First review of the Leica SL3: The best high-resolution option for L-Mount … for now

The is the latest entry in the high-resolution camera space and the first to feature an L-mount in a while. I was excited to get my hands on it, even though it was still in the pre-production phase. Crippling jet lag aside, I was awake enough to really appreciate the new body design and user interface changes on this premium camera.

Leica SL3 – First review: How to handle it

At first glance, the SL3 looks very similar to the SL cameras that came before it. However, upon closer inspection, the menu buttons have been moved to the right side of the screen, much like on the Q3 . Another noticeable change is the fact that there is now a power button instead of a power button. This button looks more like it would be on a computer than a premium camera, and it took some getting used to. It features an LED backlight with different colors to indicate different usage modes, and can be customized for brightness and function.

If you look closely, you might also notice that the body has gotten ever so slightly smaller, as the width and height of the camera have decreased by a few millimeters. The weight has also been reduced from 835 grams to 762 grams. In practice, the size and weight reductions are minor at best, but Leica have been very adamant about implementing these changes, so much so that they have designed a new shutter and matching IBIS (in-body image stabilization) unit.

Surprisingly, this comes with a hardware downgrade that sees the maximum flash sync speed reduced to 1/200th of a second and the IBIS rating dropped from five and a half stops of stabilization to five. These aren’t huge reductions, but it’s still odd to see a newer camera lose out on capability compared to its predecessors.

What I really like about the new design is how easy the camera is to use. Leica has always strived to make easy-to-use cameras, but the SL3 is the most intuitive yet: you can press and hold virtually any button to reprogram it as you wish.

Leica has introduced a whole new iconography for its customizable menu options and the results are much easier to see. The quick menu has been revamped and I appreciate the ability to simply long-press icons right on the LCD screen to change general settings too. All of these changes mean that diving into menus is almost completely unnecessary and the SL3 is so simple that anyone can quickly understand it.

The changes aren’t just in the interface. We have the same 5.76 million-dot EVF, but the new 2.36 million-dot back panel now moves vertically. This is wonderful for low-angle shooting and a much-needed addition. The EVF offers good eye relief and the back panel extends far enough so the eyecup doesn’t block your view. The battery now uses the longer-lasting BP-SCSL6 battery from the Q3.

However, I still consider this a weakness of the Leica system, as overall battery life is still relatively low. The CIPA rating on a full charge is only 250 shots. In practical situations, you’ll get more, but compared to other modern full-frame cameras, this is a poor result, and I couldn’t shoot a full day without a replacement. You can also use the older BP-SCSL4 battery, but this will last even less time, and you lose faster burst rates and 4K/8K shooting capabilities overall.

We get a big change in the SL3’s file storage, as there’s now a CFexpress Type B slot that mates with a UHS-II SD slot. This makes sense given the new sensor’s larger 60-megapixel files, but the SL3 still only shoots up to five frames per second with autofocus enabled.

And finally, your expensive investment is protected by a beautiful and rugged housing with IP54 weather resistance. As much as someone might take care of their Leica, these cameras can withstand harsh weather and abuse if needed.

Leica SL3 – First review: How it shoots

The biggest change will be the introduction of hybrid phase detection autofocus (AF). Since Panasonic included it in the S5II, we expected the SL series to follow closely behind. Tracking works better on the SL3 and focus is an improvement over the SL2.

The new subject detection modes for people and animals are refined and I found the accuracy to be excellent when taking portraits of models in the studio and on the street. However, I still had issues with the continuous autofocus reducing the resolution of the EVF when focusing. This is quite annoying and seems to be here to stay.

There’s also a tendency for continuous autofocus to pulse, similar to a contrast-only autofocus system. This all contributes to a rather poor experience when shooting in faster-paced sports and action scenarios, and I was disappointed to find myself stuck in non-continuous autofocus mode for most of the time I spent with the camera.

Image quality is excellent, which is to be expected. We’ve seen similar results from the Leica Q3 cameras, and the results show off plenty of detail from the 60-megapixel sensor, with rich tonality and good high-ISO performance.

Leica always makes high-quality lenses that perfectly match the 60-megapixel sensor, and I find the color palette to be distinctly “Leica” in a very good way. Oddly, Leica hasn’t implemented a multi-shot mode in the SL3, although the engineers have clearly hinted that it could be added in the future. Given that the SL3 is still in pre-production, this makes sense, and I hope that some of the issues we’re seeing will be fixed soon.

Overall, the Leica SL3 is very easy to use, with a prestigious body, brilliant image quality, and some thoughtful changes to the back and button layout. The SL3 is a very stable platform to shoot with, and focuses accurately in still life situations. I just wish the continuous autofocus was better and the camera could maintain faster burst rates when autofocusing.

As it is, the SL3 is much better suited to studio or landscape photography, and while I would happily use it in journalistic settings, I would need something completely different for faster action situations. Unfortunately, the SL3 is the most capable camera in the Leica family when it comes to sports and action.

Leica SL3 First review: New video features

The SL3 comes with some useful video tools right out of the box, like shutter angle settings instead of shutter speed and waveforms. It also supports 4K 60p and 8K recording modes.

The fact is, however, that a 60-megapixel sensor is simply not ideal for video work. A heavy crop factor of 1.3x is applied for recording 4K and 8K video, and rolling shutter effects are common due to a relatively slow-scanning sensor. Full HD 1080p is the only recording mode that uses the entire width of the sensor, and it’s also the only mode that has ProRes recording enabled.

The Leica SL3 only allows H.265 compression for 8K recording, which makes sense, but annoying problems arise when switching between recording modes, bit rates and compression codecs.

For example, if you’re using 4K 10-bit, the SL3 should grey out unsupported codecs but let you select h.265 instead, making you think it’s an option. But that will automatically put the camera into 8K mode, losing all the work you put into setting up 4K. Or maybe you want to lower the data rate and randomly select one that’s only supported in 1080p recording mode. Now you’re in 1080p and have to start over and reset everything.

It seems like you have to memorize all the available permutations to know which ones not to choose, whereas most other camera manufacturers simply gray out the options and explain why you can’t choose them.

The SL3 is not designed to be an ideal video camera and therefore does not function as an ideal hybrid. The poor battery life is also noticeable in video mode, with a runtime of around 40 minutes. All of this suggests that the SL3 is a more photo-centric platform.

Leica SL3 – First review: The best (or only) choice for high resolution on L-Mount

The only other option for a full-frame mirrorless camera with an L-mount is the Sigma FP-L, which is considerably less fun and has many problems of its own. The Sony a7RV offers similar image quality in a much more comprehensive and versatile camera system, but that would require a move to the E-mount.

We expect Panasonic to revamp its S1 series soon, but for now the SL3 seems to be the best option for high-resolution L-mount photography.