Leica Vario-ELMAR-SL 100-400mm F/5-6.3

This Leica telephoto zoom, introduced in 2023 and still in production, covers 100–400mm for full-frame Leica L-mount cameras. That reach suits wildlife, outdoor sport and airshows, where you cannot easily close the distance yourself. As a subject moves, you reframe with the zoom ring rather than by changing position.

The main trade-off is light gathering. The maximum aperture falls from f/5 at 100mm to f/6.3 at 400mm, so the long end works best in daylight. A single zoom also covers the framing range that would otherwise need several primes, which matters when you carry gear to a hide or touchline.

At 3 lb 6 oz (1530 g), you will notice this lens over a long handheld session, so plan rests or support for longer waits. It measures 7.8 in (198 mm) long, and a screw-in filter must match its 82mm thread.

The 100–400mm range gives two working distances in one lens. At 100mm you can frame larger or tamer animals, or a wider slice of a sports field. At 400mm you make the subject larger for small, wary or distant targets, from perched birds to far-side action. The short end gives room to spare when an animal walks toward you.

At 400mm the widest available opening is f/6.3. That limits shutter speeds for moving subjects, so you rely on bright daylight or a higher ISO. Fast field sport on an overcast afternoon is where you feel it most. For static targets in fair light the constraint eases.

Closest focus is 3.6 ft (110 cm). Maximum magnification reaches 0.24x, enough for tight studies of perched birds and similar still subjects.

Zooming is by a manual rotary ring, so the pace of reframing stays in your hands. Nine aperture blades influence how out-of-focus backgrounds render at smaller settings.

Weather sealing and a fluorine coating suit the kind of days this lens is built for. The sealing guards against dust and moisture in open country. The fluorine coating helps water and grease shed from the front glass, which makes field cleaning quicker.

Built-in image stabilisation helps hold the framing steady when you shoot handheld at long focal lengths. It counters shake from your hands, which is the main challenge at 400mm. It does not freeze a moving subject; the steadying applies to your hands, not a running animal.

There is no zoom lock to hold the zoom setting in place. After carrying the lens at your side, it pays to glance at the zoom ring before you shoot. Our features specification score for this lens is 93/100.

Focusing is internal, so the barrel does not change length as you focus. That helps when you are working near foliage or from a vehicle window, where an extending barrel could brush leaves or spook a subject.

No aspherical or special-dispersion elements are listed for this design. Our construction specification score is 23/100.