Saw this earlier but just now getting back to the computer... @Reply 1 - good point about the contrast issues on glaciers but honestly I gotta disagree slightly on the Sigma weight thing. If you only looked at the Art series then yeah, those are total bricks. But the Contemporary I-series glass is basically made for the SL system. > i looked at the sigma 20mm or 24mm but theyre so big and heavy and i just want something small I've been super satisfied with the Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount. It is genuinely tiny and made of all metal so it doesnt feel cheap on a premium body. The image quality is crisp and I have had no complaints with the AF speed on my SL2. It works well even in tricky light and stays way under your budget. If you really want that extra width for Iceland, the Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary L-Mount is also a killer choice. It is a bit bigger than the f/3.5 version but still weighs almost nothing compared to the native Leica glass. Quick tip for the trip: if you do end up with a manual lens or just want to be safe, set your aperture to f/8 and use the hyperfocal distance. At 20mm, basically everything from like five feet to infinity is gonna be sharp. It saves you from worrying about the AF hunting on white snow or ice. Honestly happy I went this route instead of spending five grand on a single lens.

Like someone mentioned, glaciers can be a real pain for manual focusing when everything is just various shades of white and blue. I've shot in Iceland a few times over the years and honestly, you want something weather-sealed and light. The SL2 is already a heavy beast, no need to add a brick to the front of it. In my experience, the Panasonic Lumix S 18mm f/1.8 S-S18 is the most practical choice. It is well under your thousand dollar limit and weighs almost nothing compared to the Leica glass. The autofocus is fast and the image quality is punchy enough for those dramatic landscapes. If you want even wider, the Laowa 15mm f/2 Zero-D L-mount is a great manual option. Its tiny and since its so wide, you can usually stop down and not worry about missing focus. You wont regret going light when you're hiking through the wind all day.

I would suggest evaluating the Panasonic ecosystem for lighter builds. Be careful with manual focus accuracy on glaciers since contrast wont always be high.

• Go with Sigma.
• Stick to Panasonic.

tbh i have the exact same problem and have been stuck for weeks trying to figure this out. i have no complaints about the sl2 itself because it works well and feels so solid but finding a budget lens i can actually trust is basically impossible right now.

• i am really happy with the camera body but totally lost on the glass side.
• been looking for a native wide angle that isnt a total brick for like two months and still have nothing.
• i just want something reliable that wont break the bank but everything cheap seems risky for a big trip.

Late to the party but I spent months analyzing the optical performance data for the L-mount alliance before taking my SL2 out last year. Honestly, I am super satisfied with how the system handles but I have to give you a serious warning about going too cheap for an Iceland trip. The main issue isnt just the weight, its the weather sealing. I have seen guys try to use those tiny, non-sealed manual lenses on glaciers and the internal fogging is a nightmare once the temperature drops and the spray hits. If the lens doesn't have a rubber gasket at the mount, you are basically inviting moisture into your expensive SL2 body. Also, from a technical standpoint, some of the older adapted glass really struggles with corner smearing on that high-res sensor because of the thick sensor cover glass Leica uses. Its just something to keep in mind before you settle on a bargain option that might ruin your shots... missing focus is one thing but moisture inside the barrel is way worse.