5 Compact AF L Mount Lenses From 16mm to 90mm

5 Compact AF L Mount Lenses From 16mm to 90mm:

When the L mount system was at its infancy, one of the things I heard most was how the lenses were so large.  I was okay with this because I wanted what was basically promised: reference level glass that was built to withstand professional use all while having autofocus, and having larger maximum apertures.  I realized it just came with the territory as some would say.

However, there also needs to be a balance; there are times I don’t need that large max aperture for instance, and instead, I want something that is just easier to carry around.  There has to be more versatility or choice in a system, and now that the L mount system is more established, it’s good to see manufacturers working on more compact options.  Yes, there have always been M mount lenses but I just don’t want to rely on manual focus optics all the time, and I’m sure I’m not the only one in this boat.

So, I thought I’d write up something for the L mount user that is looking for an autofocus lenses where the emphasis is on portability, and I’ve included lenses here that will cover something as wide as a 16mm to something as long as a 90mm.  I’ve reviewed all these lenses before, so I’ve actually tested them, and made sure they are decent before I wrote this up.  Let’s get started.

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f4:

For those looking for a wide angle zoom, the Panasonic Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f4 is a great choice.  The optics are wonderful, and the build is excellent.  The autofocus is quick and accurate as well.

The Lumix S Pro 16-35mm f4 does only have an f4 maximum aperture but here’s the thing: a max f4 aperture really isn’t that bad for an ultra wide angle.  Leica even has ultra wide M lenses that have the same max aperture range.  It’s a wide angle, and for many including me, the lens will be stopped down when shooting anyway.  It definitely makes up for its modest wide open aperture by weighing just 500 g, and measuring 3.9″.

In other words, this is a lens that one can travel with, and take on long hikes with (which is what many do with a wide angle anyway) without feeling tired at the end of the day.  Plus, having a lens that covers a range of 16-35mm is quite useful, and for some, this may be all the lens that they need meaning they might not even need to bring any other gear.  You can read my full review here.

Sigma 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens in L Mount:

I recently reviewed the 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens, and while I’m not a fan of the 35mm focal length, I love this one.  To me, this lens fits the definition of what I think a 35mm f2 should be like perfectly.

I grew up during the days of film, and I was a Leica M fanatic.  When I picture a 35mm f2, any version of the 35mm Summicron-M comes to my mind.  A 35mm f2 is something I’m going to attach to my camera, and just go out to get great shots with.  The image quality should be exceptional, and it should be compact, so I can be discreet.  Plus, I want something that I can carry around all day without feeling any fatigue.  It’s something I might leave on my camera 24/7.  This is how I see the 35mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens.

The Sigma has all the features that make not just a great 35mm f2 but also a fantastic lens in general.  It measures just 2.8 x 2.6″ / 70 x 65.4 mm in length, and weights only 11.5 oz / 325 g.  It’s well made, and is dust and weather resistant.  The autofocus is fast, and the optics are also excellent.  Lastly, the price of this lens is $639, which I feel is very reasonable for what you’re getting here.  This is really one of my favorite 35s currently out.  If you want to read my full review, you can find it here.

Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens in L Mount:

The Sigma 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens is another one that I recently reviewed, and I put it on this list because to me, the focal length is unique in photography.  As some of you know, my favorite focal length, and by far my most used one, is the 50mm.  What I like about the Sigma is it kind of slots right in between a 50mm and a 75mm, which I found to be excellent for my fashion and boudoir work.  The added length versus a 50mm was a bit more flattering for my subject yet it wasn’t as long as a 75mm, so I still had versatility.  I was still able to use it for most of what I would use a 50mm for when I took pictures.

Plus, the features of the 65mm f2 DG DN Contemporary Lens are fantastic.  The build is excellent, and of course, there’s weather and dust sealing.  At the same time, it measures just 2.8 x 2.9″ / 72 x 74.7 mm, and weighs 405 g, so it’s definitely compact.  This is something you should have no issues bringing around everywhere, and that’s exactly what I did.  The autofocus is fast and accurate as well.

As for image quality, the 65mm f2 is amazing.  I found it to be extremely sharp, and the bokeh was very nice.  In fact, I love this lens so much, this is one of my favorites currently out regardless of focal length.  This is a true gem, and at a price of just $699, it’s a steal in my opinion.  If you want to read my full review, you can find it here.

Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens in L Mount:

If you want a versatile zoom that covers a large range, and at the same time, has a large maximum aperture, you can’t go wrong with the Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens.  For one, it has a lot of great features going for it.  It’s a well made lens, which includes weather sealing.  The autofocus is fast, and the optics are excellent.

The best part is it’s compact, and light for a zoom of this range with an f2.8 maximum aperture.  It measure just 2.8 x 4″ / 72.2 x 101.5 mm, and weighs only 16.6 oz / 470 g.  Specs don’t tell the entire story; you really have to see this lens in person.  I was using it with the Panasonic S1 but I also used it with the compact Sigma fp L, and I was just amazed at the size of this lens.  It was so great to carry around all day, especially during the hot weeks we’ve had in NYC recently.

Plus, as I said, a lens of this focal length range is extremely versatile.  For many, the 28-70mm f2.8 DG DN Contemporary Lens might be the only lens they’ll need to take.  With a max aperture speed of f2.8, it can still do some low light work as well, and also give you a nice, shallow depth of field, especially in the longer focal length ranges.  I am in the process of writing the review for this lens but you can find my first impressions of it here.

Leica Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH:

We can’t talk about L mount without talking about Leica, and with that said, if you’re looking for a 90mm lens, it’s hard to beat the APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH.  Leica designers and engineers had one goal in mind: to make the perfect 90mm, and well, this little guy basically redefines reference.  In addition to Leica build, weather-sealing, and an all metal body, you have a lens that is basically optically perfect.  It really is that good.  I’ve owned it since it was released, and to this day, I’m still shocked at how good it is whenever I use it.

To top it all off, since this 90mm is part of the Summicron-SL series, it’s designed to be more compact.  It measures just 2.87 x 4.02″ / 73 x 102 mm, and weighs 1.54 lb / 700 g.  I’ve used it on numerous L mount bodies, and it balances beautifully on ultra compact bodies like the Sigma fp to my Leica SL2.

Lastly, the APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH has a cool optical design: a 90mm f2 lens already produces a very thin depth of field at wide open aperture.  However, this particular lens has been designed to produce a very high contrast between the foreground and background.  Because of this, the foreground subject is perceived as being extra sharp, and therefore, “pops” out more from the background distinctly and more effectively.  In other words, you can get a perceived look of a larger aperture lens.  Bottom line is this is an absolutely superb 90mm, and if you want to read my full review of it, you can find it here.

5 Compact AF L Mount Lenses From 16mm to 90mm Conclusion:

There are some great compact lens options for L mount these days, and it looks like the options are only growing.  These are just 5 that I listed but there are a lot more, and I may write up another post like this in the future.  These are some of my favorites but I also have others on my list :).  I hope this was helpful for anyone who is already invested in the L mount system or plans to in the future, and are looking for more compact lens alternatives.  Thanks for stopping by!

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