Widening the pool of ultra-wide L-mount lenses, Leica has just announced a pair of lenses for its mirrorless system: the Super-Vario-Elmarit-SL 14-24mm f/2.8 ASPH. zoom and Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. prime. Dubbed “Super Wide” lenses in Leica lingo, these expansive lenses offer broader fields of view with high-speed performance to suit landscape, cityscape, astrophotography, and architectural subjects. And, as L-mount lenses, they are compatible with Leica's own SL cameras, as well as L-mount mirrorless cameras from Sigma, Panasonic, and others from the L-Mount Alliance.
The Super-Vario-Elmarit-SL 14-24mm f/2.8 ASPH. is a unique lens for the system; its 14mm position is the widest within the Leica SL lineup yet it remains relatively compact (5.2" long) and portable (1.9 lb), perfect for outdoor and walkaround shooting. It's a great complement to the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f/2.8 ASPH. lens, covering a wider range and maintaining the bright f/2.8 constant maximum aperture. Its ASPH.-designated design works to control distortion for natural rendering with a wide field of view, and the optics feature a multi-coating that guards against lens flare and ghosting. Also, since the broad angle of view, bulbous front element, and integrated lens hood negate the ability to have a front filter ring, there's a rear filter slot incorporated into the bayonet mount for working with cut gel filters. This ultra-wide zoom will prove to be an asset for L-mount shooters working in astrophotography, landscape, and architectural genres who desire broad perspectives in a portable package.
The second lens of the announcement is the latest in Leica's APO series of high-performance primes, the Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. Joining other APO-Summicron-SL lenses—the 28mm f/2, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/2, 75mm f/2, and 90mm f/2—the 21mm f/2 is the widest of the bunch and is actually the brand's first 21mm lens to be manufactured with an apochromatic designation. This lens falls right in line with the well-rounded series of primes and matches the others with a Dual Synchro Drive AF system and even includes the 67mm filter size, despite its broad angle of view. It's a lens that's destined for architectural, interior, and landscape subjects, as well as astrophotography applications, and it has an 8.3" minimum focusing distance for working with close-up subjects. And, as an apochromatic lens, it handles color fringing and chromatic aberrations with ease, offering the greatest clarity and color fidelity for natural, realistic rendering; its aspherical elements also help to reduce distortion for improved sharpness and accuracy.
For more information about the new Leica ultra-wide lenses, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product pages for the Super-Vario-Elmarit-SL 14-24mm f/2.8 ASPH. zoom and Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. prime. Or drop us a line below, and we'll do our best to reply to your comments and questions.
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