The Phoblographer

In light of their support for the last Unsplash awards, Polaroid is giving away Packfilm for free!

No, your mind isn’t the only one being blown right now. I was quite shocked to learn this myself. Today, Polaroid is giving us a doubleheader. First off, they’re bringing back Packfilm. So if you’ve got an older Polaroid Type 100 film camera, get ready: you’ll be able to bring new life to that camera. The only other manufacturer is Supersense, and their stuff is hit or miss. But even better, they’re giving it away for free! That’s where we really started to scratch our heads.

Apparently, the move to give away the film for free is part of an initiative started last year. Last year, a Polaroid rep was a judge for the Unsplash awards. Unsplash is a website that basically encourages photographers to give up their images for free. Companies can use your photos license-free, royalty-free, and attribution-free for whatever they want. Apparently, it made Polaroid have a change of heart, and so they want photographers to have their film for free too!

After securing a number of capital investment grants, the company just decided to make good with the traditional photography world. As a result, if you identify as Generation X or a Baby Boomer, you can get a single pack of free film. However, Millenials are allowed to receive as many as they wish.

Editor’s Note: This is an April Fool’s joke based on the fact that Polaroid seriously supported Unsplash, obviously. Don’t take it seriously.

Using their Sky Replacement AI tool, Skylum is letting influencers completely change their body up!

Skylum changed the game a long time ago by incorporating AI into their Luminar software. Sky Replacement gave tons of influencers, Youtubers, Redditors, Instagrammers, and more lots of editing power. But today, Skylum is questionably going a bit further. Realizing the power of the influencer market, the company looks to take Adobe’s spot for editing. Loads of influencers do lots of body morphing on Instagram and other social media platforms. To that end, Skylum is looking to make the process more streamlined and automated with the new Skylum Body Replacement AI tool.

Skylum Body Replacement AI is more of a database-style. For those unaware, it’s similar to how Sony’s Animal face detection works. There’s a giant database, and it constantly references said database. Of course, that means that your computer needs a lot of processing power. So you’re going to need at least the latest Intel i9 processors. Skylum promises that Apple M1 support is coming before the summer–perfect for peak travel influence time.

Skylum Body Replacement AI Features

Skin detection: give your body a generous spray tan or the Michael Jackson effect.

Body Shape: choose from a variety of body shape templates then play plastic surgeon using a variety of brushes.

Beautify tool: a brand new tool that combines aspects of Photoshop’s Lasso and Liquify tools. Using the power of AI, you can avoid touching the surrounding areas. The AI will fill in those areas by understanding the surrounding pixels and surfaces.

Custom Presets: create your own presets and sell them to your audience. Skylum now includes easy integration into some of your favorite paid content platforms.

The new Skylum Body Replacement AI tool is currently in private beta testing, but they’ll begin to open up more starting April 15th.

Editor’s Note: This is an April Fool’s joke. Don’t take it so seriously.

Lead image by Rachel Swallows and used with Creative Commons Commercial Permissions from Flickr.

We want to make it incredibly clear that this piece of news isn’t an April Fool’s Joke: those are coming later today.

“Really, on April Fool’s Day?” is what I said to our Fujifilm reps about the news of the price increase. Following the news of the reintroduction of the Quicksnap waterproof yesterday, there’s more film news. Fujifilm is increasing the price of Superia starting today. The price of their professional films is staying the same. But for what it’s worth, the secret is now officially out. Loads of film photographers have used Superia as a cheap option and because it’s genuinely gorgeous. Like a gentrified neighborhood, the party is over, and prices are going up. In fact, Superia isn’t really the only one going up.

The Price Increase Laid Out on Fujifilm Superia and More

Material Description

MSRP

QuickSnap

QS 135

$14.99

QS 135 2PK

$27.99

QS135 WP800

$18.99

Consumer Film

135 FUJICOLOR C200

$6.99

135 SP400X

$7.99

135 FUJICOLOR 200

$18.99 for 3 pack

135 SUPERIA 400

$21.99 for 3 pack

This price increase starts today. As you can see, Fujifilm Superia isn’t the only one going up. A few others are. But in terms of what they look like, they’re all basically Superia. My hope is that Fujifilm brings back Superia in 120 because that stuff was next-level gorgeous.

