Unique, Fast Aperture, Great Range - Telephoto for SL SL2 SL2-S - Leica 90-280mm f/2.8-4 Lens Review

[@CryoftheProphet]

The 90-280 is the greatest zoom lens ever made, it has no equal. And it’s apochromatic which is insane when you think about it. I use this lens all the time and it’s one of my favorite of all time.

[@rumporridge1]

You can tell the real photographer’s from the ones who just complain about the cost vs IQ. This lens is an engineering marvel in lens design. And yes there is no equal.

[@sanfordlavine1760]

I had regularly used the 90-280 along with the 16-35 for landscape work. Just for fun I went out for a day long shoot with only the 90-280. I was able to capture images of plant life at a medium distance while taking advantage of the unique depth compression of a telephoto. Simply beautiful. Thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews.

[@BPLeroyLotusEvora]

Leigh and Raymond, a fantastic report, as always. I own the Leica SL2 with the 24-90 VE and 90-280 VE as well as the 75 prime. Absolutely love those, in addition to my Q2. Built like a tank, with simple esthetics. Best wishes, Bart

[@stuartmeador8993]

The advantage of the "L" system is you can buy to your personal budget and shooting skills and needs...I found the 90->280 to be not often used in my SL2 kit and sold it... replaced with sigma 100->400 and freed up significant resources for several other lenses which I use more often.

[@Bryan-lu4du]

I was just thinking about this lens and suddenly see your review on it. I'm incredibly impressed with the image quality and would enjoy having one. I'm really hoping Leica will do a 280-500 f/4 -f/5.6 or something along those lines someday, it would be expensive as heck but at least having the option would be nice.

[@ctmdarkonestm]

Same, my dumb a** tries to do lunar and astrophotography with an M and a 560mm f/6.3...it doesn't go well

[@jon-nolanacousticsingerson9920]

Leigh: I purchased a Leica 90-280 F/2.8-4 lens for my SL2, I had been using the less expensive Leica 24-70 although very good, it could not hold a candle to the 90-280. That said, I returned the 24-70 Leica for the 24-90. I should get it this week. I am very much looking forward to it. It certainly cost more, but using the 90-280 and watching the review from Red Dot Forum helped me make the choice. I love your videos, Jon-Nolan Prescott, AZ

[@danilotorre1857]

I own the 90-280 and I use it for wildlife photography. It perfectly combines with 24-90 and its performance is stellar. On the SL2 I also like to use it in crop mode when needed.

[@gautambiswas7338]

I would like to do the same. Would love to hear your experience with the Leica's autofocus and this lens.

[@danilotorre1857]

@@gautambiswas7338 I think it depends on your subjects. I use if for mammals with no issue at all, the AF is reliable and fast enough and the quality of the lens is top as you would expect. If your favourite subjects are birds or other fast moving subjects I think that this combo is too short and Leica AFC is not in the same league of Sony and Canon yet. We will see very soon how next generation of SL will perform... :)

[@gautambiswas7338]

@@danilotorre1857 I hope the much hyped SL3 would have better autofocus. With the availability of Sigma's 150-600 and 500mm f6.3 in L mount, bird photography could be a possibility. Keeping fingers crossed.

[@coasttocoastphoto]

It's nice to have some reach with the 90-280, and its got fast AF. It replaced two Canon lenses- a 70-210mm 2.8 and a 300mm 2.8. I also have the 16-35 and the 24-90. If you shoot people at 90mm, use the 24-90 as it is softer at 90mm than the 90-280.

[@jeffreytotaro7051]

Nice review Leigh! I have rented this lens a few times for the SL2 and it is remarkably good. I used if for huge display graphics in the multi-shot mode with the SL2. I needed a long reach lens so I could use all of the sensor since I needed as much resolution as possible. Nice to know it's there when I need it! A shout out to LensRentals if you need Leica gear. They have it all! This lens comes with a Leica UV filter on it, so no skimping on that from the LR!

[@ramaxey]

I would love to see a Wildlife Photography course. I'm a Lumix S5 user and want to know if there are L-mount lens options that are suitable for wildlife, in particular, birds.

[@fotonutzz]

I love the 90-280mm. The sharpness of the lens is truly incredible. I use it mainly for portraiture at 90mm and it is sharper than my friend’s Sigma 105/1.4 ART lens. I hv the full range of SL Varios and this is currently my favourite lens. Comparing the images taken from my Nikon AF-S 70-200/2.8 VR, Canon EF 70-200/2.8 IS and Olympus 40-150/2.8 PRO, the 90-280 provides the sharpness and crispiest image. However, the sharpness of the lens means I had to do a lot of post-processing to soften the portraits.

[@cinqo7]

Wow, are lens really that sharp! That's great!

[@martinkammerer9376]

Great review, as always. I have not yet tested this lens but I would use it for portraiture and landscape. The image quality looks stunning.

[@salmonefotografia77]

Thank you for sharing, solved my problems. Now, I know how I should choose for my SL2-S.

