Leica has officially announced its latest addition to the L-Mount Prime lineup of lenses, the APO-Summicron-SL 28mm F2 ASPH. This new wide-angle beast has 13 elements (6 of them are aspherical and some are the anomalous partial dispersion type to help reduce chromatic aberration), can focus as close as 9.5″ and like the rest of the Leica Prime lens lineup, promises to be top of the line with fast and reliable autofocus. Driven with Leica’s “Dual Syncro Drive” the new prime lens has a manual focus ring that uses magnetic fields to improve its responsiveness and precision.
The new lens is the widest prime lens in its series making it ideal for street, interior, and architectural photography, and Leica boasts that even opened wide at f/2 there’s no loss in image quality!
“As is universally appreciated with all Leica lenses, the fastest aperture delivers maximum performance,” Leica writes. “As a result, reducing the aperture is only necessary for compositional and creative purposes. Leica lenses always deliver an exceptional quality of natural skin tones, soft transitions into creamy bokeh, contrast-rich details and edge-to-edge sharpness across a distortion-free image.”
Technical Specifications
- Maximum aperture F2
- Minimum aperture F22
- Aperture ring No
- Elements 13
- Groups 10
- Special elements / coatings 6 aspherical elements
- Minimum focus 0.24 m (9.45″)
- Maximum magnification 0.2×
- Autofocus Yes
- Motor type Stepper motor
- Full time manual No
- Focus method Internal
- Distance scale No
- DoF scale No
- Focus distance limiter No
- Weight 700 g (1.54 lb)
- Diameter 73 mm (2.87″)
- Length 102 mm (4.02″)
- Materials Magnesium alloy
- Sealing Yes
- Colour Black
- Filter thread 67 mm
- Hood supplied Yes
- Tripod collar No
- Price – $5,195.00 – Adorama | B&H | Amazon
Read the full press release below;
Leica Launches the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH.:
Exemplifying A Commitment to Developing High-Performing Innovative Technologies in the World of Camera Optics
February 18, 2021. With the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH., Leica Camera presents yet another high-performance wide-angle lens for the Leica SL-System. The APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. is the latest addition to the ever-expanding APO-Summicron-SL series that includes a lens range renowned for its top-level optical performance and extremely fast and reliable autofocus.
Following the existing focal lengths of 35, 50, 75 and 90 mm, the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. is the first true wide-angle prime lens in this series, making the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. especially suitable for reportage, interior and architectural photography. Its maximum aperture can be used without any loss of image quality and offers additional creative possibilities through the exquisite balance of sharp subjects and lovely soft background blur. Thanks to the L-Mount standard, the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. is equally compatible with cameras made by other partners of the L-Mount Alliance that have been equipped with the Leica-developed lens mount.
As is universally appreciated with all Leica lenses, the fastest aperture delivers maximum performance. As a result, reducing the aperture is only necessary for compositional and creative purposes. Leica lenses always deliver an exceptional quality of natural skin tones, soft transitions into creamy bokeh, contrast-rich details, and edge-to-edge sharpness across a distortion-free image. Yet the APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. is further distinguished by its apochromatic correction, which is a notable feature in a lens of this focal length, and its six aspherical lens surfaces. To ensure the optimal correction of chromatic aberrations, the majority of the grouped lens elements feature anomalous partial dispersion and are made of high-quality specialized glass. The end result is a wide-angle lens that delivers impeccable images complete with the “Leica Look” to help realize a creative vision in any avenue of photography.
The autofocus drive of all APO-Summicron-SL lenses utilizes extremely robust and high-performance stepping motors with DSD® (Dual Syncro Drive™). This enables the AF to travel the entire focusing range in around 250 milliseconds. Leica Camera also takes an innovative approach to manual focusing technology, including an entirely new manual focus ring construction in the form of an embedded ring magnet with alternating north-south polarization. When the ring is turned, the magnetic field changes its polarity. A sensor monitors the status of the magnetic field and sends the data to the main processor. The drive then shifts the lens to the corresponding focusing position based on the angle of rotation and the rotational speed, delivering even faster and more precise manual focusing to match the lens’s quick and accurate autofocus.
Both the construction and design of the cutting-edge APO-Summicron-SL series represent the next step forward in the development of lenses for the Leica SL-System. New, extremely precise manufacturing methods and measuring technologies have been developed specifically for the production of these lenses, resulting in more compact dimensions as well as truly outstanding imaging performance. In the construction of the APO-Summicron-SL lenses, particular attention has been paid to the prevention of stray light and reflections by applying a high-quality coating to the lens surfaces. Thanks to their effective sealing against dust, moisture, and water spray, as well as the Aquadura coating of the exposed lens surfaces, these extremely durable lenses can be used in nearly any weather condition without any cause for concern. The ever-expanding portfolio of Leica SL lenses are built to withstand the elements and the test of time, matching its futureproof counterparts in the SL2 and SL2-S with their rugged construction and continuing firmware development ensuring a long service life.
The APO-Summicron-SL 28 f/2 ASPH. is available now at Leica Stores, Boutiques, and Dealers for $5,195.00.
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