Leica Vario-ELMARIT-SL 24-90mm F/2.8-4 ASPH.

This Leica standard zoom fits full-frame L-mount bodies and covers a wide spread of subjects. The 24–90mm range runs from a broad view for interiors, streets and landscapes to a short telephoto for portraits and details. Travel, events and general assignments suit it well.

The main trade-off is bulk. The lens packs the whole range into one heavy barrel, and the 2 lb 8.2 oz (1140 g) weight is part of that trade-off wherever you shoot.

Leica launched this design in 2015, and it remains in production today. That long run makes it an older design that is still current rather than superseded.

This lens weighs 2 lb 8.2 oz (1140 g), a load you carry on the camera and in the bag. The barrel is large, at 3.46 in (88 mm) across and 5.43 in (138 mm) long.

A screw-in filter must match the 82mm front thread. The physical specification scores 64/100.

The 24–90mm range lets you reframe a scene without changing lenses. At 24mm you can take in a room, a street or a wide landscape. At 90mm you can tighten on a face, a performer or a distant detail.

That spread saves you swapping lenses when you cannot step back in a crowd. Between the ends, mid-range settings give a natural view for casual portraits and reportage. The 90mm setting compresses a scene, pulling a distant backdrop closer to your subject.

The aperture starts at f/2.8 at 24mm and closes to f/4 at the long end. That keeps the wide setting bright for dim interiors and evening streets. At 90mm, f/4 still softens a portrait background, while dim rooms at that end may need a higher ISO.

For close work, the lens focuses to 1 ft (30 cm). That suits food, flowers and product details on location. Maximum magnification reaches 0.26x. The optical specification scores 68/100.

Optical stabilisation is built in, which compensates shake in the recorded image at slower shutter speeds. That helps indoors, at dusk, and at 90mm, where camera movement shows more in the frame. It compensates image movement, so a moving subject still needs a faster shutter.

The body is weather sealed, which reduces the risk of dust and moisture entering the lens. A fluorine coating is included in the design.

There is no zoom lock to hold the chosen focal length. The feature set scores 71/100.

Four aspherical elements sit in the optical path. Their specially shaped surfaces help correct distortion and spherical aberration. Distortion can curve straight edges, a concern when you frame buildings or horizons at the wide end. The design also addresses chromatic aberration, the colour fringing that can appear along high-contrast edges.

Focusing is internal, so the glass moves inside the barrel as you focus.