[@hRs1337]

coming from a sony background, i am used to the really sharp and clinical lenses of the GM series. i switched over to a leica sl a few years ago and have never looked back. along with the sl i had a gfx100 with most of the lenses in that series and even tho i love everything about that particular system, everytime i went out to shoot for myself, i always reached for the leica. so i sold the gfx system. the 90-280 is one of those lenses i have a love/hate relationship to. i hate pixelpeeping the images because i find it so soft wide open, specially when i'm used to the sony GM and fuji GFX lenses... but when i'm not pixelpeeping, but looking at the images at fit to screen resolution, i love the images way more from the sl and leica lenses. they're not clinical, but they have character that i lack in the sharper and more "correct" lenses. stopping the 90-280 down to 5,6-6,8 it sharpens up perfectly. also, using the original sl that doesn't have sensor stabilisation, i have to say that the optical stabilisation of this lens is beyond anything i've ever seen or used. it's magnificent! i will never sell this lens, even tho i always feel the urge to get something "sharper"... just because i actually love the images i get with this lens, and if i get a sharper one, i'll miss the character of this lens, and still use this ;))

[@hRs1337]

Think you could share some images from this lens in raw format? specially wide open =)

[@louisperromat385]

Very complete and interesting comment, thank you! I'm a bit surprised by this "softness" as many critics I heard say this lens is as sharp as sony lenses but just more "progressive" between sharpness and bokeh. So for example at 280mm, is it good enough to be able to crop x2 and make it a good 20M pixel's 560mm? (Using SL2 sensor)

[@jukeboxjohnnie]

This is very useful to me, I love shooting the SL2 but prefer sharp clinical images I have GFX100 and 100S with most of the lenses and want every bit of clear sharpness possible. I think I will go with Sigma Art lenses over this youve managed to talk me out of it. Much appreciated!

[@cinqo7]

are you sure the GM lenses produce more sharper photos than the Leica's?

[@hRs1337]

@@cinqo7 no, it's on a lens to lens basis. this lens is softer than the gm counterpart. i've come to realize sharpness isn't the be all/end all stat when it comes to image rendition. it's only one aspect of it. 😊

[@tommydyess3994]

I certainly vote yes for a Wildlife Photography course.

[@nicolasletellier6162]

Honestly I would really love to see an actual image ( without editing) comparaison, between this Leica that cost an arm and a lung, the Panasonic 70-200 f2.8 that cost a hand and the Panasonic 70-200 f4 that just cost some fingers. As I'm not a professional, i have hard time to see the difference and what justify ( image wise) the Leica compare to the Panasonic. Even more so, when i see some of your pictures done with this Leica really close of what i did with my Panasonic 70-200 f4 and i don't see the difference ( maybe because of lack of knowledge or blindness start to set) but that a real question for me.

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

I had this for a while when I only had the S1R and was upset by the results in AF results. Much of my shots were out of focus. I may have made mistakes but trying and trying different settings didn’t change anything. Plus, when AFC is ON, the lens never stops to jump in front and behind the point of focus and you never see your subject correctly focused in the EVF. It’s a night late how the AFC works in the L mount Alliance. I ended up selling the lens as I needed some cash… and since I have the SL2. Maybe results would be better but AFC is working the same way as in the S1R. So I doubt it will be more pleasing in the EVF. Since, I got a Lumix SPro 70-200 f/2.8 in mint condition for a real good price and it works like so well. I’m really happy with it but for sure I miss the extra 80mm at the long end.

[@louisperromat385]

Hello Didier, out of the AF topic, what did you think about the overall sharpness on this 90-280mm Leica lens using the S1R? And now compared with the Lumix 70-200 or other high end tele zooms you had the chance to own or to try? Thank you so much!

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

@@louisperromat385 Hello Louis. The 70-200 2.8 S-Pro delivered the same if not better sharpness and image quality. I was really surprised of how good it is. The Leica is really a perfect optical lens without artefact as color fringing for instance or flare. APO lenses from Leica are astonishing. But for one third of the price , the LUMIX, designed by Leica, is as good !

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

And since I’m back in the Nikon team! And the 70-200 2.8 FL VR is even better than these two lenses and more over, focus is accurate and damn fast !!! The old AFS 80-200 2.8 has such a pleasing out of focus transition that I keep it even if I own the FL version, the best they ever made before the Z version.

[@louisperromat385]

@@DidierMOULINPhotography Ok thank you so much for your feed back, seems that your opinion is quite clear on these lenses! Have a very good day!

[@formerghostzine]

I shoot the 90-280 for concert photography on the SL2-S. There is simply no better tool for the job in stadiums and arenas (the 24-70 is my choice for club gigs, and the Q2 for extreme low light nightclubs).

[@endrocahyo15]

How much is the lens cap?

[@andrewrichards912]

If you have to ask you probably can't afford it lol

[@endrocahyo15]

@@andrewrichards912 exactly 😅

[@midas1929]

US$ 57 in Switzerland, but since the lens is 7'000 ..... ; )

[@smor07]

Did you test Leica R lens?

