Hello Aram,
You're talking about the Leica SL, not the Leicaflex SL, correct?
While the R28-90 is a decent lens, you will give up several things besides just
performance. The Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm is a much better performer optically
to begin with, and the SL includes lens correction curves to further optimize
its performance on the digital sensor too. Of course it has autofocus too
(which is very fast and incredibly accurate). The SL has a couple of specific
functions to make this lens sing even moreso than it might seem, like "floating
ISO" to allow more consistent exposure through the zoom range when used
wide-open with manual exposure, focus peaking that can be set to auto-engage as
soon as you touch the focusing ring, full support of all the SL's exposure
modes (not only Manual and Aperture priority), and the open-aperture metering
extends the metering range (and accuracy) past what can be achieved with an
adapted lens. The EXIF data isn't populated properly to accommodate focal
length changes with adapted zooms, and the lens profiles are just
approximations as a result—the SL lens corrections apply at every zoom and
focus setting correctly. All simulation modes work (normal, aperture simulation
for DoF, and full exposure simulation). And on top of all that, the SL24-90
lens includes excellent built-in optical image stabilization that nets
hand-holdability down to nearly a half a second with consistent results at 90mm
focal length.
Honestly: when I bought the SL in November 2015, I was also put off by the size
and weight of the 24-90mm lens. I added it to my order as an afterthought with
the notion that I should have one lens that allowed me all the capabilities and
features of the SL, then didn't use it for most of a year (concentrating on
using my R lenses). After a year of using the SL with R lenses and getting very
comfortable with it, its size and heft with the R lenses (which aren't really
that small either), I started using the SL24-90 and noticing that it
outperformed most of my R lenses. Now I wouldn't be without it, and I reduced
my R lens kit somewhat because, well, I just don't need so much duplication.
The SL24-90 is my
"go to" SL lens for anything where I need a lens that will simply perform
without guesswork in this entire focal length range.
G
—
The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it.
On Jun 8, 2017, at 9:21 PM, Aram <leica_r8@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi. I was wondering about an alternative lens for the SL. My biggest gripe
(aside from price) is the weight of the system and had a thought of a way to
perhaps lighten the load a bit. I have the 35-70/4 but I have always thought
I could use a bit more range. So, how about the Leica 28-90 ASPH? I hear
it is a pretty darn good lens, weighs about 50% less than the new 24-90 for
the SL and can be had for a lot less money. Does anybody know how it would
compare optically with the 24-90? I found some MTF curves for each, and it
looks like the new SL lens is better, but that does not tell me much about
real life situations. True, you give up AF, but I do that now anyway using
my 35-70 on my Nikon. And I played around with an SL a bit last time I was
in Seattle and I was able to focus it accurately with a much higher success
rate than with my Nikon D750. I was at one time tempted to get the 28-90
until I found out that Leitax does not adapt that lens to a Nikon mount.
Aram
Aram Langhans
(Semi) Retired Science Teacher
& Unemployed photographer
“The Human Genome Project has proved Darwin more right than Darwin himself
would ever have dared dream.” James D. Watson
