Leica APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens revealed

Leica has officially announced the APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 telephoto zoom lens for its SL-mount mirrorless camera system.

Photographers who want a mirrorless camera for their professional-grade needs can grab the Leica SL (Typ 601). The device features a full-frame image sensor and it can be considered a competitor for Sony’s Alpha series of FE-mount shooters.

In order to support its SL camera, Leica has just introduced the second lens for this mount. It consists of the APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 telephoto zoom lens and it is aimed at portrait, sports, and action photographers.

Leica APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens announced for SL-mount mirrorless cameras

Introduced in October 2015, the SL mirrorless camera has been released along with the Vario Elmarit SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH. standard zoom lens. At the time of launch, the German manufacturer confirmed that the Leica APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens will become available in 2016.

The Leica APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 telephoto zoom lens is designed for the SL full-frame mirrorless camera.

The time has come for the second zoom optic to become official, allowing SL photographers to use focal lengths ranging from 24mm to 280mm, thanks to this pair of lenses. The new unit comes packed with superior image quality and fairly bright maximum aperture.

Additionally, it includes a built-in optical image stabilization technology that offers 3.5 stops of light, therefore reducing the risk of blur in your shots. The optic also boasts a dual internal focusing mechanism, which provides quick and silent autofocusing.

One advantage of the internal focusing system is that the length of the optic does not increased when focusing. This lens features a minimum focusing distance of 60 centimeters at the shortest focal length and, respectively, 140 centimeters at the longer end.

Release date and price details confirmed by the German manufacturer

Leica APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 lens features 23 elements in 17 groups. It measures 23.8 centimeters in length, while having a diameter of 88mm. Its weight is said to stand at 1,850 grams, therefore it can be considered a rather heavy as well as long lens.

The product will be shipped along with a lens hood, whose purpose is to further reduce the need for reflections, thus preventing both flare and ghosting. Another good thing about this optic consists of its sealing. The lens has multiple seals that protect it against splashes and dust.

A tripod collar is supplied, too, and it can be rotated, so that users can mount their SL equipment on a tripod. The lens is scheduled to become available on March 24 for a price of $6,395 and it will be compatible with the Leica T mirrorless camera, too.

In addition to the APO Vario Elmarit SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4 telephoto zoom optic, the Germany-based company has confirmed that it will release the Summilux SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. prime sometime in the fourth quarter of 2016.