No options APO VARIO ELMARIT SL 90-280mm
A review and Photo example of the Leica APO VARIO ELMARIT 90-280.
Table of contents
Gallery
- Sample photos taken with the LEICA SL typ601.
Review
1．Overview
The APO VARIO ELMARIT SL 90-280mm is a Leica L-mount telephoto zoom lens released in 2016.
Its main specifications are a lens configuration of 23 elements in 17 groups, inner focus, no change in lens length when used with inner zoom, a minimum shooting distance of 0.6m at the wide-angle end and 1.4m at the telephoto end, optical image stabilization (OIS), and a high-speed focus with a double motor, making it an ambitious lens.
The F-stop is variable, but at 280mm at the telephoto end it is F4, so it is bright enough.
2．Usage
The APO VARIO ELMARIT SL 90-280mm has a satisfactory resolution for a telephoto lens, and the bokeh is not too noisy, so it is easy to use.
As for operability, the focus speed is satisfactory as long as it is used with the LEICA SL Typ601. The AF focusing accuracy is strongly influenced by the body, but when used with the LEICA SL Typ601, it focuses smoothly and smoothly on subjects that are not too difficult to focus on, which is nice. However, subjects that are easy to lose focus on, such as a cat behind a fence, were generally difficult to focus on.
Also, the fact that the overall length of the lens does not change with the inner zoom is an advantage when shooting. The lens weighs 1.7 kg, which is quite heavy, but when attached to the LEICA SL Typ601, the weight balance of the camera system was good and there were no problems when shooting.
However, because the overall length of the lens is long, it does not fit well in a camera bag, and if it is attached to the body, a bag with a certain length in the horizontal direction is required.
Although the lens had a tripod mount, I removed the tip of the tripod mount because I only shot handheld.
Even after removing the tip of the tripod mount, the base of the tripod mount remained on the lens barrel, which ruined the aesthetic design. Fortunately, the tripod mount had a rotation mechanism, so I moved the remaining protrusion out of the way when shooting.
With telephoto lenses, there is a desire to extend the focal length using an optional teleconverter, but this lens does not have a teleconverter, so the focal length cannot be extended.
When Leica released the Vario-Elmar SL f5-6.3/100-400mm, the Leica Extender L 1.4x and Leica Extender L 2x were also released. These two teleconverters are only compatible with the Vario-Elmar SL f5-6.3/100-400mm and Vario-Elmarit SL f2.8/70-200mm ASPH., and not with the APO VARIO ELMARIT SL 90-280mm.
In the case of Leica, genuine teleconverters cost over 100,000 yen, so if you want a long focal length that can be used with a teleconverter, it is cheaper to buy a Sigma zoom, and there is almost no difference in lens performance.
Regarding lens options, it is difficult to verify complete compatibility, so it is sad for veteran camera fans that each company has its own dedicated products in the mirrorless camera era.
The L-mount is a common standard that can be used by alliance members. However, the lack of compatibility of accessories makes the L-mount alliance seem half-baked. However, Nikon, Canon, and Sony do not guarantee the operation of third-party accessories even if they work, so there is no choice but to accept it.
In the case of teleconverters, Panasonic has increased the number of connectors on the lens and teleconverter that are thought to be for teleconverters, meaning that they cannot be used with any lenses other than those designed for them.
Another compatibility issue is that the image stabilization mechanism of this lens, the APO-Vario-Elmarit 90-280mm, cannot be used with the Leica T*1.
*1: This is stated on page 23 of the APO-Vario-Elmarit 90-280mm manual.
It is unknown whether the image stabilization mechanism can be used with Leica’s LEICA TL, TL2, and CL, and other companies’ L-mount cameras.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the Apo-Vario-Elmarit 90-280mm”, it is a telephoto lens with no expandability.
Values are different for each person, so I don’t want to generalize and dismiss it, but it is too expensive for a lens with a maximum telephoto performance of 2800mm F4. Rather than allocating the budget to this, I would be happier to get a telephoto lens made by SIGMA and use the money saved to purchase other lenses.
Specification
Currently, there are three 300mm class telephoto lenses for the L mount, as shown in the table below. As mentioned above, the Vario-Elmar SL is almost the same as Sigma’s 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary.
| Lens name | APO VARIO ELMARIT | Vario-Elmar SL f5-6.3 / 100-400mm | LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 MACRO O.I.S. |
| Focal length(mm) | 90-280 | 100-400 | S 70-300 |
| Max aperture | 2.8-4.0 | 5-6.3 | 4.5-5.6 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Aperture blade | ? | 9? * | 11 |
| Lens Construction | 23 elements in 17 groups | 22 elements in 16 groups | 17 elements in 11 groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.6-1.4 | 1.1-1.6 | 0.54 |
| Lens length(mm) | 238 | 198 (at wide-angle end) | 148 (at wide-angle end) |
| Lens Max diameter(mm) | 88 | 88 | 84 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 82 | 82 | 77 |
| Optical Image Stabilization： | Yes (3.5 stops) | Yes (about 4 stops?*) | Yes (5.5 stops) Works with in-body image stabilization |
| テレコン | none | Leica Extender L 1.4x Leica Extender L 2.0x | none |
| Weight(g) | 1,710 | 1530 | 790 |
| Release date | 2016.04.29 | 2023.3.18 | 2021.4.22 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | ¥820,000- | ¥344,850- | ¥127,710- |
LEICA SL lens early lineup
| Lens name | SUPER VARIO ELMAR | VARIO ELMARIT | APO VARIO ELMARIT | SUMMILUX |
| Focal length(mm) | 16-35 | 24-90 | 90-280 | 50 |
| Max aperture | 3.5-4.5 | 2.8-4.0 | 2.8-4.0 | 1.4 |
| Min aperture | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Lens Construction | 18elements in 12groups | 18elements in 15groups | 23elements in 17groups | 11elements in 9groups |
| Min distance(m) | 0.25- | 0.3-0.45 | 0.6-1.4 | 0.6- |
| Lens length(mm) | 123 | 138 | 238 | 124 |
| Lens Max diameter(mm) | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 |
| Filter Size(mm) | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 |
| Weight(g) | 990 | 1,140 | 1,710 | 1,065 |
| Image stabilizer | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Release date | 2018.05.10 | 2015.11.28 | 2016.04.29 | 2016.12.28 |
| Price(Yen/No-tax) | ¥760,000- | ¥650,000- | ¥820,000- | ¥770,000- |
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.1.19
- 2024.03.10
- 2023.08.31
Affiliate links
- Leica Lens・Ads by Amazon
- Leica Books・Ads by Amazon
Leave a Reply