The Sustainability of the Film Market

Over the years, Fujifilm’s film emulsions have become more expensive. In retrospect, I think that this was a solid move. It’s helped them bring back Acros and even the Quicksnap Waterproof. Maybe now Fujifilm might realize that it can be a very good venue for them. For years, the profit has always been very small compared to the rest of the company. But as we millennials and Gen Z start coming up a bit more, things will change. Our spending habits are going to begin dominating the market. We still find Instax fun. Lots of us who shoot with our phones don’t care about a digital camera. But we adore the film aesthetic. Nothing digital has ever really done that. You can even argue that the X series is still a bit too clinically perfect. Combine that with the sensory romance that vintage cameras give, and you’ve got a winner.

Official statement from Fujifilm on why the price is going up.

“FUJIFILM North America Corporation has taken a comprehensive review of the photographic film lineup in an effort to reduce fixed costs and improve productivity. With the rising costs of raw materials and logistics, we’ve made the business decision to increase our QuickSnap and consumer film product prices in order to continue providing products to our customers.”

So let’s just be honest and transparent about this. The Classic Camera and film market is akin to the classic car market. Not everyone has one. Not everyone cares about the sound of a muscle car’s engine. Similarly, not everyone wants to anticipate what their images will look like. Some folks like shooting a million images like some enjoy doing donuts in a parking lot. But no matter what, everyone has some sort of appreciation for them both. For those of us who haven’t been on Earth as long, we like the idea of using something we didn’t totally grow up with. Our elders have a ton of respect for all the photographers who came before digital.

With all this said, we can’t expect film labs to start popping up everywhere. That’s not going to happen anytime soon. But the marketing of a film lab needs to change as well. That’s where I feel the future of film photography really is. More labs should also become retailers for film. For years, I used Luster Film Lab in the East Village. When I’d drop film off, I’d buy more. Now, I use 37th Ave Photo Lab in Jackson Heights right near 74th street. Unfortunately, this lab doesn’t sell film too.

Fujifilm has the WONDER PHOTO SHOP, which unfortunately closed here in NYC. If film photography is going to continue to thrive, I really think companies should study Lomography, CineStill, and the newer entries. That’s going to be a big part of the future of film...

These weather-sealed cameras will go into the toughest of storms and they’ll just keep on clicking.

If your photography takes you into everything Mother Nature can throw at you, you need weather-sealed cameras that can stand up to it. For a long time, Mirrorless cameras weren’t as durable or rugged as DSLRs. However, this has all changed. Some Mirrorless cameras on the market are now even tougher than their DSLR counterparts. This is thanks to IP ratings and more advanced manufacturing techniques. All the weather-sealed cameras listed in this roundup have been put through hell by the Reviews Team. If you need a tough, rugged, weather-sealed camera for your work, these are the ones worth a look.

Olympus OMD EM1X

“The Olympus OMD EM1X, hands down, is the single best damn digital mirrorless camera I’ve held and used thus far. During my testing, I shot with it in the snow, in the dirt, and even after purposely getting dirt on it, I ran a hose over it, and I’ve got the videos to prove it.

Buy now: $1,999

Leica SL2

Processed with RNI Films. Preset ‘Kodak Ektar 100’

“The Leica SL2 is rated to IP54. What that means is that it can resist splashes of water from every single angle. In addition to that, it can resist a whole lot of dust. The previous iteration of this camera survived a blast from shrapnel and saved a journalist’s life. We tested the Leica SL2 a lot in the rain, and it kept on clicking. If you’re taking it out on a hike or shooting landscapes, you can rest assured that it will survive as long as you have a weather-resistant L mount lens attached. During our tests in both NYC and Germany, there was a whole lot of rain. With Leica, Sigma, and Panasonic lenses attached, the Leica SL2 seemed to shrug it off with ease. We’re very confident that the Leica SL2 could be the most durable mirrorless camera on the market, along with the Olympus EM1-X.

