Leica has announced the Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm F5-6.3, a telephoto zoom lens for the L-mount. The Extender L 1.4x lens-compatible teleconverter has also been announced, allowing for a combination that extends the focal length to 560mm with F8.
A rather modest maximum aperture range allows the lens to be relatively compact for such a telephoto lens. It comes with a detachable tripod bracket compatible with the Arca-Swiss system.
The lens offers up to 0.24x magnification at a 400mm setting and a minimum focus distance of 1.59m. It is 198mm long at the short end and 88mm in diameter. The lens weighs 1530 g without a hood and 1620 g with a hood and has a weather-sealed design with AquaDura coating that protects against dust and moisture.
It combines Leica’s SL2 and SL2-S tracking abilities to produce accurate, high-speed autofocus. The optical image stabilization system compensates for up to 4 stops of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting with slower shutter speeds.
The lens is compatible with the Leica Extender L 1.4x teleconverter released with it, providing a zoom of 140-560mm F6.3-8. This accessory has 182g of weight.
The Extender L 1.4x increases the lens’ magnification by 1.4 times for a total zoom range of 140-560mm. The teleconverter is fortified against environmental conditions with its weather-sealed design and AquaDura coating.
Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm f5-6.3 specifications
- Focal Length: 100 to 400mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/5 to 6.3
- Lens Mount: Leica L
- Lens Format Coverage: Full-Frame
- Angle of View: 23.8° to 6.4°
- Minimum Focus Distance: 3.6′ / 1.1 m
- Optical Design: 22 Elements in 16 Groups
- Focus Type: Autofocus
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Tripod Collar: Removable
- Front Filter Size: 82 mm
- Weight: 3.26 lb / 1.48 kg
Price and availability
The Leica Vario-Elmar-SL 100-400mm F5-6.3 is available now for a suggested price of $2,195, and the teleconverter will add another $875 to the price tag. Both can be pre-ordered through the Bhphotovideo.com store.
Leica recently introduced two new lenses: Summicron-SL 35mm f2 ASPH and Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 ASPH. These Leica lenses are compact and lightweight, yet they maintain the distinctive shallow depth of field and aesthetic appeal associated with Summicron optics.