A $5600 Zoom Lens?! | LEICA 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Review

The Leica 24-90mm f/2.8-4 is a massive lens that I feel like I was totally wrong about when I first tried it years ago. Here are my thoughts after using it again for a month giving me a new appreciation for this $5600 Beast.
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[@Biosynchro]

Leica's reason for the sliding aperture is increased image quality. That makes sense although we're used to thinking the opposite. I also love Red Dot Forum. It's a must-watch channel. Their comparison of the 24-90 and the 24-70 showed exactly why the former is a better lens and worth the money.

[@jacobh5817]

I’ve used this lens on an SL2 for a few commercial shoots a while ago. I can’t recall that I’ve ever seen this level of sharpness and contrast in a zoom lens! Not even the great Z24-70/2.8 that I use almost daily. It is within a hair of the increcible APO-Summicron SL lenses. Talking about the ‘missing’ 24-105/f4, there’s a great S version of that lens by Panasonic and it fits the SL2 beautifully, whenever $5600 is beyond your appetite and you don’t mind the constant f4.

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

I have the 24-105 which works well and is my cheap alternative and pairs nicely with my SL especially for landscapes. I would love the 24-90 but the cost and weight put me off…. Well the cost mainly. One day it will be mine 🤫 hopefully my wife won’t notice the difference

[@rumporridge1]

I have both those lenses and would never sell them. Fits my S1R and SL2 perfectly, along side the 90-280 as well. Great tandem.

[@danieldewaard6657]

I had this lens when I had the original SL. It was probably the best IQ lens I have ever used… when there was enough available light. But with the variable aperture, I couldn’t use it at high ISO (with the SL). Contemplating using it again with the SL2-s since this body performs so well at high ISO vs the SL. It’s a fabulous studio lens.

[@PiotrPavlov]

I’ve just sold all my (boring) Sony gear and got myself an m10r black paint with 35 fle and a 90 summarit 2.4. Thanks for your videos 🤣

[@Renzsu]

Nice bit of kit!

[@gewglesux]

well done!!

[@EdwargGz]

Hahahaha nice! I sold many Sony Lenses and I got an M10-D with the 35FLE 👌🏼

[@rumporridge1]

My favorite lens. And the 75mm SL APO.

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

Hi there! Nice lens that I regret to have sold! Fortunately I found one today at a good price! Soon back home ! There is a Vibration Compensation motor inside, that’s why it’s so big and have variable aperture. For weddings all manufacturers have developed 24-105 mm f/4 constant aperture… Tamron has also developed a 35-135mm constant aperture which is awesome. So, for more rich upon 70mm there are plenty solutions on the market. But once your played with this one, the quality you get anywhere in the frame is absolutely fantastic. You have as many primes as you want in this package !!!

[@ArnaudSiemons]

Variable aperture does not have anything to do with Vibration Compensation inside a lens..

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

@@ArnaudSiemons it’s not what I meant I wanted to say that it has VR inside and that it has variable aperture among the zoom range. These are two main points to describe the lens

[@obscur_yoann]

I always have an eye on that lens... Curious to see how it will work on my Sigma fp. With the stabilization of the lens, it may be very useful.

[@robynkis2075]

My problem with it is that the SL2 needs very fast glass to keep the ISO down (anything beyond ISO 1600 is just not usable for client work on the SL2 - anything below is brilliant, though). I guess Leica knew this when they released the 24-70 f 2.8.

[@user-ms8qg2rz5s]

Just keep the len in F4 ? F4 isn’t that bad?

[@gewglesux]

Nice Benj!! Thanks for bringing this to us!!

[@patrickcook3056]

The original SL had float ISO

[@SunshineHB]

The SL2-S has it, too. Edit: assuming he mentions this. Didn’t realize he had the 2-S in this video. Edit 2: didn’t realize the SL2 also had this, but makes sense.

[@Fleet42]

Just sold my 24-70 2.8 today as I think it lacked the magic of this glass I’m down to, two lenses for my SL2S that I might sell also! 50mm 1.4 Lumix Leica certified and the Sigma 85mm 1.4 which is brilliant! My question is twofold, M10R M10 or M11 and how brilliant is m glass on the SL2S.

[@allena3430]

I feel the 24-70 vario elmarir looks more like a Leica M lens than the 24-90 if that is the 24-70 you are talking about

[@AskMOTT]

Great video Benj.

[@joelogan4260]

I have the Panasonic 24-70f 2.8 and the Leica 90-280mm

[@HatefYaminiOnline]

I didn’t know about the floating ISO feature. Thanks!

[@thedimtenuk]

Thanks for that review! When it comes to the video and L LOG, how do you grade the footage? Ie transform the log to at least rec 709.

[@SunshineHB]

Hello famous KZbin photographer, I went with this over the 35 apo for my new SL2-S. It takes some really nice photos even though I cant get to f2, which is pretty much where I live on my M mount Summicrons. It does "the thing" dare I say "the Leica thing (look)". The only downside is its rocket launcher dimensions. the ISO performance on the SL2-S pretty much negates the aperture limitations. DID I MENTION THIS THING IS ENORMOUS? It makes a great stand for the SL2-S...