Buy now: $5,995

Pro Tip: Having weather-sealed cameras and lenses is one thing. Having a camera bag that can withstand abuse from the weather is another. You have more to worry about than just your cameras and lenses in your bag. You need to make sure all your accessories stay dry too. We have reviewed tons of camera bags, and we test all of them in different weather conditions to see how they hold up. If you need a new camera bag, check out our large database of bag reviews to find the perfect one for you.

Canon EOS R5

“We’ve taken the Canon EOS R5 out into the rain many times. It always withstood the torture. To make the most of this, you need a Canon L lens or a third-party lens that’s weather sealed. Only Canon’s L lenses are weather-resistant at the moment. Hopefully, that will change. This camera is beefy, durable, and able to handle anything a professional needs. You can trust in its reliability.

Buy now: $3,899

Fujifilm X Pro 3

Chris Gampat – Editor In Cheif

“We took the Fujifilm X Pro 3 in the rain on a number of occasions, which it withstood with ease. Photographers shouldn’t be afraid of going out and shooting in the rain. More importantly, if you’re the type of street photographer who wants to shoot in the rain, pair it with the 16mm f1.4 R WR. This lens is weather-sealed and it’s also got the zone focusing mechanism on the focusing ring. It’s pretty perfect for this type of shooting experience. There wasn’t a single time where I lacked confidence in the Fujifilm X Pro 3’s ability to handle what we threw at it.”

Buy now: $1,799.95

Panasonic S5

In our review, we said”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

“We took the Panasonic S5 out into the rain a few times. It stood up to the weather just like we knew it would. Panasonic’s build quality has always impressed me. And even though this doesn’t feel as rugged as the S1 and S1r, it’s still more than able to endure most abuse. Of course, you have to have an equally sealed lens on the camera. But if you’ve got that, then you’re all set.

Buy now: $1,997.99

Even if a camera got stolen, it would be tough to operate if it had a lock screen.

For cameras to first have a lock screen, they’d need to have good touchscreens. And hopefully, that will come across the field this year. But every photographer fears their camera getting stolen. Indeed, your camera being stolen is nowhere as bad as your $10,000 in lenses disappearing. You probably think this can be a pretty awful idea. However, it can be a much better idea if you set it up the way it is with a phone.

To explore this idea a bit more, let’s look at the iPhone. To get in, there are a few options. You can type in a passcode, you can use face recognition, and you can use an Apple Watch to unlock it. But if you want to do very quick and essential things, then those aren’t restricted. Need to make a call? You indeed can, as there’s an emergency call option. Want to take a photo? Just swipe right on the screen. Of course, that also means that the phone is powered and on most of the time.

But the killer feature here is with phone connectivity. Cameras should be more connected, to begin with. And many cameras these days can have blue energy Bluetooth immediately connected. If you use Bluetooth wireless headphones, just think about how quickly they connect. Then think about why cameras can’t connect to a phone anywhere as fast. Meanwhile, they should be much faster! Using your phone, you can unlock your camera if needed. The app, phone, and camera will be able to work together to unlock it. But if you just want to boot it up and take photos, you’ll be able to do that. Want to use it for more than that, though? Sorry, it’ll remain locked. It’s important for photojournalists, photographers, and others threatened with deleting their photos and a lot more. It’s also a fantastic theft prevention tool. Unlocking the camera by punching in a code will let you do a whole lot more with the camera.

Further, it’s a better way of setting up multiple profiles. If you work on a team and multiple people are using the camera, their settings will preload. At the same time, they can still do things like switch shooting modes. I used to work with people who lived or died by exposure preview on their cameras. And I absolutely hated it. Switching the cameras back and forth would’ve been easier with profiles.

