Leica’s New L-Mount 35mm f/2 and 50mm f/2 are Surprisingly Affordable
Leica is expanding the native lens support for its L-mount SL-System cameras, the SL2 and the SL2-S, with the addition of the Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH and the Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH.
The German camera company says that both lenses are designed to be particularly compact and lightweight but still have the expected shallow depth of field character and the “look” of the company’s Summicron optics. Leica says both lenses focus “extremely fast” and do so smoothly and accurately thanks to the use of a linear drive motor — a fact that the company says makes the lenses ideal for both photography and videography.
“The Summicron SL 35 f/2 ASPH. covers the wide range of applications in landscape, street, and reportage photography and offers new perspectives because of a closest focusing distance of only 0.25 m The Summicron SL 50 f/2 ASPH. shows its strength in almost all photographic situations, especially in travel, event, and portrait photography,” Leica says.
Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH.
The 35mm f/2 features an optical construction of 11 elements arranged into nine groups, six of which feature aspherical surfaces. The lens has an aperture range of f/2 through f/22, although Leica did not provide the number of diaphragm blades at the time of announcement. The lens has a close focusing distance of 0.24 meters (about 9.4 inches) and a front filter thread of 67mm.
Compared to the APO-SL 35mm, it weighs less (400 grams versus 750 grams), is more compact (83mm versus 102mm), and can focus closer (0.24 meters versus 0.27 meters). It also uses one more aspherical element than the APO-SL 35mm.
Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH.
The 50mm f/2 is constructed of nine elements arranged into eight groups, six of which are aspherical. The lens has an aperture range of f/2 through f/22, although Leica did not provide the number of diaphragm blades at the time of announcement. It has a close focusing distance of 0.45 meters (about 17.7 inches) and a front filter thread of 67mm.
Compared to the Leica APO-SL 50mm, the Summicron-Sl 50mm f/2 ASPH has farther away close focusing distance (0.45 meters versus 0.35 meters), but has two more aspherical elements, weights less (402 grams versus 740 grams), and is shorter in length *83mm versus 102mm).
Pricing and Availability
Both new lenses are expected to be available starting today (although at the time of publication, sites where the lenses were listed still showed pre-order). The Summicron-SL 35mm f/2 ASPH is set to be available for $2,195 while the Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH will be available for $1,895.
Both lenses will also be available as a kit paired with the SL2 or SL2-S, bringing the total number of kit options for the SL system to six.
Of note, these prices are considerably less than the APO-SL 35mm and APO-SL 50mm, which are available for $5,195 and $5,095 respectively. The lenses are actually in-line with what other mirrorless manufacturers generally charge for high-end prime lenses, which is a bit of a break in tradition or Leica which is known to charge significantly more than the industry average for any camera or lens.
Image credits: Leica
