Leica Super Vario Elmar SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH lens officially announced

The Leica Super Vario Elmar SL 16-35mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH is a new wide-angle zoom lens for the Leica SL camera.

With the Vario-Elmarit–SL 24-90mm F2.8-4 ASPH and the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm F2.8-4, the Leica SL system now covers a combined focal range of 16mm to 280mm. The lens will be available at Leica stores, boutiques, and dealers worldwide starting April 23rd for $5,495.00.

A new firmware version (3.2) for the Leica SL will also appear at the same time as the new wide-angle zoom lens.

Leica Camera Announces Expansion of SL-System with an Ultra-Wide Angle Lens

The highly-anticipated Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH provides unparalleled imaging performance and versatility, coupled with supremely quick and quiet autofocus 

April 9, 2018 – Leica’s new Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. ultra-wide angle zoom lens perfectly rounds out the current zoom lens portfolio for the Leica SL, offering what is sure to be a go-to lens in the full-frame mirrorless Leica SL-System kit.  While this ultra-wide angle lens is well-versed at capturing everything in a scene, its range of focal lengths makes it ideal for a diversity of uses, including landscape and architectural photography, wedding, event, and concert photography to reportage and documentary photography. The lens’s versatility and ability to capture not only wide scenarios, but also zoom in on a subject’s details, make it the most accessible, easy-to-use wide-angle lens in all of Leica’s impressive line-up.

In addition to excellent imaging quality throughout the entire range of focal lengths and at all apertures, the high-performance lens also offers simultaneously fast and quiet autofocus. This is driven by a specially developed focusing drive including a stepping motor and linear positioning. In combination, this moves a single, dedicated glass focusing element that, due to its low weight, allows for a very quick autofocus.

The camera is also crafted to perform well in challenging situations. The lens features protected construction and special AquaDura® front lens coating that can withstand adverse weather conditions. Additionally, the lens’s barrel does not extend when zooming, which further helps the lens endure more rugged scenarios.

The newly designed optical system of the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. contains a total of 18 elements in 12 groups that work to control distortion incredibly well. These elements include two asphericals for the correction of monochromatic aberrations and three elements made from glass with anomalous partial dispersion correct chromatic aberration. An improved mount geometry and high-quality coating ensure optimum suppression of reflections and stray light within the optical system.

With the addition of the Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH., the portfolio of zoom lenses for the Leica SL now covers a range of focal lengths from 16 to 280 mm. Together with the Vario-Elmarit–SL 24–90/2.8–4 ASPH. and the APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90–280 f/2.8–4, this trio of exceptional lenses are able to expertly capture all genres of photography and enables photographers a high degree of flexibility and versatility with their craft and creativity.

The Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16–35/3.5–4.5 ASPH. will be priced at $5,495.00 and available worldwide in Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers starting April 23.

A new firmware update for the Leica SL, Version 3.2, will also be released April 23rd to address improvements specifically requested by Leica SL photographers:

• The joystick can now be deactivated from the menu to prevent inadvertent changes to settings while the camera is in use
• Eco Mode can be set to reduce the power consumption of the camera
• The standard white balance value for daylight has been changed from 6600 K to 6500 K
• Various improvements have been made for entering text and numbers (e.g. at WiFi password)
• Compatibility with the Leica SF 60 System Flash and the SF C1 wireless flash controller
• Other bug fixes

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