It could also mean that the control interface would probably really change. Our Reviews Team has been asking for this for years. Canon, Panasonic, and Hasselblad do a great job here. But it doesn’t seem like everyone else has truly embraced the touchscreen yet. The truth, though, is that cameras are still very far behind. And they have to catch up. The lock screen is just a natural evolution.

We’d love to know what you think. If you’re using a camera by yourself, please reread this. We don’t think it will slow you down. We’re also not talking about limiting your shooting abilities. But instead, it will press camera manufacturers to develop better batteries. And more importantly, we need better screens. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The Gitzo Légende tripod proves there’s still a place for tripods in an IBIS-fueled world.

In a world full of IBIS and lens stabilization, tripods are quickly beginning to fade away. However, there’s still a place for trusty tripods in our lives. If you’re a landscape or astrophotographer, tripods are essential. Macro photographers, product photographers, and studio shooters rely on tripods too. Picking a tripod is a pretty serious business. At the end of the day, you’re placing your expensive camera and lenses on it. You need to be able to trust it. We’ve had our hands on the new Gitzo Légende tripod for a little while now. Is it one you should be fluttering your eyelids at, or should you walk away? Find out in our full review.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Lovely design with a beautiful Carbon Fiber weave on the tripod legs

A nice ball head with precision controls

Very sturdy when under load

The beautiful eco-friendly synthetic leather strap

A good-sized Arca-Swiss mounting plate

Knurled knobs provide a nice grip

The Early Bird price of $519

Cons

Miss out on the Early Bird price and you’ll pay $799

I wish there were spikes for the feet.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Gitzo Légende tripod is a sturdy, reliable tripod that delivers a hassle-free user experience. It’s well made, durable, stylish, and comes with an easy-to-use ball head. Grab it at the early bird special price of $519 (regularly $799), and you’ll have a bargain on your hands.

What’s Innovative About This?

While there’s nothing really innovative about the tripod and how it works, there’s something to be said about how Gitzo makes the tripod. The Légende is made with the environment in mind. The Légende Tripod is crafted of 170 individual parts that can all be repaired and replaced. Amazingly, according to Gitzo, 70% of the parts can be replaced by the owner and shipped out at no extra charge. This is to help cancel the current ‘throwaway culture’ we currently find ourselves in.

Gitzo Légende Tripod – Gear Used

We used the Gitzo Légende tripod with a Panasonic S5 along with four different lenses. The Sigma 100-400mm f5-6.3, the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN, the Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN, and the Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f1.8.

Gitzo Légende Tripod – Tech Specs

All technical specifications were provided by Gitzo:

Weight 1.45kg (3.19lbs)

Payload: 8kg (17.63lbs)

Leg angles: 25°, 70°

Minimum Height: 43cm (16.9-inches)

Maximum Height: 165cm (64.9-inches)

Panoramic Rotation: 360°

Front and Lateral Tilt: -90° / +40°

Gitzo Légende Tripod – Ergonomics

You’ve seen one tripod, and you’ve seen them all. The Gitzo Légende tripod is fairly standard by design. When collapsed (pictured above), this travel tripod measures in at just under 17-inches. This makes the tripod relatively easy to lug around. I have placed it into a side pocket of my Tenba Solstice 24L with no issues.

Extend the tripod to its fullest and it turns into something of a giant. With all four sections of the carbon fiber legs extended and the center column fully raised, this tripod measures 64.9-inches, or 5.4ft. This is plenty of height for the average photographer.

The legs of this tripod, as mentioned above, have four sections to them. The legs feature aluminum twist locks, which have knurled edges and rubber inserts. The latches you use to invert the legs are spring-loaded and operate horizontally.

The included ball head is a beefy unit with a few controls on it. Here you can see the 360-degree markings, which come in handy for panoramas. You can also see the main dial, which controls the tilt and friction of the head. The small dial controls how much play there is in the rotation of the head.