[@benjhaisch]

Haha! I'm nowhere near a "famous youtuber" but thanks for sharing! It really is the best zoom lens I've used in terms of overall look.

[@SunshineHB]

@@benjhaisch I only call you that because I made a joke on a certain FB group once about a camera strap you were selling coming with an autograph 😂.

[@danut-floriantiparu8156]

Hi Benj, I would like to have your opinion in a rather special situation. Lets say if you have the occasion to buy this lens for about a third of its price (lets say about 1600USD :-)). How do you see the lens cons and pros at this price tag ?And as cons I'm thinking at the weight of this lens, in the first place.

[@benjhaisch]

weight would be the only con. $1600 is a steal for it's performance and if you really hated it you could always just sell it to me for $1600 and get your money back ;)

[@danut-floriantiparu8156]

@@benjhaisch Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this! Well, lets hope IQ will beat weight, in my case! :-)

[@calvinchann1996]

Three things. Red Dot Forum are every two weeks. The 24-70 is f2.8 not f2. How did you get to $15,000?

[@benjhaisch]

Huh?

[@benjhaisch]

The Canon 28-70 is f/2

[@calvinchann1996]

@@benjhaisch I thought you were talking about the Leica 24-70 SL

[@benjhaisch]

Yeah, I talk about them both at points. More on the Leica 24-70SL though, but maybe I slipped up and assumed I had properly communicated when I hadn’t. I think this video was hour 5 of filming that day, so I might not have been all there 😂

[@yungsoohong28]

To see the magic of this lens, you have to compare it with the SL2 and enlarge it in 400 percent in DNG. And then compare it other brand with the same spec of cameras. And play around the file in a extreme manipulation.

[@VynZography]

I wish someone would lend me a Leica with this lens because I have no idea how anyone who actually wants to use a camera would even think this is good value. Don't get me wrong i appreciate build and workmanship but can we maybe review leica like a quality watch rather than being practical at all? Like ok, if this is an extremely well built camera and lens with physical quality beyond compare then fine review it from that point of view, again like a lot of the watch channels I follow. Seriously nobody buys a Rolex because they need to know the time. But are the photos produced really any better than the Panasonic equivalent or any other camera for that matter? Please change my mind.

[@simongentry]

it goes to 11! ;)

[@jasonswartzbaugh3925]

I've never held any Leica products before or even seen one in person. Like anything it's all a matter of preference. It's about getting the job done whether paid or not. It's about telling a story no matter what your using. With that being said, don't feel bad if you can't afford it....anybody. There's plenty of options out there. Most people don't even make prints any more. Let alone generate any type of wall art. Most people don't pixel peep either. If someone wants to spend that kind of green on a variable zoom, that's great. I say spread that money around and build out your kit. Make sure you can grab that shot with the right lens. My f1.8 primes are more than enough for me. Maybe one day if I'd ever make money from photography than we'd have a different discussion. Till than, keep shooting my friends

[@hotsang9935]

SIGAM LEICA 24-70F28 is better😂😅

[@rg3412]

I don't like "?!" titles and annotations. Makes your work sound superficial and clickbaity. I can already predict your next title: "I quit photography" cue the sad face, where you explain why you will never actually quit photography, but you need the extra clicks. I know it's a shark tank out in YT land and you try to survive, but please try to find a unique angle that is genuine and don't resort to what everyone else is doing, as it devalues your work.

[@benjhaisch]

I hate naming videos. Feel free to retitle this for me that will both draw attention and be searchable as well. It's honestly a pain point. Fwiw a $5600 zoom lens really is a "?!" occasion imo ;) But no, I'd never do the "I quite photography" garbage

[@c141charlie]

I’ve noticed most gear reviewers do this. I suspect they are trying to walk a tight rope of saying this is the greatest thing since sliced bread for some people for some use cases while also trying not to offend the other manufacturers who send them gear to review. But I agree, punctuation like that plants the seeds of doubt in term is trust.

[@rg3412]

@@benjhaisch I hear ya. Advice is cheap and action is not. I was trying to keep it honest because I care about the work you've put into your channel.

[@benjhaisch]

@@c141charlie ah that’s fair. I think I don’t necessarily care if manufacturers don’t like what I say, but like you mentioned, everyone has different use cases and telling people that something is garbage might not be the case for everyone. Again as for things like the punctuation, the sad reality is that I made this video out of my own interest and intrigue, but at the same time if no one watches the videos I make, I’ll have less and less of a justification to make more. I hadn’t considered a ?! I would hold any sense of clickbait other than just the intrigue of it all (which was the goal in adding it). Again, I’m legitimately open to better suggestions. It’s a weird balance that the whole title/thumbnail thing is actually more important than the content in many ways.