The Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH is a rather heavy lens, which took me by surprise when you see that it is a neat, and compact lens. It weighs in at a hefty 24.7oz / 700g and the price... an eye-watering $5,650 / £4,650!
Price aside, this is probably one of the most solid mirrorless primes I have ever laid eyes on, as it should be for that amount of wonga - but you certainly get what you pay for with tremendous image quality.
It features a fast and bright f/2 aperture and can be stopped down to f/22. With a minimum focus distance of just 9.4" / 24cm, this 28mm lens for the SL-System can certainly be used to cover photography genres such as street, reportage, and of course landscapes - but does this lens live up to the legendary 28mm hype?
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. Specifications
Mount: Leica L-mount
Lens design: 13 Elements in 10 Groups
Maximum aperture: f/2
Minimum aperture: f/22
Angle of view: 75.4°
Minimum focusing distance: 9.4" / 24 cm
Maximum reproduction ratio: 1:5
Filter size: 67mm
Dimensions: 2.9 x 4" / 73 x 102 mm
Weight: 24.7oz / 700g
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. key features
If you’ve been looking for the ultimate wide-angle lens to fix onto your Leica SL3 or SL3-S for street, reportage, landscapes, or just to have as an all-around lens for any occasion, then this APO-Summicron-SL f/2 is the one to get, but you must be prepared to pay handsomely for it. The Leica 28mm APO- Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH. is built like a tank with only the best materials used, and functions as expected from the renowned German manufacturer. On first inspection, I was taken aback by how small this lens is (which is a joy seeing other SL primes are overly massive), but then feeling the heft of this lens reminds you that this isn't a "cheap" lens in any regard.
It is designed with 13 elements in 10 groups along with an aspherical lens element that assists in achieving the highest quality image possible, even at the closest option focus range of just 9.4" or 24cm, which makes this lens the perfect "do it all" lens to have pertinently on your SL camera system.
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. Build and Handling
Like any premium lens from Leica, the 28mm APO-Summicron-SL f/2 .ASPH. feels phenomenal in the hands, and it's built like a tank with German engineering at its heart. It’s no wonder this lens is desired and respected by photographers from all over the world - while its overall looks might not be the prettiest from Leica, the results speak for themselves.
While using the Leica 28mm APO-Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH paired with a Leica SL2-S I found its weight to have a nice balance in the hand, which was a nice surprise, as the SL2-S isn't a heavy camera, and the lens did not feel top-heavy. Stopped down to f/8 or f/16, you will really see how well this lens performs in bright daylight. Every image was razor sharp, giving a lot of clarity and depth to each image. However, images shot wide open at f/2 looked incredible and did well in isolating subjects from the background with a pleasing and dreamy look.
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. Performance
I shoot a lot of images on a 21mm for street photography, I found the 28mm of the APO Summicron-SL an amazing focal length for street, candids, landscapes, and pretty much anything you want to point your camera at - it’s a very nice and useful lens indeed, and it is one of the most compact SL prime lenses on the market - pair with the Leica SL2-S made for a really enjoyable package to have around my neck or flung around my should for all day shooting.
The only grumble I can really make on the Leica 28mm APO-Summiron-SL f/2 is that there is no distance scale on the lens like you would find on the best Leica-M lenses - while I see why Leica has done this across the whole range of the SL lens range, it does make it tricky when you want to quickly shoot from the hip while covering street photography or just wanting to capture a quick candid moment with the family.
However, when you have the camera to your eye, or using the rear screen, the 28mm is extremely fast to focus, while this is mostly down to the SL2-Ss tracking system - every image I took across this review was sharp, and it never missed a beat.
Obviously, this lens is able to shoot wide open at f/2, which lets in a tremendous amount of light and makes any dimly-lit or next-to-no-light situations perfect for those who like to shoot images in all locations and at all times of the day, even at night. I found the Leica 28mm APO-Summicron f/2 ASPH. lens to be sharp wide-open with amazing separation of subject, however, I think the sweet spot really is between f/2 for low-light shooting and f/8 for when the sun is at its highest. Overall, I'd say the lens produces fantastic images with rich tonalities and high clarity, which I was really pleased with.
Sample images: Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH.
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. lab results
Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 ASPH. Verdict
If you’ve been looking for the ultimate 28mm lens to fix onto your Leica SL or SL2 series camera for street, reportage, or even landscapes, then this 28mm APO Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH. this is the one to get, thanks to its compact form factor, but be prepared to fork over a heap of cash for it. The Leica 28mm APO-Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH. is built like a tank with only the best materials used, and functions as expected from the renowned German manufacturer.
However, this compact lens will cost you a small fortune to own; but if you’re looking for this to be your one lens to use on every occasion with your SL system and be strapped to your camera for the end of time, it is a wise investment and really does cut some of the weight when compared to other SL Summilux options - The 28mm focal length carries a lot of prestige with photographers around the world I'm pleased to say the Leica 28mm APO-Summicron-SL f/2 ASPH. holds true to this statement.
If you enjoyed this, you might also like our best Leica SL lenses guide, or our reviews on the Leica SL3 or Leica SL3-S, and while you are here why not check out the best Leica cameras.