[@jasonbradley4801]

Thank you for covering this under-rated lens.

[@lbiggs4067]

Always great and informative

[@manojchandramishra906]

How would it compare with Nikon 70-200 E lens with adaptor? For comparable focal lengths of course.

[@lighthunteralp]

Great review! Is it a good idea to use 90-280 for portraits or no brainer?

[@jorgenarnefurfjord]

Hey Leigh wonderful canal and reviews You and Raymond do for us, great job. I wonder if you have, or are going to test the leica summilux-sl 50mm f1.4 asph? I'm thinking to buy the SL2-S with 24-70 and maybe the 50 SL lux myself....

[@rudigerwolf9626]

Leigh.... Love my L-mount and M-mount lenses. On the SL2 they are all terrific, and fun to shoot with superb image quality. I try to go for 3-7 mile walks everyday, and always carry a camera with me. A course in shooting wildlife (deer, birds, coyotes, squirrels, etc.) would be very helpful. On a related note, the SL2 and 90-280 weighs over 5 lbs together. That becomes noticeable on longer hikes. Just a yesterday I picked up the Sone RX10 IV. At a little over 2 lbs and with a 2.4-4.0 24-600 eq. lens, this is an interesting second camera for taking non-critical images. If need be, augment the image capture with Topaz DeNoise/SharpenAI and it becomes very versatile. Certainly a completely different shooting experience, and one that provides an interesting complement to the Leica SL2 and SL Lenses which I also love to use. I know you review Sony gear, but have not found a review of the RX10 iv from your channel. Personally, matching the Leica and Sony kits provides a very wide window of opportunity both in terms of feel and shooting experience, and in terms of the breadth of images (sports, family, wildlife) that can be taken with either the SL2 or RX10.

[@frozenf8]

Do you know if those Panasonic teleconverters work with this 90-280?

[@isirwinalot]

Marvellous , Thanks guys :)

[@forneverarrow]

Nice review! Seeing the photos taken from this lens and camera combination though makes me wonder (genuinely, not ironically)… besides the build quality, what makes that gear so expensive? I mean, in terms of image quality, a Canon R5 with an L series telephoto or Sony A7 IV with GM can produce the same if not better results, for half the price! Sure, the focal range of 90-280mm is quite unique for full frame and I like it (I am using that range on my APSC body with a Tamron 70-210mm (112-336 equivalent) and I love it, but for about 6000€ I expected image quality comparable at least to a Zeiss prime. Maybe the image quality deteriorates in the video, but again the images are looking just moderate…

[@efromadler1390]

As a CL shooter I'm still waiting the Leica (or Sigma and Panasonic) to release a similar lens designed for APS-C which would be lighter. The full frame lens from Panasonic and Sigma as well as this lens are way to heavy for me to carry around all day.

[@ZOB4]

“It’s not bright white” boom!!! Shots fired.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

Haha no kidding.

[@arshotsphotography]

I really want this lens, but it being variable is what is turning me off. Im also a canon shooter and the 70-200 at f2.8 all the way through is what i love about it. Great video though, you gained a follower. Great info, examples and narrating.

[@CryoftheProphet]

The reason it’s variable is the exact reason why it’s the best zoom lens ever made. A variable aperture is the natural response for a zoom design, it maintains image quality over a fixed aperture zoom. I have this lens and it’s easily the greatest zoom ever made by a company. The bokeh is perfect, the contrast is out of this world, and you get images that look edited already when combined with Leicas insanely good color science. I’ll never shoot anything outside the SL line again.

[@macmakka8214]

In Australia it’s on Sale , down from a modest A$9880 to just A$9393……….mmmmmm maybe I’ll get two ?

[@JetBen555]

unique price too

[@mauroangeloscaroni6150]

Hi beautiful! I saw your video on the Leica 90 280 lens and found it quite interesting. I own a Leica SL and an analogue Leica M with a SL 16/35 mm and 50 mm lens. I would like to buy the 90 280. I tried it at the Leica store in Milan with a distance of 300 400m, photographing the frames of some windows of the building. the photos turned out a bit grainy and not very sharp. Maybe I used it at f2.8 and not at f4, maybe? thanks for your intervention. Best regards

[@tobiensam]

Holy crap, you can by a 70-200 2.8 and a 300F4 Nikon prime and stil book a Holliday...Leica sure knows his prices, overhere in the Netherlands they cost 6200 €....

[@peetje28021970]

Nu 7000

[@lcador9]

Neither the weight nor price seem particularly outlandish. The Nikon 120-300 2.8 costs $9500 and is also 5 pounds and must be shot with an adapter on their mirrorless cameras. Looks to me like the Leica is a bargain at the price.

[@srinagardiary-lifeinkashmi5731]

👍nice

[@AlbertKel]

Who is the Raymond dude?

[@raynerp]

That's a lens lawyers won't buy

[@midas1929]

Mhhm..... you might be wrong, if they go on Safari

[@cinqo7]

Why a lawyer? I missed the joke?