Overall, there’s nothing that really stands out from an ergonomics standpoint. The Gitzo Légende tripod. Gitzo has done a nice job making it feel as good in the hand as a tripod can. The controls are all positioned well and are easy to use, and it folds down small enough to not be a hindrance when traveling.

Gitzo Légende Tripod – Build Q...

There are a few surprises in this month’s roundup of the most popular cameras.

Can you believe a quarter of 2021 has already passed? There’s already so much going on this year. On top of the ongoing pandemic, we are now in an electronics shortage, and yes, that includes cameras. Still, you, our readers, are busy adding what you can to your collections. At the end of every month, we take a quick look at the most popular cameras among our readers. How do we decide which cameras are the most popular? We look at our sales data to see which cameras have sold the most. This month, Sony reigns supreme thanks to the camera that keeps on giving. The Sony a7 III. There are, however, a few surprise inclusions in the list this month. Find out what were the most popular cameras for March were after the break.

Sony a7 III

“During my testing with the Sony A7 III, I found the autofocus to be positively fantastic. The Sony A7 III, along with the Sony 55mm f1.8, were able to focus in near darkness.”

Buy now: $1,698

Fujifilm XT4

“The Fujifilm XT4 is a prime example of how good a camera can be when camera manufacturers listen to customer feedback. As the old adage goes, “Give the people what they want.” With the X-T4, that’s precisely what Fujifilm’s done. The outgoing X-T3 was already a very capable camera (we gave it Editor’s Choice for a reason). The XT4 packs even more under the hood with the addition of in-camera image stabilization, a fully articulating touchscreen, and a larger battery.”

Buy now: $1,699.95

Sony a6400

“The Sony A6400’s image quality is on par with results we’ve seen out of the A6300 and A6500. Images are sharp, with lifelike colors that are rich and vibrant. For the audience that they’re catering to, the JPEGs at least will be very worthwhile.”

Buy now: $1,298

Olympus OMD EM5 Mark III

“All things considered, the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a solid performer. While it may not have the latest and greatest tech under the hood, the sum of all of its parts culminates in a pleasant shooting experience overall. The EM5 Mark III’s autofocus is quick and accurate, the weather resistance is top-notch, and the image stabilization is arguably one of the best in the industry (having a smaller sensor helps).”

Buy now: $999

Ricoh GR III

In our review, we said:

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

“One of the best things about the lens on the Ricoh GR III is the sharpness of the lens. It’s great even at f2.8. Combine this with the details that the sensor can render and there is no reason to complain. If anything, the images look like bleeding-edge sharpness and a bit like older Rokinon lenses when it comes to output.”

Buy now: $896.95

The Fujifilm QuickSnap Waterproof 800 is back thanks to Gen Z and millennials!

For what it’s worth, nothing has changed with the camera. But a while back, the Fujifilm QuickSnap Waterproof 800 camera was discontinued. However, Fujifilm is specifically citing that Gen Z and Millenials are partially responsible for bringing it back. This is the second time they’ve said this, with the first being a reference to the reintroduction of Acros 100. But the return of the product signifies something massive for the photo industry.

Specs on Fujifilm QuickSnap Waterproof 800 35mm Camera

35mm film

27 exposures

Waterproof to 35 feet underwater

Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 800 film

32mm f10 lens

1/125 shutter speed

Zone focused on having 1-3 meters in focus

C-41 development

$18.99. This is a price increase over the previous one. You can look on Amazon for these cameras.

The Power of Millennial and Gen Z Buying

This is truly huge, and it has been for a while now. But I seriously don’t think that the camera market has fully embraced it yet. Finally, though, I think it’s been happening in the past two years. But companies still need to find a way to cater to both the technological demands and others. Lots of folks in this generation are trying to be content creators. Otherwise, they’re trying to get a career going or give in to a new hobby. We love doing this stuff. And I think that the marketing behind film needs to be the same thing. With that said, I think it’s time that Fujifilm also starts to bring back some cameras. Just imagine a Fuji Klasse camera coming back? Or the Natura S? Could you contain your excitement for a possible return of the Fujifilm GW690 cameras?

