Features Presented By

The Best Leica Lenses for Architecture

Chris Gampat
No Comments
11/22/2022
5 Mins read
Chris Gampat The Phoblographer Leica 16-35mm f3.5-4 SL Review product images 41-200s400 5

Architecture is incredibly fun to photograph. At the right hour, the sunlight can hit a building and make it look completely different with hard shadows and more. If you’ve ever read Architectural Digest and been smitten with the photos, you’ll understand how easy it is to love all the design features. If architecture photography is your passion or your career, consider the amazing things Leica can do for you. Here are the best Leica lenses for architecture.

This piece is presented in partnership with Leica. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the lenses in this roundup already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you. The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product.

As a further Editor’s note, the reviews aren’t sponsored content. Sponsored reviews: are against our ethics. Over the past year, we’ve done a lot of sponsored roundups for Leica. To provide variety, we’ve reviewed a ton of Leica cameras and lenses, which helped us create this guide.

Nomenclature for Leica SL Lenses and Understanding Them

Some things about Leica SL lenses might not be very clear. So here are a few things worth explaining:

  • Summicron: Leica’s designation for a lens with an f2 maximum aperture.
  • Summilux: Leica’s designation for a lens faster than f2.
  • SL: A lens designed for full-frame L-mount cameras. For reference, all Leica SL lenses can go onto the smaller system cameras like the Leica CL.
  • ASPH: Aspherical lens elements.
  • APO: Apochromatic design.
  • Check out our guide to all the Leica SL lenses or just their primes if you’d like more.

Pro Tips on Using Leica Lenses for Architecture

Here’s what you need to know about Leica SL lenses:

  • The Leica SL system has a special feature called Perspective Correction. It works with the focal length, focusing distance, and scene to help you figure out how to get the most distortion-free photos. It works by creating a RAW photo and a JPEG reference image. This will make the post-production process simpler.
  • All Leica SL lenses have weather sealing built in. Considering that Leica SL series cameras have an IP-rating attached, you can guarantee the lenses will be just as durable.
  • These lenses have a metal exterior, so they’re durable enough to handle abuse.
  • Leica has a series of f2 prime lenses that are pretty much the same size.
  • Leica SL lenses are autofocus. There are no zone focusing or depth of field scales like their M-variants. This means if you’re shooting a portrait, you can use the face and body detection built into the cameras.
  • A lot of these lenses have an Apochromatic design. In our findings, this is what helps give Leica lenses a bit more “pop” than regular lenses. These are the universal findings of our entire reviews team.
  • On the Leica SL2, Leica SL prime lenses will render their sharpest images because of the resolution of the sensor.
  • On the Leica SL2-S, Leica SL prime lenses will focus faster and help passionate photographers in low-light situations.
  • This guide has tech specs provided by Leica’s website listings, snippets from our reviews with links to the full review, and e-commerce links.

Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm f3.5-4.5 ASPH

In our review, we state:

Something I adore about the Leica 16-35mm f3.5-4.5 SL is the color. Combine that with fixed white balances, and you’ll be very happy. Part of that comes from Leica’s sensors and processors.

Essential Tech Specs

  • Improved frame geometry and high quality coating
  • High flexibility
  • High product quality and exceptional imaging performance with specially developed focus motor
  • Newly developed optical design
  • Wide-angle photography
  • Focal length of 16-35 mm expands existing portfolio
  • Fast and almost noiseless autofocus
  • L-mount bayonet

Buy Now

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm f2.8 ASPH

In our review, we state:

The Leica 24-70mm f2.8 SL is in this beautiful place between being standard and saturated regarding colors. It’s beneficial as a photographer. I like it, and when combined with the right sensor, it will mean your colors are that much better.

Essential Tech Specs

  • 19 elements (3 with ASPH surfaces on both sides) in 15 groups
  • Consistent f2.8 maximum aperture through full zoom range
  • Fast internal focusing with a single, lightweight lens element
  • Compact dimensions and lighter weight thanks to omission of OIS
  • Lens is stabilized by the SL2 and SL2-S IBIS systems
  • Excellent sharpness across all f-stops and focus distances with creamy bokeh and the Leica look
  • Metal body with weather sealing
  • Durable in any environment, making it suited for even the rigors of outdoor landscape and adventure photographers or the hustle and bustle of a pro wedding photographer

Buy Now

Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f2.8-4 ASPH

In our review, we state:

One of the reasons you pay for a Leica is that they don’t play around with build quality. Leica IP rated their cameras, but not their lenses. However, the Leica SL 24-90mm f2.8-4 is very weather sealed. We’ve taken it out into the rain, snow, and other conditions and the lens kept working. This is a very reliable lens.

Essential Tech Specs

  • Ideal standard varifocal lens
  • High imaging performance from infinity to near range
  • Optical image stabilizer
  • Creative use of sharpness and blur for the plastic detachment of motif details
  • Fast and quiet focusing
  • Seal against dust and spray water
  • Leica Aqua-Dura ® coating effectively protects the outer glass surfaces from dirt and scratches
  • Elaborate coating of all lens surfaces effectively minimizes reflexes and stray light
  • L-mount bayonet

Buy Now

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f2 ASPH

In our review, we state:

“What’s to hate about the Leica 28mm f2 Summicron SL’s image quality? Honestly, nothing. Leica’s colors are always outstanding. The bokeh from this lens is beautiful and surely has a bit of character. On top of that, it’s an incredibly sharp lens.”

Essential Tech Specs

  • Fast wide-angle lens with f2 aperture
  • Excellent optical performance
  • Extremely fast and reliable autofocus with Dual Synchro Drive
  • Close-focusing down to 0.24m
  • Same dimensions and filter size as all APO-Summicron-SL lenses
  • L-mount

Buy Now

This piece is presented in partnership with Leica. We’ve independently and ethically reviewed all the lenses in this roundup already without sponsorship. And we worked with them to recommend a few key gems to you. The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product.

leica leica 16-35mm Leica 16-35mm f3.5-4.5 SL leica 24-70mm f2.8 leica 24-90mm f2.8-4 Leica 28mm f2 leica lenses leica lenses for architecture perspective control
Shares
Written by

Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.