Leica APO-Vario-ELMARIT-SL 90-280mm F/2.8-4

This Leica telephoto zoom spans 90–280mm on full-frame L-mount bodies. The 90mm end frames tighter portraits and detail from a polite distance. At 280mm you can fill the frame with a bird, a surfer or a far goal without cropping.

That reach suits wildlife, outdoor sport and distant stage or press work. The trade-off is bulk and weight. A lens this size invites a monopod or tripod for long sessions.

Leica introduced it in 2015, and it remains in production. For anyone whose distant subjects fill the frame, this zoom covers focal lengths that would otherwise need several primes.

It measures 3.46 in (88 mm) wide and 9.37 in (238 mm) long, and weighs 4 lb 1.3 oz (1850 g). That is a large, heavy lens you will notice on any body. The front takes 82mm screw-in filters, so any filter you attach must match that thread.

At 90mm you can step back from a nervous animal or an occupied performer and still frame them tightly. Turning the ring out to 280mm makes the subject larger without you moving, which matters when approach is impossible. A quick twist of the same ring follows a rider or a ball across a pitch.

The aperture starts at f/2.8 and ends at f/4. That f/2.8 start admits good light at 90mm for shaded arenas or dusk hides. At 280mm the f/4 maximum remains wide for this focal length, and the long reach itself softens backgrounds behind wildlife and players.

Depth of field is shallow at these focal lengths even at f/4, so focus placement needs care. Stopping down adds depth when a whole animal must stay sharp. Nine blades shape the aperture, which helps keep out-of-focus areas smooth around highlights.

Closest focus sits at 2 ft (60 cm). That lets you tighten a frame on an accessible subject, such as a perched bird or an athlete at the boundary, without backing away.

Sealing protects the joins against dust and moisture, so a drizzly touchline or a dusty track need not end the shoot. The front carries a fluorine coating, which sheds water and oil and makes the glass easy to wipe after a wet morning. Both details suit long days outside, where this lens will spend its time.

A zoom lock keeps the zoom where you set it, so the barrel does not creep when you carry the lens pointing down. Image stabilization steadies the frame at long settings, so slower shutter speeds stay usable handheld. It steadies the camera, not a running animal. Our features score for this lens is 91.

Inside sit 23 elements in 17 groups. Seven of those elements work to cut chromatic aberration, which helps limit colour fringing on high-contrast edges at 280mm. Focusing moves groups inside the barrel, so the lens does not grow as you focus. Our construction score for this lens is 38.