Can Film Really Coexist with Digital?

I’ve seen and heard throughout the past decade that film really doesn’t make sense anymore. And I strongly disagree. Film can surely coexist with digital, and we shouldn’t be thinking about film vs. digital anymore. Instead, they can easily live alongside one another. The key thing about film is that it really should have a look that digital can’t simulate. Only then do I really think that film stands out from the rest. It’s why CineStill and Lomography are so successful. They develop a product that you can’t make digitally.

That’s what I think needs to be the next phase for Fujifilm. I think it’s time that they bring back their Tungsten films. They had a unique look that hasn’t been replicated at all digitally yet.

Further, I think that film has really taken center stage in the pandemic. Folks have more time to shoot. And when this is all over, they’ll probably want to slow down a bit. What’s more, film is a totally different type of experience. There are times where we’re so sick of staring at digital screens that we want something analog. It’s why folks like reading instead!

Of course, there’s still the issue of the cost of film. I’ll even admit that buying film is cheap, but the development and scanning get pricey. So I don’t think that it’s something that one should do all the time. Instead, it should totally coexist with digital. And I’d even recommend that folks try to develop and scan all themselves at home. It’s a lot more time-consuming for sure, though. Options like the Ars Imago daylight lab exist. Scanning is where it gets a whole lot more complicated. And you’re probably never going to get the same results that you would with digital in that case. That’s a beautiful thing, though, because it helps film co-exist as its own platform.

The sensory romance of contemporary photography is long gone, and that’s something worth mourning.

While I’m not necessarily sad about the loss of film photography in many ways, I’m more heartbroken about the lack of romance. Let’s think about this. Lots of major hobbies have some sort of perfect combination of senses. Whiskey and fine alcohols are all about it. Cars exude sensory indulgence. Gaming adds to it in various ways–from the arcade consoles at the pizza store to chugging Mountain Dew in a basement. Even the outdoors hobbies have it. But photography has more or less robbed itself of this. And unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like manufacturers care about it. That’s why I feel the soul has been sucked so much out of photography. It’s a major hobby that’s been replaced by an unfeeling algorithm.

There’s No Smell of Darkroom Chemicals Anymore

I want to start this post off by talking about the senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound. Sight is an obvious one. Taste has never really truly been there. But the smell of photography is gone. You can probably argue that it’s for the environment’s benefits. But how often have you shot a photo, and folks have smelled what you shot? Do you get a whiff of Cedar and pine when you photograph a landscape? Do you truly smell that beautifully cooked salmon that was just well lit? Chances are that that’s not the case at all. But the only other major scent of photography was the darkroom. And that’s been long gone in most instances.

Many folks who’ve shot film and went to digital express to me that they don’t want to go back into the darkroom. They prefer convenience instead. But lots of us never had that experience. Is it possible today? Sure. But those moments are rare. And just like the scent of a new car’s interior, the scent of photography is gone. With that said, the sensory romance just seems so much further away.

The Feeling of Film and Loading a Camera Is Gone

Let’s move onto touch. Lots of aspects of touch have been removed from photography. Years ago, you needed to manually focus a lens, rewind film, carefully turn dials, etc. But we took that soul out of photography too! Autofocus does it all for us. The feeling of a modern lens is clean and almost too plain. Lots of cameras don’t even have functional touchscreens. Further, modern cameras don’t always even feel like cameras.

Of course, this isn’t all gone. I think there are reasons why folks reach for Leica and Fujifilm cameras. Sony is off the deep end for things feeling like computers. Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic are a bit more balanced.

One of the things that I’ve been saying for years is that the tactile experience needs to return. We need to be more of an active part of taking photos through the tactile experience. It’s a fundamental part of the sensory romance of photography.

