Easily the fastest and quietest AF lens in the Leica stable (with 90-280). Only one tiny bit of glass need moving, unlike pairs of elements with dual motors on APO primes.
4. Sure, its a b@$tch to carry all day, but SL2+2 primes would be heavier! Slower! Bigger!
5. When out and about in dusty, moist, sandy places.... your sensor is safe from exposure to the elements as you need not lens swapping.

When I take it for leisure or day travels. if not my M10R then I happily pair it with M lenses. Then yes, it transform into a different tool.

At present the "only" other SL lenses on my radar would be the OG Summilux SL (after all it was the pairing Leica thought would be "all you need" when they introduced the first pro grade mirrorless camera in 2015) for its rendering. Second choices would be the 21/90 APO for peerless performance lust... But since I have tiny M lenses for now its not urgent.

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Edited March 26, 2024 by Slender

[keeping_a_balance]

To the OP if you are happy with 35 and don’t need tele, then sure, sell the zoom.  

You did however buy it…  so clearly you want some reach in your images… Buy a Sigma 85 DG DN art, or a 90 dg dn ‘c’ for reach, or go with the 75 apo and crop.

All the above posts are true and have merit and the lenses  I just listed are great, if you are using it for lifestyle and travel, stick with the ASPH leica primes and C series sigma / panasonic primes to keep weight down and get great IQ.  If you want exceptional IQ get the APO primes vs weight.

Possibilities are endless, and really only you should know what you need/want….  

 

[LeicaR10]

Daned,  IMO, Slender at Post #10 presents a very good case for you to simply keep both lenses.  It will give you a lot of flexibility to have the other focal lengths in one stellar lens.  Yes, the 24-90 is a bit more heavy, but the results it renders can be stunning.  The 35 Apo Summicron is on a different level.  I personally have both primes and zooms and these serve a function that ultimately help me create photographs with content that cause the viewer to; Stop, Look, Think, and perhaps Feel something about that moment in time.  I suggest you simply go shoot both lenses for several months before making a decision.  r/ Mark

Edited March 26, 2024 by LeicaR10

[daned]

46 minutes ago, Slender said:

24-90 "makes/save me so much money/time" on jobs it is simply unthinkable for me to let go of it. If you shoot professionally on a fast paced setting it has several advantages:

1. You have 6 primes in one lens. All of which shaper than any M or R lens ever made (except maybe at 90mm).
2. One 700g APO prime is "only" about 30/35% lighter on average.
3. Easily the fastest and quietest AF lens in the Leica stable (with 90-280). Only one tiny bit of glass need moving, unlike pairs of elements with dual motors on APO primes.
4. Sure, its a b@$tch to carry all day, but SL2+2 primes would be heavier! Slower! Bigger!
5. When out and about in dusty, moist, sandy places.... your sensor is safe from exposure to the elements as you need not lens swapping.

When I take it for leisure or day travels. if not my M10R then I happily pair it with M lenses. Then yes, it transform into a different tool.

At present the "only" other SL lenses on my radar would be the OG Summilux SL (after all it was the pairing Leica thought would be "all you need" when they introduced the first pro grade mirrorless camera in 2015) for its rendering. Second choices would be the 21/90 APO for peerless performance lust... But since I have tiny M lenses for now its not urgent.

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are these photos with the 24-90?

[Slender]

Yes all of them!

[Slender]

 

Handheld 1/10s 3200Iso @30mm f3.0. Click to zoom in, bearing in mind here its only a 2500pix wide image compressed for the web

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Edited March 26, 2024 by Slender

[Slender]

The other extreme: a day trip to oxford using only a small 35mm M lens (this one Summaron 35 2.8 from the 60ies.... now replaced by anoter f2 asph

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[MakinMemories]

I cannot imagine myself not having zooms, I use them more often than my primes and Leica SL are by far the best range of zooms I know of. The 24-90 is my overall favorite and while an exceptional lens, the 90-280 might be even better. While I don't use it much as I should, the 16-35 is also a very good lens but is overshadowed by bigger brothers🙂

[jaapv]

Have the best of two worlds. Your 35 as your main lens and the Sigma 28/70 as a light zoom option when you need it - IQ is pretty impressive for the concept. 

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[chris_tribble]

Keep the 24-90. It just works!!

Edited March 27, 2024 by chris_tribble

[LocalHero1953]

16 hours ago, MakinMemories said:

I cannot imagine myself not having zooms, I use them more often than my primes and Leica SL are by far the best range of zooms I know of. The 24-90 is my overall favorite and while an exceptional lens, the 90-280 might be even better. While I don't use it much as I should, the 16-35 is also a very good lens but is overshadowed by bigger brothers🙂

I've had all three. A purely personal view: the 16-35 is good but perhaps I never really had the need for it - I didn't use it much. It is up for sale at ffordes. I can't imagine doing without the 24-90; I do most of what I do for others with that lens. I have the Apo 35 and 75 primes (and have had the 90), but never think of the 24-90 in the same terms - they are just that bit better. On the other hand, every time I look through the 90-280 I am gobsmacked at the crispness and colours in the EVF - I find it astonishing. Its reach, stabilisation and Apo colours are just perfect for close-ups in the theatre.

Edited March 27, 2024 by LocalHero1953