LEICA VARIO ELAMR TL 18-56mm
Review and Photo example of the Vario Elmar TL F3.5-5.6 18-56mm.
Table of contents
Gallery
- Photo example taken by LEICA T typ701
Review
The Leica Vario Elmar TL 18-56mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH. is a zoom lens for the Leica T, TL, and CL series equipped with an APS-C sensor. The shortest lens barrel length is 18mm, and the maximum lens barrel length is 56mm. The shortest shooting distance is 0.3m for 18mm and 0.45m for 56mm, allowing you to get a little closer to the telephoto end.
Comes with a flower-shaped bayonet hood that can be reversed when stored.
Since this lens is intended for APS-C size sensors, the image circle is insufficient for cameras equipped with 35mm full-frame sensors such as the LEICA SL, so the camera automatically crops the lens before use.
It is a very ordinary zoom lens that can be adjusted from F3.5 to 5.6, and there is no image stabilization mechanism, so you need to be careful about camera shake when using low shutter speeds in dark places.
Immediately after the Leica T typ701 was released, there were no options for L-mount lenses, so if I wanted to use a camera for the time being, I would use this lens or the Summicron 23mm.
It’s a lightweight zoom lens that covers a standard focal length, making it a useful lens for trips where you want to lighten your luggage. However, as of 2024, it seems that this lens has already finished its role, and it is more cost-effective to choose a compact product with an F2.8 aperture called Sigma’s 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN TL released in 2021. It is also advantageous from a practical standpoint.
This lens has a list price of about 200,000 yen, but the list price is Leica price, and if it were sold by a Japanese manufacturer, the actual price would be around 30,000 yen. This lens is made in Japan, and is probably designed by the manufacturer, so it does not have exceptional descriptive power.
The lens nameplate says VARIO ELMAR T for the same production lot as LEICA T typ701, and VARIO ELMAR TL for the production lot when LEICA TL was introduced. There is no difference in lens performance between the two.
Specification
| Item | Spec1 | Spec2 |
| Lens name | VARIO ELMAR-TL | 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary |
| Local length(mm) | 18-56 | 18-50 |
| Max aperture | 3.5-5.6 | 2.8 |
| Min aperture | 16 | 22 |
| Leaf blade | – | 7 |
| Lens Construction | 10elements in 7group | 13elements in 10group |
| Min distance(m) | 0.3 | 0.12-0.31 |
| Lens length(mm) | 60 | 74.5(L-Mount) |
| Lens Max diameter(mm) | 63 | φ65.4(L-Mount) |
| Filter Size(mm) | 52 | 55 |
| Weight(g) | 256 | 290 |
| Release date | 2014 | 2022 |
| Price | ¥200,000- | Open Price(About ¥65,000) |
LEICA T/TL Zoom lens Variations
| Lens name | SUPER VARIO ELMAR | VARIO ELMAR | APO VARIO ELMAR |
| Focal length(mm) | 11-23 | 18-56 | 55-135 |
| 35mm equivalent focal length | 16.5-34.5 | 27-84 | 82.5-202.5 |
| Max aperture | 3.5-4.5 | 3.5-5.6 | 3.5-4.5 |
| Min aperture | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Lens Construction | 14elements 10group | 10elements 7group | 12elements 10group |
| Min distance(m) | 0.2〜 (11〜23) | 0.3〜0.45 (18〜56) | 1.0〜 (55〜135) |
| Lens length(mm) | 77〜92 | 60〜80 | 110〜153 |
| Lens diameter(mm) | 73 | 63 | 68 |
| Filter Size(mm) | E67(67mm) | E52(52mm) | E60(60mm) |
| Weight(g) | 386 (Lens only) | 256 (Lens only) | 500 (Lens only) |
| Release date | 2015.3.1 | 2014.4 | 2015.3.1 |
| List Price(Yen) | 230,000- | 200,000− | 230,000- |
Reference links
Update history
- 2024.03.06
- 2023.06.11
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