
Leica L-Mount Autofocus
Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6
- Focal length
- 18–56 mm
- Aperture
- f/3.5–5.6
- Weight
- 256 g
- Filter diameter
- 52 mm
- Min. focus distance
- 30 cm
- Length
- 60 mm
Prices
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Price on the shop page
At a Glance
An APS-C standard zoom for L-Mount, this lens covers a 27-84 mm full-frame equivalent range at f/3.5-5.6. It is compact at 256 g and has a non-rotating filter mount. Autofocus is built in, and the minimum focus distance is 30 cm. Everyday and travel photography are its natural territory.
Good for
- Everyday
- Travel
Worth knowing
- APS-C image circle: on full-frame cameras only usable in crop mode, at reduced resolution.
Derived from the manufacturer data, not from our own tests. How we check
Technical Specifications
- Min. focal length
- 18 mm
- Max. focal length
- 56 mm
- Max. aperture (min. zoom)
- f/3.5
- Max. aperture (max. zoom)
- f/5.6
- Min. aperture
- f/16
- Elements
- 10
- Groups
- 7
- Weight
- 256 g (0.56 lb)
- Filter diameter
- 52 mm
- Min. focus distance
- 30 cm (11.81 in)
- Max. magnification
- 1:7.5 (0.13×)
- Length
- 60 mm (2.36 in)
- Diameter
- 63 mm (2.48 in)
- Released
- May 2014
Manufacturer data: leica-camera.com
Last checked: October 13, 2026 (against the manufacturer data) · How we check
Which cameras does the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 fit?
The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 is designed for APS-C sensors. On APS-C L-Mount cameras its field of view equals 27-84 mm in full-frame terms. Full-frame bodies use it in APS-C (crop) mode, recording only part of the sensor and fewer megapixels.
L-Mount cameras
- Full frame (in APS-C mode):
- Leica SL3-P, Leica SL3-S, Sigma BF, Panasonic Lumix S1II, Panasonic Lumix S1IIE, Panasonic Lumix S1RII, Leica SL3, Panasonic Lumix S9, Blackmagic PYXIS 6K, Panasonic Lumix S5II, Panasonic Lumix S5IIX, Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K, Panasonic Lumix BS1H, Leica SL2-S, Panasonic Lumix S5, Sigma fp L, Leica SL2, Panasonic Lumix S1, Panasonic Lumix S1R, Panasonic Lumix S1H, Sigma fp, Leica SL (Typ 601)
- APS-C:
- Leica CL, Leica TL2, Leica TL, Leica T (Typ 701)
Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 compared
Key specs side by side with the most similar L-Mount lenses.
| Lens | Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 | Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary | Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 | Sigma 20-60mm F2.8-4 DG Contemporary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal length | 18-56 mm | 18-50 mm | 20-60 mm | 20-60 mm |
| Max. aperture | f/3.5-5.6 | f/2.8 | f/3.5-5.6 | f/2.8-4 |
| Weight | 256 g | 290 g | 350 g | 385 g |
| Filter diameter | 52 mm | 55 mm | 67 mm | 67 mm |
| Min. focus distance | 30 cm | 12.1 cm | 15 cm | 15.8 cm |
| Length | 60 mm | 74.5 mm | 87.2 mm | 86 mm |
| Autofocus | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Image stabilization | no | no | no | no |
Open these lenses in the comparison and add more Compare the size of these lenses
Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6: FAQ
Does the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 have autofocus?
Yes, the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 has autofocus.
Does the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 have image stabilization?
No, the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 has no stabilization of its own. On cameras with in-body image stabilization (IBIS) the image is still stabilized.
How much does the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 weigh?
The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 weighs 256 g. It is 60 mm long with a diameter of 63 mm.
What filter size does the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 use?
The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 takes 52 mm screw-in filters.
How close can the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 focus?
The minimum focus distance of the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 is 30 cm, measured from the sensor plane.
Is the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 a full-frame lens?
No, the Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 is an APS-C lens. On APS-C cameras its field of view equals 27-84 mm in full-frame terms.
Similar lenses
Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary
18-50mm · f/2.8
Panasonic Lumix S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6
20-60mm · f/3.5-5.6
Sigma 20-60mm F2.8-4 DG Contemporary
20-60mm · f/2.8-4
Sigma 17-40mm F1.8 DC Art
17-40mm · f/1.8
Panasonic S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3
18-40mm · f/4.5-6.3
Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm F2.8
24-60mm · f/2.8
Leica Super-Vario-Elmar-SL 16-35mm F3.5-4.5 ASPH
16-35mm · f/3.5-4.5
Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-70mm F2.8 ASPH
24-70mm · f/2.8
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