The first autofocus prime for the Leica SL is now arriving on dealers’ shelves after a fairly extended gestation period. More than a year after the launch of the SL, the system is still lacking lenses — the 24-90 and 90-200 zooms representing the only AF options.
Fortunately SL owners have been able to play with their collections of M lenses and, indeed, many SLs have been sold solely for use with manual primes. I know some very happy SL snappers who don’t own a single SL lens. Nevertheless, this first prime, the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, is a welcome addition to the armoury and will meet a pent-up demand.
The newomer is neither light nor cheap, however, tipping the scales at 1,065g and the cash register at £4,080. That’s £1,000 more than the equivalent 50mm Summilux-M, a lens that is likely to produce very similar results from a much smaller and lighter package. The Summilux-SL is not weather proofed, unlike the two zooms, another factor to take into account. It’s all a matter of whether or not you value autofocus in a fast prime of this nature. I believe there will be welcomed among dedicated SL users and I think there will be heavy demand, especially since it is the first opportunity to try an autofocus prime on the camera.
Alongside the new Summilux is an SL firmware update to improve support for the Mac versions of Leica Image Shuttle 3.5 and Tethered Plug-in 1.1.0., as well as supporting the new Microsoft Windows version of Leica Image Shuttle 3.5. There is also support for direct tethering to Adobe Lightroom CC.
Full Leica press release
Firmware update 2.2 for Leica SL with improved support for Leica Image Shuttle software and Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens – available today
Leica Camera has released Firmware Update 2.2 for the Leica SL mirrorless system camera, improving support for the Mac versions of Leica Image Shuttle 3.5 and Tethered Plug-in 1.1.0., as well as supporting the new Microsoft Windows version of Leica Image Shuttle 3.5.
Registered Leica SL owners can download the new software and firmware updates from the Leica Owners’ Area or take their camera to their local Leica Store or Leica Customer Care in the UK for a complimentary installation.
Leica Image Shuttle 3.5 improves workflow efficiency for tethered shooting with the Leica SL and allows the camera to be controlled from a computer via a USB 3.0 cable connection. All relevant exposure parameters such as shutter speed, aperture, ISO value and autofocus can be set and controlled from the computer, and exposures can be displayed directly on a large monitor screen for assessment.
The Leica Tethered Plug-in 1.1.0 (for Mac) – also available as a download from the Leica Owners’ Area – establishes a direct connection between the Leica SL and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 / CC for Mac via USB cable. The camera’s shutter release can be activated from the plug-in and the images captured can be displayed directly in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 / CC (for Mac), making the workflow even faster and more reliable. The corresponding firmware update is required for the use of Leica Image Shuttle and the Leica Tethered Plug-in.
Firmware update 2.2 also removes the shutter speed limitation when shooting with 6-bit coded Leica M-Lenses, while further optimising the performance of the Leica SL system.
Available from today, the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. is the first prime lens for the Leica SL-System and sets a new standard in its class. Its large maximum aperture makes this high-performance lens ideal for photography in challenging lighting conditions, and enables the use of shallow depth of focus as a creative tool. Furthermore, the fast, precise and reliable autofocusing ensures that photographers can concentrate fully on composition and creativity. The lens’ combination of resolving power and soft bokeh in unsharp areas clearly isolates subjects from their background, particularly when shooting at maximum aperture.
For additional product specifications, please visit: Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH.
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I’ve played with the SL 50/1.4 and there’s no doubt it’s a fabulous lens – gorgeous bokeh and stunning quality. However, even if I could afford it the thought of another 1,000gms on top of the two zooms would break my back as well as my wallet!
Mind you if any philanthropist out there wishes to lend me one…just tell Mike 😉
Philanthropists can make a first stop at MacFilos Towers….. I will also have a play with this lens and see what I think. You remind me to ask for a press loan.
I had a close look at the Leica SL and it is a great camera, no doubt about it. But, as William said, it is a a pretty big and heavy beast for a mirrorless camera. Why this monstrous lens size? The Summilux-M 50mm is tiny compared to the Summilux-SL 50mm. Besides a Leica M-P (240) I also use a Fuji X-Pro 2 with, including 2 zoom lenses, the 35mm f1.4 lens, which is an exceptional lens. I love both Leica M and Fuji X camera systems.
Earlier this year I sold all of my DSLR equipment (Canon 5D Mk.II and several L lenses) because since I switched to mirrorless I did not touch the DSLR for more than 2 years. The main reason is that Leica M and mirrorless system cameras like Fuji X are so much smaller and lighter in weight, shooting with them is so much more fun, less back pain, without compromising image quality.
Because of the shorter distance between bajonet and sensor surface, lenses can be built much smaller than (D)SLR lenses. E.g. when I look at my old time favourite Summicron-M 50mm–it is so small and still is one of the best full frame normal lenses on the planet.
The distance between bajonet and sensor surface on the Leica SL is even shorter compared to the Leica M, so SL-lenses could be built even smaller. OK, SL lenses have the autofocus and image stabilisation mechanisms built in which makes them chunkier, but why is the Summilux-SL 50 mm 124 mms long, 88 mms in diameter, weighs 1.1 kgs, and uses a 82mm filter? The Summilux-M 50 mm is 52.5 mms long, 53.5 mms in diameter, weighs 335 grams, and uses 46mm filters.
Sorry, but I’ll never buy such a monstrosity and lug it around the whole day. I finally get the impression that the engineers at Leica, working on the SL-System, don’t use the equipment they make, otherwise it would be more practical.
As it happens, Frank, I have an article on the SL ready for later today — and I mention several of these points. The SL is a great camera IF you can cope with the size and weight.
I have no real interest in the SL because of the size of the body. I sold most of my Nikon gear for reasons of size and weight and moved to Leica to solve that issue. This rig as a walk around 5mm comes in at 1.9Kg. The M240 with 50 Summilux comes in at 1Kg and, dare I incur the wrath of the Leica police, the Fuji X-Pro 2 and 35mm ( 50mm or so in ‘real money) come in at about .7Kg. For some people size also matters. It does for me and I much prefer smaller cameras.
To apparently contradict myself, I have this morning received a Leica IIIf with a Visoflex 2 and 65mm Elmar and the ‘add ons’ turn a humble LTM model into a heavy monster. I only bought these items to make my collection more complete and I don’t expect that this will become my walk around rig. Just after those items appeared, the world followed the Nikon F into ‘SLR land’. Mr Benser tried to persuade Leica into going the SLR route but they were slow in doing that and we all know the rest of the story. One of the features of the EVF is that it does not need a large mirror box and hence cameras should be smaller and lighter. What Leica are thinking with the SL product line is hard to figure. For Pros yes, if they had the lens line for them, but for card carrying amateurs like myself, I am not so sure.
William