Leica’s new APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL 100mm F2.8 has arrived. The new L-Mount macro lens was scheduled for release on 1 September 2026, and pre-orders are now being taken by authorised dealers.
The 100mm focal length is an interesting choice. While Leica is presenting it primarily as a macro lens, its combination of a 100mm focal length and F2.8 aperture makes it equally attractive for portraiture and general subject isolation. It offers 1:1 reproduction at a minimum focusing distance of 30cm, giving photographers plenty of working distance for close-up subjects.
The APO optical design is, of course, central to the appeal of the new lens. Leica has designed it to deliver high levels of correction, sharpness and colour accuracy, while nine aperture blades should contribute to smooth out-of-focus rendering and circular specular highlights. The lens also uses a substantial all-metal construction and weighs around 800g.
There is also a nod to the past. The new lens pays homage to the manual focus APO-Macro-Elmarit-R 100mm F2.8, introduced in 1987, a lens that has become something of a classic in its own right.
At €2,450 including VAT, the new lens is unmistakably a Leica proposition, but it’s still an unusually attractive price when compared with others in the range. If anything, it looks seriously under-priced. Whether that is justified will ultimately come down to the images it produces, but the combination of true 1:1 macro, a useful 100mm focal length and APO correction makes this a particularly attractive addition to the SL system.
Pre-orders are now open, with the lens available through Leica and authorised dealers.