Sadly, the Shutter Has Been Sedated

The sound of the shutter is perhaps the saddest part of it all. The market has demanded the quietest shutters possible. And today, we’ve got silent shutters. They’re fantastic! But at the same time, some of us really loved the sound of a camera shutter. When I need the silent shutter, I’ll gladly enable it. Canon, years ago, also had an option for a dampened shutter on some of their cameras. It was wonderful. But some of us love the audible sound of a Pentax 67 or a Mamiya RB67. Personally speaking, I really love the sound of the original Sony a7! It’s such a great sound. Every time I’ve brought it on the Pro Camera Reviews show, Brett has loved it.

All I’m saying is that the sensory romance is gone. And we need to fall back in love with photography in a deeper and more meaningful way.

We’re amazed at how well the Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL lens performed.

The Leica 28mm is something to behold. One of my favorite lenses is their 28mm f1.4 for M mount. So when the Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL, I was incredibly intrigued. Leica started off by making some massive claims about autofocus speed. That one raised my eyebrows. Autofocus speed has been a huge problem for Leica for years, and now it seems they’re taking it more seriously. On top of that, they’re packing in a ton of aspherical lens elements. For a long time, I’ve wanted them to make faster lenses than f2, but in this case, I’m delighted.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Leica 28mm f2 APO Summicron SL lens is positively fantastic when it comes to performance. And this is the fastest focusing Leica lens we’ve used to date. But it’s also pretty large.

Pros and Cons

Pros

The fastest autofocusing Leica lens we’ve used to date.

Great colors

Keeps distortion down

Beautiful bokeh

Does a nice job with portraiture

Cons

I’m still not totally sure that I’d use it for street photography.

For a 28mm f2 lens, this is pretty large, but we can sort of understand that, considering the elements inside the lens.

It’s about time that Leica starts working with a third-party flash company to take full advantage of what this lens can offer buyers.

Gear Used

We tested the Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL lens with the Leica SL2s. A Flashpoint R2 light was used off-camera.

What’s Innovative?

This is a 28mm f2. It’s taken me a while to truly understand their pricing. But the deeper I dive, the more it makes sense. This is the only 28mm lens with six aspherical lens elements on the market. Plus, it’s weather-sealed to be in line with the IP-rated SL series cameras.

Tech Specs

Specs are taken from the original news post

28mm f2

L mount

13 elements in 10 groups

0.24m minimum focusing

6 aspherical elements

67mm filter thread means this lens won’t be that large

102mm long without the lens hood

700 grams without the lens hood. That’s around 2x as heavy as a can of soup and 1 and 1/10ths as heavy as a basketball.

Ergonomics

The Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL is a fairly large lens. In terms of being a 28mm f2, folks expect something much smaller. But when you consider all the extra lens elements inside, you understand why it’s so large. This lens is defined by a metal exterior and a giant rubber focus ring.

The front of the lens has a 67mm filter thread. So you’ll use it for those sized filters when you need them.

On the exterior, the lens doesn’t have any sort of switches or other controls. So again, it’s a straightforward lens. However, the giant rubber ring is large. This helps with the ergonomics and gripping the lens.

And, of course, the lens becomes much smaller without the lens hood. However, I think I’d prefer the hood to be on, if anything.

Build Quality

The Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL is a solidly built lens. The exterior is all metal except for the rubber focus ring. Leica products are very well built, to begin with. Their cameras are IP-rated and are among some of the few cameras to have such a thing. Of course, that means the Leica 28mm f2 APO Summicron SL ASPH is just as durable.

Weather resistance aside, this lens is also nice to hold. It’s not their largest of the f2 Summicron SL lenses they have. And luckily, it can fit into a camera bag while attached to a camera.

Ease of Use

Overall, there isn’t much about this lens to master. The Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL has no external controls aside from the focusing ring. Want to go to manual focus? You’ll need to do so from the camera. But if you simply slap it onto the camera and shoot, you’ll be doing just fine.

Autofocus

This is where I was most surprised. The Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL was claimed to have some incredibly fast focusing speeds in the press release. And luckily, Leica was true to their claims. Leica went as far as saying that it could travel the entire focusing range in 250 milliseconds. While we didn’t specifically clock that...